The Golden Plates are officially on hold until the Yummer's Household gets it's new kitchen. For those of you who don't know yet, the Yummers family is not only getting a new kitchen, we're getting a new house! We were busting at the seams in our old home, and have decided to build a new home. That makes this person extremely excited!!! I have waited sooooooo long to have my own kitchen and since we're building, that means I get a HUGE say-so in how it's designed! YAY!!! OK, I'll calm down for a minute. In the meantime.......I have to put The Golden Plates on hold. I know, I know! But long story short: I currently do not have a kitchen. We are staying with friends. And although they are gracious enough to share their home with us, I would feel as though I am trespassing on their hospitality if I should take over the kitchen for long periods of time in order to tweak a recipe. Also they may tire of having beef stew four times in a week, just because I can't get it the way I want it. Any way you see it, the kitchen is closed until further notice. I am a little disappointed that I won't be able to do much for the holidays. Keep checking if you'd like. I may just post something by way of some old family recipes if I can get a hold of the family cook book.
As for the Cupcake Experiment, It worked flawlessly! I simply switched the whole wheat flour to the plain white flour and taste problem was solved! The Cupcakes were absolutely fantastic, and everyone loved them! Party Success!!! So until I post again, Happy Eating!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Fall is Soup-er!
I LOVE FALL!!! And Fall in SC couldn't be better! You can imagine my thrill when I woke up the other day to 60 degree weather!!!! And Lo and Behold this morning I woke up to rain. That's one of my favorite sounds in the world. Needless to say, the cupcake experiment got put on hold, due to a soggy day. Or rather, I was really in the mood for soup instead. My favorite kinds of soup are the ones that require little to no thinking. Throw some stock in the pot, add this and that and Voila! It's soup! So here's what I had in my kitchen when I got started: Raw sugar, baby food and tomato sauce. Mmmmm! Appetizing! Off to the store I went. And after a half hour returned with the following decision: It's a really bad idea to shop while you're hungry.
So what, pray tell, are we making today? Hamburger, vegetables and lentils. Yummy! Why I came up with that particular combination, I don't know. All I know is my stomach said "grab that!" And I listened. Here's what I got:
1 lb ground lean meat
2 cups of chopped mixed vegetables
1 1/2 cups lentils
5-6 cups of water (OK the water came from my tap, but you get the idea)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot I browned the meat (I used venison that I found in the recesses of my freezer, but you can use whatever you want). Add a little bit of the water and with a wooden spoon scrub the "crusties" off the bottom of the pot. This is flavor, people! They'll dissolve as you cook, but dissolve better if you get them off the bottom first. Pour on the rest of the water and bring to a boil. Now for the veggies. I used corn, green beans, potatoes, celery, and a little bit of onion. If you want better flavor from the onions, add them to the meat while browning. Add all the veggies except the potatoes. They don't take very long to cook. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a high simmer for 45 minutes. Add the lentils and potatoes and simmer another 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
I used fresh everything for this recipe. If you are going to use canned veggies, however, skip the 45 minute boil period and just add all the veggies and lentils at the same time.
Now just cozy up in front of the fireplace with a good book and a big bowl of this stuff and listen to the rain!
for your fire--- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQBThHIDuc
For your Rain---http://whitenoise247.net/nature.aspx
So what, pray tell, are we making today? Hamburger, vegetables and lentils. Yummy! Why I came up with that particular combination, I don't know. All I know is my stomach said "grab that!" And I listened. Here's what I got:
1 lb ground lean meat
2 cups of chopped mixed vegetables
1 1/2 cups lentils
5-6 cups of water (OK the water came from my tap, but you get the idea)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot I browned the meat (I used venison that I found in the recesses of my freezer, but you can use whatever you want). Add a little bit of the water and with a wooden spoon scrub the "crusties" off the bottom of the pot. This is flavor, people! They'll dissolve as you cook, but dissolve better if you get them off the bottom first. Pour on the rest of the water and bring to a boil. Now for the veggies. I used corn, green beans, potatoes, celery, and a little bit of onion. If you want better flavor from the onions, add them to the meat while browning. Add all the veggies except the potatoes. They don't take very long to cook. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a high simmer for 45 minutes. Add the lentils and potatoes and simmer another 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
I used fresh everything for this recipe. If you are going to use canned veggies, however, skip the 45 minute boil period and just add all the veggies and lentils at the same time.
Now just cozy up in front of the fireplace with a good book and a big bowl of this stuff and listen to the rain!
for your fire--- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQBThHIDuc
For your Rain---http://whitenoise247.net/nature.aspx
Thursday, September 8, 2011
"Let them eat Cupcakes!!!" Experiment #1
Here's our first try at Agave Cupcakes! They always say: The taste of a batter-whether it's cake or cookie-is a good indicator of the final taste of your finished baked good. Well maybe they don't say it like that. I put it that way for dramatic effect. But I'm actually a firm believer in this*(see footnote!). I always try my "famous cookies" before I bake them. It's how I can tell I made them right and a great way to fix mistakes before it's too late to fix them. I've even been known to just make and eat the cookie dough on days when I feel a little down.Well at least before I cracked down on my eating habits.
(BTW since said cookie recipe is absolutely in no way healthy for you in the least, and mostly because it is a coveted recipe that people have been after me for ages to get, It will not now or even perhaps ever make an appearance on this blog.)
They also say that if dieters allow themselves a little indulgence that they are more likely to stay on track because they are less likely to break down and binge on an entire tub of ice cream....not that I've ever done that........Anyways! Having tasted this particular batter I had high hopes! It was creamy and sweet and oh so yummy! How it turned out however was a complete surprise. Although now that I think about it, it really shouldn't have surprised me. The Agave didn't have as much of an impact on the taste as the type of flour I used! I should have known. I use agave here and there and I noticed it really doesn't differ, taste-wise from regular sugar. I really should have thought of that before. I don't know why I thought that baking it would change the flavor of the agave. The biggest noticeable taste difference came from the flour!
The ingredients I have available to me for healthy eating are limited to what is carried in local supermarkets. My local whole food store is all the way across town, and very expensive. Ordering 20 lbs of flour via internet is completely impractical when shipping charges are more than your entire order. Therefore I am resigned to simple whole wheat or whole grain flour for almost all of my baking. This affects the taste of every baked good I make. When I tasted these cupcakes for the first time, the texture was right, it was fluffy and soft and moist, but the taste was like my honey whole wheat muffins! I might as well have made them instead and saved myself all the fat that was used in the cake recipe! Perhaps I will use this recipe for the cupcakes and just replace the whole wheat with *shudder* white flour. After all it is a special occasion. My friends in the social networking world tell me that coconut flour is a good substitute but since I do not currently have access to it I cannot tell you how well it works or even how to substitute it. If you can get used to the taste of the whole wheat in this recipe it still is very good. Also since it is a special occasion, we will be using a lot more fats than i would normally use. You may omit as much fat as you want, but it will affect the texture greatly. So pick and choose your battles on this one. If it is of any relevance, Little Red ate one.....but has yet to ask for another.
Agave Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
2/3 cup agave
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour into a bowl. (The brown specks left over are from the hull. You can choose to add them back to the flour or to throw them out. It won't affect anything but the color of your cake.) Add remainder of ingredients and blend for 30 seconds either by hand or on lowest speed on your mixer. (I miss my stand mixer.....) Once combined, beat batter on high for 3 full minutes (I had to do this by hand. I REALLY miss my stand mixer......). Spoon into cupcake cups already in the tin. To make a regular cake: pour into a greased and floured 8x8 cake pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes for cupcakes or 30-40 minutes for regular cake. Or if you're like me and tend to forget to set the timer, keep an eye on it and watch for lightly browned tops and stick a toothpick in the middle of one. If the toothpick comes out clean, they're done!
*Let me make a disclaimer from earlier!!! I am NOT telling you to eat raw eggs! I'm just saying I do when i try my un-cooked batter. If you choose to do so it will be at your own risk. I accept absolutely NO RESPONSIBILITY for your own actions!
(BTW since said cookie recipe is absolutely in no way healthy for you in the least, and mostly because it is a coveted recipe that people have been after me for ages to get, It will not now or even perhaps ever make an appearance on this blog.)
They also say that if dieters allow themselves a little indulgence that they are more likely to stay on track because they are less likely to break down and binge on an entire tub of ice cream....not that I've ever done that........Anyways! Having tasted this particular batter I had high hopes! It was creamy and sweet and oh so yummy! How it turned out however was a complete surprise. Although now that I think about it, it really shouldn't have surprised me. The Agave didn't have as much of an impact on the taste as the type of flour I used! I should have known. I use agave here and there and I noticed it really doesn't differ, taste-wise from regular sugar. I really should have thought of that before. I don't know why I thought that baking it would change the flavor of the agave. The biggest noticeable taste difference came from the flour!
The ingredients I have available to me for healthy eating are limited to what is carried in local supermarkets. My local whole food store is all the way across town, and very expensive. Ordering 20 lbs of flour via internet is completely impractical when shipping charges are more than your entire order. Therefore I am resigned to simple whole wheat or whole grain flour for almost all of my baking. This affects the taste of every baked good I make. When I tasted these cupcakes for the first time, the texture was right, it was fluffy and soft and moist, but the taste was like my honey whole wheat muffins! I might as well have made them instead and saved myself all the fat that was used in the cake recipe! Perhaps I will use this recipe for the cupcakes and just replace the whole wheat with *shudder* white flour. After all it is a special occasion. My friends in the social networking world tell me that coconut flour is a good substitute but since I do not currently have access to it I cannot tell you how well it works or even how to substitute it. If you can get used to the taste of the whole wheat in this recipe it still is very good. Also since it is a special occasion, we will be using a lot more fats than i would normally use. You may omit as much fat as you want, but it will affect the texture greatly. So pick and choose your battles on this one. If it is of any relevance, Little Red ate one.....but has yet to ask for another.
Agave Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
2/3 cup agave
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour into a bowl. (The brown specks left over are from the hull. You can choose to add them back to the flour or to throw them out. It won't affect anything but the color of your cake.) Add remainder of ingredients and blend for 30 seconds either by hand or on lowest speed on your mixer. (I miss my stand mixer.....) Once combined, beat batter on high for 3 full minutes (I had to do this by hand. I REALLY miss my stand mixer......). Spoon into cupcake cups already in the tin. To make a regular cake: pour into a greased and floured 8x8 cake pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes for cupcakes or 30-40 minutes for regular cake. Or if you're like me and tend to forget to set the timer, keep an eye on it and watch for lightly browned tops and stick a toothpick in the middle of one. If the toothpick comes out clean, they're done!
*Let me make a disclaimer from earlier!!! I am NOT telling you to eat raw eggs! I'm just saying I do when i try my un-cooked batter. If you choose to do so it will be at your own risk. I accept absolutely NO RESPONSIBILITY for your own actions!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Let them eat Cupcakes!!! Part 1
Baby Yum is turning 1! I can't believe it! It seems only yesterday that the swollen ankles (read: swollen EVERYTHING) and waddling around all became worth while. Now I've got a teething, walking toddler to chase in addition to her older sister, Little Red. And Party Planning is in the air!!! If you've been following this blog, you know that us Yummers know how to throw a party! Not all of us Yummers are big on themes for these shindigs, but I am. I LOVE to plan, and themes just help tie everything together. It makes it easier to justify the purchase of a new chip and dip bowl for the party if it's the shape of a Cowboy hat! But I think for Baby Yum's party we will be focusing on Cupcakes. (Mostly because I found a T-shirt and Bib set featuring Cupcakes.) I've got banners and party favors in the works, but I'm supposed to be eating healthier. What to do about the cake? So begins my research towards Cupcakes, cakes in general and what's in them.
I won't turn over all my findings here, but I will just say there is way too much sugar in every cake recipe I have found!!! Ick! I have a sweet tooth like the next person, but one recipe I found had more sugar in it than flour. I repeat my earlier statement: Ick! There has got to be some better alternatives. Firstly I tried cutting the sugar content. (the kids at Music Makers are gonna love me come Thursday-they're gonna be my guinea pigs!) Then I tried Agave. Sugar in a recipe is technically considered a "wet ingredient", so Agave nectar in it's liquid form is not a bad idea. Honey is also an idea to replace the white sugars, but it's taste may stand in the way. Brown sugar is NOT an option. Most brown sugars purchased today are refined sugar in disguise. I won't bore you with the details of sugar processing, but basically the brown sugar purchased in the store it white sugar with a little molasses added to it to make it brown and slightly sticky.(which is not how it was originally made)
Also experimenting: making your own powdered sugar for icings. Basic powdered sugar is mostly sugar ground into a powder via a food processor with a little cornstarch added to keep the sugar from liquifying during the grinding. Simple, except I really don't want to have to break down and use refined sugar. I don't think any of my previously used sugar replacement methods will work for icing, so we're going to try raw sugar.
No recipe this time, but many will soon follow! I've got 3 weeks till Party Time! Let's get baking!!!
I won't turn over all my findings here, but I will just say there is way too much sugar in every cake recipe I have found!!! Ick! I have a sweet tooth like the next person, but one recipe I found had more sugar in it than flour. I repeat my earlier statement: Ick! There has got to be some better alternatives. Firstly I tried cutting the sugar content. (the kids at Music Makers are gonna love me come Thursday-they're gonna be my guinea pigs!) Then I tried Agave. Sugar in a recipe is technically considered a "wet ingredient", so Agave nectar in it's liquid form is not a bad idea. Honey is also an idea to replace the white sugars, but it's taste may stand in the way. Brown sugar is NOT an option. Most brown sugars purchased today are refined sugar in disguise. I won't bore you with the details of sugar processing, but basically the brown sugar purchased in the store it white sugar with a little molasses added to it to make it brown and slightly sticky.(which is not how it was originally made)
Also experimenting: making your own powdered sugar for icings. Basic powdered sugar is mostly sugar ground into a powder via a food processor with a little cornstarch added to keep the sugar from liquifying during the grinding. Simple, except I really don't want to have to break down and use refined sugar. I don't think any of my previously used sugar replacement methods will work for icing, so we're going to try raw sugar.
No recipe this time, but many will soon follow! I've got 3 weeks till Party Time! Let's get baking!!!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Flap your Jack!
I know I haven't posted in a while, but I must ask for your forgiveness and patience with me. The Yummers household is in the process of a move. Although we are not moving far, it has created turmoil in my kitchen! Most of my things are packed away, including my recipe book and most of my equipment. Any new recipes that come out of this will be completely pulled out of thin air. I usually won't pass on a recipe unless I have tried and tested it first, but even that is becoming increasingly difficult.
Here are somethings that you can expect to show up on here in the next few months:
*Stews and soups
* anything that can be made in a cast iron frying pan or crock pot
* anything not requiring a stand mixer
* Due to the summer heat, anything NOT requiring my oven to be on for any length of time
In the meantime here is a tried and true recipe that I would never forget. It has made an appearance on facebook, but I still wanted it here for the archives and for those who missed it.
I never understood why pancakes were ever called "Flap Jacks". Every time I hear that phrase i think of some grizzled old prospector with no teeth. His name would have been Jack, of course. But where on earth did they get the "Flap" part? Oh well, I suppose it shall be a quandary for the ages.....or at least for me. One day i might go look it up, but then again I'm sure I could make up something far more interesting. So for future reference, if you should happen to look it up on Wikipedea and you find some random story about a miner from the gold rush named Jack who was famous for his flappers, you'll know where it came from.
I could live off of pancakes. Last Christmas I asked for (and got) a griddle. I LOVE THAT SUCKER!!! My freezer is never without pancakes or waffles that can easily be thrown into the toaster for a quick breakfast. However I also started reading my labels and became appalled at the things they put into various pancake mixes. Now, I already have an absolutely amazing pancake recipe, but it requires quite a bit more effort and time versus an instant mix. I'm also in the process of moving, so my stand mixer and that recipe book are stored away. Solution: Breathe, and turn on the stove!
Instant Pancake Mix
6 cups flour (organic whole wheat, of course!)
1 tsp salt
2tbs baking powder
1tbs baking soda
Mix and store in airtight container in the fridge up to 6 months
To make pancakes:
mix 1 cup mix, 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk, and 1-2 teaspoons agave nectar (or to taste)
whisk batter till lumps almost disappear, let batter rest for at least 5 minutes, then pour onto 350 degree griddle by 1/4 cup fulls. serve with your favorite berries and homemade whipped cream!
This recipe can also be used to make waffles. Just grease the waffle iron well, to make up for the lack of oil in the recipe.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Velveeta who?
I'm a southern girl so this was bound to make it to the blog. Mac and Cheese is a staple for every family gathering. No matter the occasion, there had better be mac and cheese and you'd better not get the corners! (Those are reserved for the uncles.) It is something I made for myself when I was feeling desperately homesick while living in the western mountains. And it has contributed several pounds to my "Brunson Spread." Needless to say I have had a ROYAL craving for it recently ( No I'm not expecting!). However it's August in the south, and I really would like my kitchen to stay as cool as possible. Oh Yeah, and I want it to be healthier, blah, blah, blah....... After calling my mom to make sure i had the basics down for the baking method, I turned to my stove top. What came out was pretty darn tasty, and a good substitute for the baked version. In fact, Little Red (my 3 year old daughter) actually ate it! That's saying something cause unless it's chicken fingers or yogurt, she won't go anywhere near it.
This version may seem a little wierd to you, but trust me it's scrumptious! Now the baked version requires pre-boiling your noodles, but I really don't want to mess up any more dishes than I have to. Soooooo....... How about we use the milk to boil those noodles? Since I use fat free milk, it's mostly water anyways, right? And I'm outta eggs, but we really don't need those either, do we? And Little Red only likes the twirly noodles. Yeah. We can make this work!
Stove-top Mac and Cheese
2c. Whole wheat noodles
2c. fat free milk
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
garlic
1c. grated cheddar
1 slice swiss cheese
*Throw everything except the cheeses into a saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer. Don't get too hot too quickly or your milk will curdle.
* Once simmer is reached turn stove down to low and stir at least every 60 seconds to keep noodles from sticking together, for at least 15 minutes.
*If needed add 1/4 cup more milk and continue to simmer and stir an additional 5 minutes or until noodles reach desired tenderness.
* Remove from heat and add cheddar. Stir until evenly distributed. Place slice of swiss on top and cover pan. Leave for 5 minutes.
*Once swiss has melted you can either: 1. use a mini butane burner to brown up the swiss for a "crust" or 2. stir it into the rest of your mac and cheese to give it an extra kick. (should your pan be rated for oven use you can throw it under the broiler to achieve crust-like topping)
The results are astounding and completely relieve all cheeseiness-type cravings!
Healthiness: Since you are using fat free milk, whole wheat pasta, no butter, and very little cheese you are saving yourself gobs of fat and oil you don't need.
Reminder: Don't forget to use organic, and research the places your cheese and animal products come from!
This version may seem a little wierd to you, but trust me it's scrumptious! Now the baked version requires pre-boiling your noodles, but I really don't want to mess up any more dishes than I have to. Soooooo....... How about we use the milk to boil those noodles? Since I use fat free milk, it's mostly water anyways, right? And I'm outta eggs, but we really don't need those either, do we? And Little Red only likes the twirly noodles. Yeah. We can make this work!
Stove-top Mac and Cheese
2c. Whole wheat noodles
2c. fat free milk
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
garlic
1c. grated cheddar
1 slice swiss cheese
*Throw everything except the cheeses into a saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer. Don't get too hot too quickly or your milk will curdle.
* Once simmer is reached turn stove down to low and stir at least every 60 seconds to keep noodles from sticking together, for at least 15 minutes.
*If needed add 1/4 cup more milk and continue to simmer and stir an additional 5 minutes or until noodles reach desired tenderness.
* Remove from heat and add cheddar. Stir until evenly distributed. Place slice of swiss on top and cover pan. Leave for 5 minutes.
*Once swiss has melted you can either: 1. use a mini butane burner to brown up the swiss for a "crust" or 2. stir it into the rest of your mac and cheese to give it an extra kick. (should your pan be rated for oven use you can throw it under the broiler to achieve crust-like topping)
The results are astounding and completely relieve all cheeseiness-type cravings!
Healthiness: Since you are using fat free milk, whole wheat pasta, no butter, and very little cheese you are saving yourself gobs of fat and oil you don't need.
Reminder: Don't forget to use organic, and research the places your cheese and animal products come from!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
What's in a Name?
The name of my blog comes from my mother. She along with my aunts and some of her friends have planned nearly every wedding on her side of the family, catering included. When I was younger she hatched a scheme to get her own catering business up and running. They were going to call it The Golden Plates. My mom Joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints when I was 5 (for more info see mormon.org). We believe that another record of Jesus Christ and His followers were translated from an ancient set of plates made from gold (not the kind you eat off of!). My mother and her clever friend thought that this name would be a cute little private joke, seeing as how only members of our church would know what the real golden plates were. Due to lack of funding, or the fact that my mom had 5 kids at home and her friend had 8, The Golden Plates never took off. There has been talk over the years of re-hatching this scheme of a wedding planning and catering business, but nothing's happened. So I've borrowed the name. I promise to give it back should her business ever take off, but until then.........it's mine!!! (insert evil laughter!!!!)
This week's recipe is 3-in-1! You lucky readers you! It's a new creation inspired by a freezer full of venison (Thanks Daddy!) My father has been a hunting plantation manager most of my life. Growing up, we almost never had beef. And most certainly never hamburger. Why would we when there was an abundance of wild free meat to be had? Now I have eaten some pretty interesting animals, but for the most part it was deer turkey and quail. Those were the staples in our household then and in the Yummers household now. Lucky for us, this is not only free, but also free-range! I know how it was killed, how it was processed, and where exactly it has been since Bambi left the forest. For those of you who are vegetarian and vegan: I'm sorry, but this is probably not the site for you. I have no problem killing animals (due to a life of literally living off the land). Meat is a necessity for me and my family, and if we eat it responsibly, I feel no reason to not eat it. Now on a lighter note....Today's menu is:
Recipe the 1st: Filling
2 cups browned ground venison
1/3 cup each of Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheeses
1 tbs Italian Seasonings (wanna make your own? it's basically oregano,basil, rosemary and thyme)
While venison is still warm mix everything together so that the cheese melts.
Recipe the 2nd: Noodles
3 cups flour (your choice, can use gluten free too! just adjust water amount as needed)
2 eggs
water (I'd start with 1/4 cup and go from there. Adjust for your type of flour)
1tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Mix everything together until it just comes together, mixing as little as possible. Over-mixing will cause your noodles to be tough and chewy, and practically inedible. If you have a pasta machine, or maker, use it.
now roll out the dough into very thin sheets. 1/8 inch is not impossible to reach if you're more stubborn than the dough! Cut into squares of desired size. I make mine 1 1/2 inch.
Brush the edges of a base square with an egg wash, put about 1/2 tsp of filling in center and top off with 2nd square, pressing edges together and pressing out air simultaneously. Do this until all squares are used up.
Drop into boiling salted water and cook until noodles are done. About 5-6 minutes. Drain and top with your favorite or the following sauce.
Recipe the 3rd: Basic Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup finely diced onions
1or 2 cloves of garlic-smashed and chopped
1/4 cup each chopped fresh basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary**
Salt & pepper
2 cups canned tomatoes (home canned or organic canned)*
2 tbs olive oil
water (to thin out sauce if it becomes too thick)
In a saucepan, brown onion and garlic in olive oil until onions become transparent.
Add herbs and cook until just wilted.
Puree tomatoes in blender or food processor and add to saucepan.
Add salt and pepper to taste and cook together for 30 minutes, adding water as needed.
*if fresh are used, peel and boil separately for 2 hours. Drain and puree as you would for canned.
** if using dried herbs, only use 1/4-1/2 tsp each herb, as dried have a more potent flavor.
This week's recipe is 3-in-1! You lucky readers you! It's a new creation inspired by a freezer full of venison (Thanks Daddy!) My father has been a hunting plantation manager most of my life. Growing up, we almost never had beef. And most certainly never hamburger. Why would we when there was an abundance of wild free meat to be had? Now I have eaten some pretty interesting animals, but for the most part it was deer turkey and quail. Those were the staples in our household then and in the Yummers household now. Lucky for us, this is not only free, but also free-range! I know how it was killed, how it was processed, and where exactly it has been since Bambi left the forest. For those of you who are vegetarian and vegan: I'm sorry, but this is probably not the site for you. I have no problem killing animals (due to a life of literally living off the land). Meat is a necessity for me and my family, and if we eat it responsibly, I feel no reason to not eat it. Now on a lighter note....Today's menu is:
3 Cheese & Venison Ravioli
Although I use deer meat, any lean-ground meat that is available to you will work. And yes this will be 3 recipes in one. You have the noodles, the filling and the sauce. So break out your Italian side and lets go!Recipe the 1st: Filling
2 cups browned ground venison
1/3 cup each of Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheeses
1 tbs Italian Seasonings (wanna make your own? it's basically oregano,basil, rosemary and thyme)
While venison is still warm mix everything together so that the cheese melts.
Recipe the 2nd: Noodles
3 cups flour (your choice, can use gluten free too! just adjust water amount as needed)
2 eggs
water (I'd start with 1/4 cup and go from there. Adjust for your type of flour)
1tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Mix everything together until it just comes together, mixing as little as possible. Over-mixing will cause your noodles to be tough and chewy, and practically inedible. If you have a pasta machine, or maker, use it.
now roll out the dough into very thin sheets. 1/8 inch is not impossible to reach if you're more stubborn than the dough! Cut into squares of desired size. I make mine 1 1/2 inch.
Brush the edges of a base square with an egg wash, put about 1/2 tsp of filling in center and top off with 2nd square, pressing edges together and pressing out air simultaneously. Do this until all squares are used up.
Drop into boiling salted water and cook until noodles are done. About 5-6 minutes. Drain and top with your favorite or the following sauce.
Recipe the 3rd: Basic Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup finely diced onions
1or 2 cloves of garlic-smashed and chopped
1/4 cup each chopped fresh basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary**
Salt & pepper
2 cups canned tomatoes (home canned or organic canned)*
2 tbs olive oil
water (to thin out sauce if it becomes too thick)
In a saucepan, brown onion and garlic in olive oil until onions become transparent.
Add herbs and cook until just wilted.
Puree tomatoes in blender or food processor and add to saucepan.
Add salt and pepper to taste and cook together for 30 minutes, adding water as needed.
*if fresh are used, peel and boil separately for 2 hours. Drain and puree as you would for canned.
** if using dried herbs, only use 1/4-1/2 tsp each herb, as dried have a more potent flavor.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
One plate at a time.......
I wanted to lose weight, and I figured the best way was to change how and what I eat. That, for me, meant to cut out refined or processed everything. Hard to fathom? Yeah....my hubby doesn't get it either. Then again he's Mr. Eat-all-the-junk-in-the-world-and-not-gain-an-ounce. Me, I'm one of those people that look at a candy bar and gain 10 pounds. I also developed a sudden fear of preservatives and anything I can't pronounce on an ingredient list. My only option: get really friendly with the staff at 14 Carrot whole foods (the only store like it in my county), and PROCESS MY OWN FOOD. Crazy I know, right? But get this: When you buy a Rice pilaf mix you spend $1-2, right? In there are spices and rice and usually noodles and all you have to do is add water and heat it up. Easy right? What you also get is a mound of salt and preservatives, not to mention any chemicals that may be left over from pesticides or fertilizer. And it's a waste of money! You're spending $1-2 on something that cost the company maybe 15cents to throw together. And you have no control over what's in this product. Where as if you make it yourself, you not only save the money, but you also have COMPLETE CONTROL over what goes into your food. Decision made, problem solved. Now to figure out how to make everything I can buy in a box.........
The internet is full of recipes for anything you can type into a search engine. But I like to create my own recipes. Just ask anyone who was living at my house when I perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe back in 2000 (it took over a month of tweaking). I still have requests for those cookies, though. And anyone who's had them say they're VERY good! My latest inventions have created quite a stir on Facebook, and at the prompting of my cousin (You know who you are!!!) I've created "The Golden Plates". This is where I'll post my latest creations, my trials and errors, and maybe even some complete flops. Wanna know where the name came from? Well that's for another post.
Salmon Fish Sticks
These tender and delicious sticks came from the concern I had for what not only what I eat, but what my kids eat. This is a variation of a family recipe, that I watched my mom make a million times while I was growing up. It's made with salmon, which of course is very good for you. I get mine canned. Yes I know what you're thinking! It is technically processed. However..... If you have seen a homemade canning process, and have a reputable company providing this canning, then you can use your best judgement to decide if you want to use fresh (which is an option) or can your own (also another option), or just buy it from the store. Everything else in this recipe I either made myself, or bought organic, free-range, whatever.
1-14.75 oz canned salmon in water
3 slices of bread
1/2 cup plain cereal O's (cascadian farms makes some, i think)
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
lemon juice
seasonings (as desired, I just use salt and pepper)
*you will need a food processor for this!*
*in processor, blend bread until soft fine crumbs
*remove crumbs and blend cereal until a fine powder
*drain juice from salmon, but save juice in separate container
*blend crumbs, fish, milk, eggs and seasonings gently (do not overmix!)
*add cereal powder, then add just enough lemon juice and saved fish juice until everything comes together.
*cereal powder is VERY absorbent, so I generally give it a minute or two and then add more liquid as needed.
*shape dough into sticks (get your hands dirty!) I usually give mine flat sides
*fry on lightly oiled griddle or pan until just slightly dry in the middle.
These can be made in a big batch and once cooked can be frozen to be reheated later. I
always make a double batch and keep a gallon sized freezer bag full of these for a quick lunch for the kiddos!
Enjoy!
The internet is full of recipes for anything you can type into a search engine. But I like to create my own recipes. Just ask anyone who was living at my house when I perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe back in 2000 (it took over a month of tweaking). I still have requests for those cookies, though. And anyone who's had them say they're VERY good! My latest inventions have created quite a stir on Facebook, and at the prompting of my cousin (You know who you are!!!) I've created "The Golden Plates". This is where I'll post my latest creations, my trials and errors, and maybe even some complete flops. Wanna know where the name came from? Well that's for another post.
To get us started, how about I begin with the recipe that initiated my "Hey! I can make that!" craze:
Salmon Fish Sticks
These tender and delicious sticks came from the concern I had for what not only what I eat, but what my kids eat. This is a variation of a family recipe, that I watched my mom make a million times while I was growing up. It's made with salmon, which of course is very good for you. I get mine canned. Yes I know what you're thinking! It is technically processed. However..... If you have seen a homemade canning process, and have a reputable company providing this canning, then you can use your best judgement to decide if you want to use fresh (which is an option) or can your own (also another option), or just buy it from the store. Everything else in this recipe I either made myself, or bought organic, free-range, whatever.
1-14.75 oz canned salmon in water
3 slices of bread
1/2 cup plain cereal O's (cascadian farms makes some, i think)
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
lemon juice
seasonings (as desired, I just use salt and pepper)
*you will need a food processor for this!*
*in processor, blend bread until soft fine crumbs
*remove crumbs and blend cereal until a fine powder
*drain juice from salmon, but save juice in separate container
*blend crumbs, fish, milk, eggs and seasonings gently (do not overmix!)
*add cereal powder, then add just enough lemon juice and saved fish juice until everything comes together.
*cereal powder is VERY absorbent, so I generally give it a minute or two and then add more liquid as needed.
*shape dough into sticks (get your hands dirty!) I usually give mine flat sides
*fry on lightly oiled griddle or pan until just slightly dry in the middle.
These can be made in a big batch and once cooked can be frozen to be reheated later. I
always make a double batch and keep a gallon sized freezer bag full of these for a quick lunch for the kiddos!
Enjoy!
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