Rhubarb Pie

As the leaves have already started turning yellow and falling from the trees here, I was reminded that I need to get this recipe for Rhubarb Pie up before the rhubarb is no longer in season!

My favorite pie is peach, however, I tend to make rhubarb pie more than any other kind. Probably because there is currently a rhubarb plant outside of our door, and I am so used to the process by now that it does not take me long. I have only ever made a pie where I have first made the crust, so both recipes are shown. Nearly everything I have learned about baking, I have learned from my mom, grandma, and my aunts. There is no doubt that my family is full of women that know their way around the kitchen. That being said, one may question several of the things I do while cooking/baking, and I can only answer, "Because that's just what you do."

Oil Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1/2 c. oil

1 scant tsp. salt
1/4 c. ice water
*place 1 Tbsp. vinegar in the bottom of the 1/4 c. water*

Mix these ingredients together until it becomes a dough mixture. Put 1/2 of the mixture between 2 pieces of wax paper and roll with a rolling pin to fit the size of your pie pan, with slight excess to hang off the sides. (If you dampen your board, the wax paper will stay in place). At this point you might think about adding more flour if you think the dough is too as the dough may seem sticky...don't add more flour! (I must admit that I have been caught using flour on my rolling pin when I did not have wax paper to save the day, and everything turned out ok). The other 1/2 of the mixture is rolled out (between wax paper again) and then cut in long strips with a pizza cutter to make the lattice for the pie. Place the shell layer of crust in your pie pan. This is most easily done by removing the top layer of wax paper and flipping the rolled out shell face down into the pan and peel it away from the other sheet of wax paper. Add the pie filling (see next recipe) into the shell and place the lattice strips across the top in a beautiful design of your choice. Then, fold the overhang crust over the top of the lattice edges and press with the bottom of a fork to add a finishing touch.

**This is a double crust recipe, so it can be used for 2 bottoms of open faced pies, a top and a bottom for a closed face pie, or in this case a bottom and a lattice top.**

Rhubarb Pie

4 c. rhubarb cut in 1/2 inch pieces

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

*have extra Tbsp. butter set aside dot top of pie before it goes in the oven*

Arrange rhubarb in unbaked pie shell (see above recipe). Mix flour, sugar, nutmeg and butter. Add beaten eggs together with milk. Mix all ingredients together well. Pour over rhubarb, and dot with butter (I place the lattice on after I pour the ingredients, but before I dot with butter. This pie can also be made as an open faced pie). Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

This pie is tasty! I tend to bake the pie about 5 minutes extra or until the lattice is browned. It turns out a little different everytime, but that is how you know it is homemade! Sometimes I use extra rhubarb and it is more of a juicy pie. Sometimes when I go against the age old rules and add just a bit more flour to the crust, it becomes more crumbly. All in all, you can't go wrong! The flavor is fantastic!

Sourdough Pancakes

I was over at a friend's house a few weeks ago and scored some sourdough starter. Now, of course any good sourdough starter originated with a Sourdough. Matt informed me that this sourdough was started by a Sourdough in Juneau in 1949. Now to those of you who don't believe everything you hear you might not buy it, but it sounded fun and perfectly reasonable to me.

Anyway, Matt made some very yummy blueberry sourdough pancakes for breakfast. Yes, again with the blueberries. He did this while teaching me how to can salmon (i.e. not blow myself up with a pressure cooker). He then sent me home with some sourdough starter and his pancake recipe so that I could attempt to make such tasty pancakes on my own.

For information on how to start your own sourdough starter, and/or keep your sourdough starter going once you get it, go to Sourdough Baking. A couple nots: Be sure to keep your starter in a plastic or glass container and mix it with a plastic or wooden spoon. Do not use metal. Also, Matt mixes in a tbsp of sugar, along with the flour and water, when feeding the sourdough.

Lastly, for some helpful tips on making the perfect pancake check out Smitten Kitchen's Pancake 101.

Matt's Sourdough Pancakes

2 cups sourdough starter*, room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp warm water

Preheat oven to 175. In a large bowl, add sourdough starter, sugar, egg, olive oil, and salt; mix well. In a small bowl, dilute 1 tsp baking soda in 1 tbsp of warm water. Fold the baking soda/water mixture gently into the prepared pancake batter (do not beat). This will cause a gentle foaming and rising action. Let mixture stand a minute or two.

Heat a lightly-greased griddle on low-medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup batter onto griddle. Wait until batter begins to cook and add blueberries or other additions*. Cook about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from heat and place on a baking sheet in the oven until all pancakes are ready to serve. (Do not leave pancakes in oven for more than 30 minutes.) Serve with maple syrup and other toppings*.

*For a lighter, sweeter pancake with less of a tangy sourdough taste substitute 2 cups of sourdough starter with 1 cup sourdough starter and 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour.

*Optional additions: Blueberries (frozen or fresh), chopped walnuts, chocolate chips.

*Toppings: Sliced banana or other fresh/frozen fruit, jelly/jam, yogurt, confectioner sugar.

Winter Spice Blueberry Jam

This recipie comes via Margaret and is a hybrid of recipies found at Blueberry-Recipe.com. It has a distinct spiced flavor to it. When I tasted it I found myself craving winter so I can snuggle up on the couch with a book, this jam on toast, and a cup of tea while snow falls softly outside. (If you are looking for a more simple blueberry recipe Stacy made this recipe and it was yummy. More light and summery in taste.)

Spiced Blueberry Jam
4 cups blueberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 cups sugar
1 package fruit pectin
scant 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice

Prepare jars* by boiling them for 10 minutes. Crush blueberries and poor into a large pan on the stove. Stir sugar, lemon, and spices into fruit. Mix well and bring to full boil for 5 minutes over high heat; stir constantly.

Pour fruit pectin (I used Certo) into fruit and cointue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into jars, wipe rims of jam. Turn jars upside down for 5 minutes and then turn upright. Let set for 1 hour.

*I made 12 4 oz jars of jam with this recipe. I did not fill the jars completly and probably could have gotten the mixture into 9 or 10 jars if I had filled them more fully.

Collards or Kale with Tahini

I've never been a big fan of kale unless it was hidden in a soup, but this is a simple recipe that I tried recently for book club, and everyone seemed to love it! A great way to eat a vegetable that is really good for you, and which we have tons of locally grown in Alaska. I got this from the cookbook "How to Cook Everything", by Mark Bittman (which, incidentally, is a GREAT resource for everyday cooking).

2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 lb collards or kale, well washed and roughly chopped
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
3 tbs tahini
salt or freeshly ground black pepper
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice (I think I may have forgotten this when I made it)

Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot with a lid over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook until golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the collards or kale, stock, tahini, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the greens are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes.

Uncover and continue to cook at a low bubble, stirring frequently, until the collards/kale are very tender, at least 5 minutes more. Add more stock if the pot looks dry; you want some sauce, but not soup. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, garnished with tomato if you like.

Variation 1: Substitute peanut butter for the tahini. Add 1 tbs minced fresh ginger with the greens if you like and substitute lime juice for the lemon.

Variation 2: Add or substitute 1/2 cup yogurt for the tahini, but add it with the lemon juice. Garnish with fresh dill or mint.

I'm interested to try the peanut butter variation!

A Little Nudge Never Hurt

I've been making my own yogurt for a couple of months now. Margaret was right. It gets easier and tastes better with every try. A little nudge was what I needed and now I make it about once a week. I've been having it for breakfast with fresh blueberries and a little sugar mixed in. Or with the granola I posted, or with some jam mixed in. You get the picture.

I've also been using it to make these blueberry muffins (thank you Allen) and this banana bread. (If you're not a huge fan of ginger substitute with 1 tsp cinnamon and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts for more traditional banana bread.)

Blueberry Press

Over the years I've come to accept that I can’t do hard alcohol. I think I put forth a valiant effort but whether it’s shots, or fruity mixed drinks that taste like sweet tarts, I just can’t do it. The only hard alcohol I can handle is whatever is in Stacy’s family Recipe Bucket and, unless you are a Schmitz, you are not getting your hands on that recipe. Period. Anyway, no hard alcohol for me.

Enter the Blueberry Press Stacy made after blueberry picking this weekend. As with most yummy mixed drinks, my taste buds said, “Yes!” and then my stomach immediately screamed, “No Way! No Freek’n Way!”

So this post is for those of you who enjoy a yummy mixed drink. Perfect to be savored while you pick through then freeze, can, or bake with the blueberries you picked that day. Me, I think I’ll stick with a cool beer while I do the above.

Enjoy.

Blueberry Press
1.5 oz Blueberry Vodka
1 part club soda
1 part sprite (optional)
Fill a glass with ice. Add vodka, soda, and sprite (if using). Garnish with fresh blueberries.

Homemade Granola

Thank you, Margaret, for being the first to post on what, I hope, becomes a group blog.

I'm posting a granola recipe that I've been making for about a year now. It's a modified version of the Joy of Cooking recipe. I have it with yogurt several times a week. (Hopefully soon I will be able to say, "I have it with homemade yogurt several times a week.") It's easy to make and lasts quite awhile. Please don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients, as I easily am. A lot of the ingredients can be found in the bulk section at Fred's so you don't have to get more than you need for one batch. I put a (b) next to them to further prove my point :)

Granola

About 9 cups

Preheat the oven to 300F. Scatter over a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven about 15 minutes, stirring frequently:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (b)

Mix in a large bowl:

1½ cups wheat germ
¼ cup dry milk powder (optional)
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (b)
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ - 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut (b)
½ cup sesame seeds (b)
1 cup hulled sunflower seeds (b)

Heat in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes:

½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Stir the honey mixture into the wheat germ mixture. Combine with the toasted oats. Spread in a thin layer on the baking sheet (use 2 pans if necessary) and toast, stirring frequently, 45 minutes, or until all the ingredients are toasted. Let cool, then stir in dried cranberries, or other dried fruit, if desired. Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Yogurt making

Jillian asked me to write about how I make my own yogurt. I've been doing this for a little over a year now, after being inspired by my friend Sophie. She'd noticed that these nifty little yogurt "incubators" were on sale for about $20 at Fred Meyer. I eat yogurt every day as my morning snack at my desk at work, so I thought it might be a good idea to try it out, mostly to save money. Here's what the incubator looks like.

It came with 6 of these little 6 oz. glass jars, all with plastic lids. (FYI - the jars are fragile! I broke one the first time I made yogurt and have been using a little glass jar that artichokes came in to fill the spot ever since...) It was a lot of trial and error at first. The directions that came with the yogurt maker (brand is called Deni) were pretty basic.

1. Pour 1 qt. milk (whole, 2%, 1%, or powdered) into a saucepan. Heat milk until it boils, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove saucepan from heat and allow milk to cool to room temperature. Pour into pitcher.

3. Add 1/2 cup natural yogurt into the milk. Stir until well blended. Do not add any flavorings or sweeteners before completing the yogurt making process.

4. Pour the mixed liquid equally into the glass jars and place into the yogurt maker.

5. Cover, plug in, turn the control knob to the desired cooking time.

6. For the first batch, try setting the cooking time to 10 hours. For future batches, set the timer longer for a thicker consistency or shorter for a thinner consistency.

Well, I tried that, and the first time I slightly burned the milk, but decided to try it anyway to see if the yogurt would still come out. It did not. There was a small layer of thick ooze at the bottom of the jars and above that was yellowy water. Plus it smelled like burnt milk. Yuck. So my first lesson was to constantly stir the milk while boiling. Also, I try to take it off the stove just before it gets to boiling, and that still seems to work. Here's a photo of another yogurt disaster:

I think the problem that time was that I left it in the incubator for too long. But the result was kind of fascinating!

In any case, here's what I do, and what has worked for me over dozens of batches.

Use powdered milk, but be generous on the amount of powder to make 1 quart - I usually put in about 1 3/4 cups of the powder for 3 3/4 cups water.

Stir constantly while boiling the milk.

Let the milk stand for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours. Some yogurt recipes say to get it to room tempterature, others say to use a thermometer. I just use my finger and try to make sure it's not still hot. Warm seems to be okay.

Wisk in the starter yogurt really well.

Pour into the incubator and let it sit in there for 12-14 hours. Lately 12 seems to be working pretty well. 10 was definitely too short. I think probably because I use skim milk.

Voila, that's it! I mix in jam or jelly before eating.

Staring From Scratch

Over the past year I have been slowly teaching myself to cook from scratch. So far the progress has been minimal, but fun. The motivation first came from reading articles on eating locally and the Slow Food movement. Then I started eyeing Pollan and Kingsolver's books at Title Wave. Then I actually picked them up and read them. Thinking eventually led to action and I signed up for a CSA, frequented the farmer's market, and started taking a closer look at the contents in my shopping cart. I began picking up containers in the grocery store and wondering how they came to be. I started counting and studying ingredients and then going home to the Joy of Cooking to compare. As my body started responding positively to these small changes to my eating habits, my desire to learn more has continued to increase. 

So far my attempts have been modest and simple. Pesto and pasta for example. Pesto has 5 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to make. Fresh pasta has 3 ingredients. It takes a while to make but most of that time is spent waiting for the pasta to dry and can be spent on other noble pursuits, like napping. When the pasta is finally dry and cooked, add some shredded parmesan to the top and - yummy! But see, the cheese... Not so simple. Therefore, store bought. And that is where the you come in my fellow food loving friends. 

I propose a food co-op of sorts. A group where planting, cooking, baking, and storing skills are shared with each other or learned together. And where the results are often shared and/or eaten together as well :) 

I am well aware that my recently found desire to grow, gather and hunt (by hunt I mean fish) follows a growing trend in our country. A trend I am very happy about and would like to follow with the enthusiasm that I had for French rolled jean cuffs in 6th grade. And while I enjoy a peaceful night of solitary cooking now and then, I really want to grow, gather, hunt, cook, bake, and eat/drink with friends. 

My thoughts so far include gatherings where skills can be shared by those who have them with those who don't; gatherings where new skills are learned together; ethnic food nights where a region is chosen, menu is created, ingredients gathered, then cooked together and, of course, eaten together; fishing trips and berry picking trips could also be regular activities when in season. 

And by skills I mean complicated (to me anyway) sounding activities like canning vegetables, smoking salmon, canning salmon, making jams and jellies, making cheese... Oh, and yeast scares me even though I really want to learn how to make bread. Quite the dilemma that one is.  

I'm new to blogging, but I hope this will be a way to organize gatherings, share recipes and tips, create links to other cooking sites and recommend books. I will try to figure out how to make it so that as we form our little co-op members can add posts. 

Happy eating and hope to see you soon :)