Eggs, Cardamom and a Recipe for Sugar Free Cardamom Custard Cups

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My chickens just won't stop laying eggs.

I'm not complaining. I love our eggs and I love our sweet hens. There's not a crabby one in the bunch.

I'm rather astounded, actually. Out of 12 laying hens, I regularly get 6 to 10 eggs a day - in the coldest and darkest days of winter!

I consider myself one very lucky cook.

Still, this is far too many eggs for 2 people to consume. I sell them to friends. This Christmas I gave some away as gifts. And I've still ended up with too many eggs.

Now, Mr CC luvvvs custard - which he gets fairly often in the form of home made ice cream. But when I was moaning about what to do with so many eggs, he asked would I make cooked custard - you know, in cups? Right there I was off and running . . . mentally using up as many eggs as I could manage.

Not content to make just any custard, my nose went hunting through the spice closet and came up with - cardamom.

Cardamom is such a regal spice. Kind of citrus-y, minty, licorice-y . . . no, that doesn't really describe. It has a flavor all its own: deep and warmly aromatic when crushed; a bit ethereal thereafter, leaving you wondering just what was that perfume?

Traditionally used in sweet breads and cakes, cardamom is also an ingredient in many types of chai. It's also used medicinally as a digestive aid in many parts of the world.

In my humble opinion, one should only buy cardamom from an organic source and in its cute little green pod. The flavor and freshness will last longer. For me, ground cardamom is for garnish only.

Christine's Recipe for Sugar-Free Baked Cardamom Custard Cups
(print recipe)
Recipe may be cut in half

Ingredients:
10 egg yolks (see Cook's Notes)
4 cups 2% milk
7 packets of Splenda (or more to your liking) (equals approx. 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar)
16 cardamom pods, split, seeds removed (yields 1 scant teaspoon seeds)
Ground cardamom for dusting
Preparation:
Place cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle and lightly pound until pods open.

Remove the seeds and discard the pods. Set the seeds aside in the mortar.

Lightly whisk the egg yolks then add the milk and the Splenda, whisking to blend.

Crush the cardamom seeds until they are broken up and their aroma is released then whisk into the milk mixture.

Allow the mixture to steep for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 275-degrees.

Lightly spray 6 to 8 4-ounce custard cups with non-stick spray. Wipe each cup with a paper towel to take up the excess and evenly distribute the spray.

Gently whisk the milk-egg mixture then pour through a fine mesh strainer into each custard cup to within 1/2-inch of the rim.

Transfer cups to a large baking pan and pour hot water into pan to come halfway up the custard cups.

Dust the tops of each custard with ground cardamom, if desired. (See Cook's Notes)

Bake in the oven for 60 minutes or more, or until a knife slipped into the center of a custard comes out clean.

Remove from the cups from the water bath (bain marie) and place on racks to cool completely.

Refrigerate for up to two days.

Cook's Notes:

Ten egg yolks to 4 cups of milk will make a very soft, creamy custard. If you prefer yours firmer, use 8 egg yolks instead.

To dust the custards with the ground cardamom, place a teaspoon or so of the ground spice in a small, fine mesh sieve. Prior to baking, hold the sieve over a custard and lightly tap the side of the sieve. The spice will fall to the top of the custard. Repeat for all the cups then bake.

The ultimate comfort food, my mother would make us kids baked custard when we were recovering from colds, flu, measels, and mumps. I can still smell the aromas of the cinnamon and nutmeg that she sprinkled over the top of each cup and that permeated the kitchen as the custards were baking.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Blueberry Ginger Filling and Whipped Cream Frosting

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A gathering of good friends helped Mr CC celebrate his birthday yesterday. We feasted on typical North Coast potluck-style Beach Night fare followed by a dense chocolate cake with such long candles on top I couldn't fit them into the photo.

Two tries to blow them all out - not bad for so many candles!

This cake is a breeze to make. Use really good chocolate and cocoa powder or you will be doing the birthday star and your company a disservice. The whipped cream filling and topping is a snap to make and can be kept chilled until ready to use.

I used organic, dried blueberries in the filling because I was afraid that fresh ones would turn the cream purple, but as Mr CC says, "Purple isn't a bad color", so go ahead and use fresh if you prefer.


Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Blueberry Ginger Filling and Whipped Cream Frosting

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark organic cocoa powder (Green & Black's)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Splenda-Brown Sugar blend
1/2 cup Splenda-Sugar blend
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces good dark chocolate (Scharffen Berger 70%) melted

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350-degrees with rack in middle.
Butter and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour. Set aside.
Combine flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder and salt, whisk well to combine. Set aside.
Using the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together in mixer on med-high setting.
Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla.
Beginning with the flour mixture, add 1/3 of it to the butter mixture using medium power.
Add 1/2 of the buttermilk and beat until combined. Repeat with 1/3 flour and 1/2 buttermilk, ending with the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix well.
Blend in the melted chocolate until well incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Remove pans from oven, set on racks to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans to loosen the cake and flip them out to finish cooling on the racks.

Filling/Frosting
Ingredients:
1 pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons clear corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup blueberries - dried or fresh
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preparation:
Whip the cream until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add the corn syrup and vanilla and continue beating until the cream is almost stiff. Careful to not turn it into butter.
Divide the whipped cream evenly between two bowls. Add 1/4 cup of the ginger and all the blueberries to one of the bowls and fold into the whipped cream. Put the other bowl of whipped cream in the fridge to keep cold.
Place one cake layer flat side down on a cake plate. Spoon the ginger-blueberry whipped cream over the top and spread evenly to within 1/2-inch of the edge. It will be thick.
Place the second cake layer, flat side up (you may have to cut the rounded side to flatten it) atop the first. Use the plain whipped cream to frost the top and sides of the cake.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of chopped ginger. Avoid putting blueberries on the outside of the cake as they will stain the whipped cream.

Keep the finished cake in the fridge until time to put on the candles and serve.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Mincemeat Eggnog Pie And A Few Resolutions

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I staunchly don't make new year's resolutions. Too many failed promises to myself have made a non-believer of me. As is often done with the optimism of beginning a new year, we (I) set the barr too high, setting ourselves (myself) up for failure.

However, not only to contradict myself but in spite of my staunchness, two resolutions crept quietly into my brain on January 1st. Quiet being key. If I'm going to make resolutions that I never make, why would I let someone else know about them only to break them yet again or admit I made them in the first place?

So I let those resolutions sit there for a few days to see if they, or my mind, would change. Nope. I scrutinized them for built-in failure and found them to be sound. Baby-step resolutions I call them. I think I can do this. And now, in true blogger fashion, I will share.

The photo above is just one of the reasons I will be sitting around less (blogging), moving around more (gardening), and eating smaller, smarter portions in 2008. That's resolution number one. Notice I did not say "lose weight."

Resolution number two is to divest myself of clutter. The first step here is to admit that I'm a pack-rat -- and a rather messy one at that.

I'm happy to say that I've already begun the clutter-clearing endeavor: food that we won't be using has been delivered to the food bank; clothes that will no longer be worn have been delivered to the thrift shop with more to gather; a few cookbooks from my enormous library have been gifted as have a few knick-knacks that I find I can live without. As soon as I finish this post I will start on my very cluttered office.

As for resolution number one, sticking to resolution number two will keep me moving for quite some time this year, right into the gardening season. The smaller, smarter portion size? My new mantra is: If you're hungry you must be losing weight. Ok, I said it. Really though, eating less is the goal.

And the pie? Well, my sister made up the recipe and it was delicious, if a bit (alot) rich, sweet and gooey, so I'm putting it here, adapted to my preferences, to remind myself of my baby-step resolutions.

May you all enjoy sweetness and light in the new year and may all your resolutions be small ones.

Mincemeat Eggnog Pie
recipe adapted from my sister Cynthia's original (Thank you!)
Ingredients:
for the filling -
1 27-ounce jar good mincemeat pie filling
1 cup low-fat eggnog
1/2 cup egg substitute plus 2 egg yolks slightly beaten, or 3 whole eggs
1 Granny smith apple, peeled cored and chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
for the pie dough -
2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, or butter, cut into small pieces
pinch salt
1/4 cup Splenda-Sugar blend or 1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons ice water
Preparation:

Make the pie dough first.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and Splenda-sugar blend a few times until blended.

Add the EB to the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

While pulsing, add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. It will still be crumbly.

Pinch the dough to test it. If it holds together, dump it out of the processor and gather it all together into a ball then press into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.

Roll the pie dough into a round big enough to drape over the sides of a glass pie plate. Trim and flute the edges.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake in a 425 oven for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 and bake an additional 45 minutes or until the filling has set.

Allow the pie to cool on a rack to room temperature. The filling will set further as it cools.

To serve:

Cut into very tiny slices and serve with Splenda or sugar-sweetened whipped cream (or not) to as many people as you can so you don't eat too much yourself. When the pie is all gone, resolve to not make it again for at least 1 year.

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Vegan Chocolate Banana Brownies for HotM 8

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Hmmm. . .

Bake something sweet but not fat . . .

Something satisfyingly gooey but good for you . . .

Something heart healthy, with no eggs or butter.

This is what Ilva and Joanna are asking for in this month's HotM theme: Baking.
Heart of the Matter, Ilva's and Joanna's brainchild, is the blog devoted to the development of heart healthy recipes from food bloggers around the world. I love this monthly event because it makes me think and it gets me into a healthier cooking frame of mind.

This recipe was truly an experiment. The only guideline I had was from my daughter-in-law, Amy, who told me that 1 banana may be substituted for 1 egg in most baked vegan recipes. Well, not using eggs and butter is one of the parameters of this event, so I went with the bananas. Then I thought of chocolate - one of the world's highest anti-oxidant foods. Now there's a theme - chocolate and bananas. What's not to like?

According to the web site World's Healthiest Foods, "bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis."

Chocolate, the darker the better, is not only packed with anti-oxidants that help fight free radicals, it has been proven to lower blood pressure in a number of studies.

Because I was heading in a vegan kind of direction with the ingredients I'd settled on, I decided to use agave instead of honey for the liquid needed here. This turned out to be a very sweet idea. Walnuts add fiber and the benefits of linolenic acids.

So, here we go - brownies with very low fat, no eggs, no cholesterol, plus they're vegan!

Vegan Chocolate Banana Brownies
Christine's Original Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces very dark, bitter sweet chocolate
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
4-6 tablespoons agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted nuts, I used walnuts

Preparation:

Spray an 8"x 8" or 9"x 7" pan with a Pam-like spray.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center of the oven.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan.

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas then add the agave syrup, vanilla and melted chocolate and stir well.

Stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture, followed by the chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges and bake in the oven for about 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out crumb free. If using the 8-inch square pan, you may have to bake them several minutes longer.

The sides of the brownie batter may pull away from the edge of the pan when done; be sure that the edges don't burn.

Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a rack.

Cut into 1-inch squares and serve with afternoon tea.

Cook's Notes:

Although these were good right out of the pan, they are better the day after baking for some strange reason.

If I were to make these again I might substitute whole wheat flour for one half of the flour measurement.

Be sure to check out the HotM roundup at the end of this month. Want to join in the fun? Send your post link to Joanna at joannacary AT ukonline DOT co DOT uk before October 23rd.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Peach Blackberry Crumble - At The Heart Of The Matter

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Joanna and Ilva at Heart of the Matter are focusing on fruits and berries this month and do I have a dish for them.

Berries, peaches, pecans, almonds, white whole wheat flour , a touch of sugar (or, in my case, Splenda), cinnamon, and Earth Balance instead of butter - all organic, all so good for you, all combined in one glorious little crumble.

Have it for breakfast with Greek yogurt. Have it for dessert with... Greek yogurt. Or have it with afternoon tea just as it is. It's delicious, it's healthy, and it's soooo satisfying.

Peach Blackberry Crumble

Christine's Original Recipe

Ingredients:

For the fruit filling,

3 organic yellow peaches, cut into chunks

3 to 4 cup blackberries - organic and wild-picked, if you can get them

1/4 cup Splenda (or sugar, if you prefer)

2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice, if the fruit is overly sweet

For the topping,

2/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup Splenda-Brown Sugar Blend (or regular brown sugar if you prefer)

small pinch kosher salt

1/3 cup (or less) Earth Balance Buttery Stick (EB), cut into small pieces (see Cook's Notes)

Preparation:

Spray a 6"x9" ceramic dish with Pam or other cooking spray. Set aside.

Have your oven at 350 degrees.

For the fruit filling, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Prepare the fruit and combine in a large bowl, adding the lemon juice if desired.

Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture over the fruit and gently toss to combine. Set aside.

For the topping, chop the nuts then add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend well.

Add the EB pieces to the crumble mixture. Using your fingers and working quickly, blend the EB into the dry mixture by pinching between your fingers until the EB is fully incorporated into the crumble and about the size of small peas.

Pour the fruit into the prepared dish then sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it entirely.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until the fruit bubbles to the top.

When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cook's Notes:

I'm a lucky cook in that there are two kinds of blackberries that grow wild on our property (a mixed blessing to be sure) and they're all coming ripe as I write this. According to the web site World's Healthiest Foods, Blackberries are highest in phytonutrients and antioxidants that promote heart health.

Earth Balance Buttery Sticks are a trans-fat free, non-GMO, cholesterol-free butter substitute that uses expeller-pressed oils and no hydrogenation. A healthier choice than butter, I will often use this product, judiciously because it's still fat, especially in baked goods.

As I've been writing this I've received several phone calls, one of which was from a friend from long ago who is in our area and will be coming for dinner tomorrow. Excitedly talking to Mr CC (also on the phone) about tomorrow's surprise visitor and possible dinner offerings, I began idly leafing through the September issue of Food and Wine, turned a page and saw an almost identical recipe for blackberry and apple crumble with nut topping. Mr CC said, "See, you're cutting edge." Well, maybe. I think it's the season.

Be sure to visit The Heart of the Matter after Sept. 23rd to see the fruit and berry roundup of delicious dishes from food bloggers 'round the globe.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Molasses-Cereal Sandwich Bread

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Many, many years ago I used to make bread. Simple, satisfying bread, but mostly with soft white flour. When the health benefits of whole wheat entered the main stream of American consciousness, I moved on to the Tassajara Bread Book where I learned how to make whole grain breads and to "proof" yeast. Then somewhere along the way my urge to knead bread dough left me.

Until recently.

In what I consider to be a massive movement towards a better understanding of what is in the food we eat, where it’s grown, and how it’s processed, I see more and more cooks opting to not only make their own breads, but to find local, organic sources for all of their foods and ingredients. This pleases me on several levels: I enjoy the challenge of the hunt, and I take great satisfaction in putting the best food on my table that I can find.

With the help of some beautiful bread books written by accomplished artisan bakers, artisan bread-making is being brought into home kitchens. And with so many delicious-looking breads popping up on blogs everywhere, I'm feeling the urge to knead again.

Having a professional stand mixer doesn't hurt either.

Even though ready to bake bread again, I was still not quite ready to tackle a dough starter and so began my journey with this recipe from my old Joy of Cooking, adapting it to my the-less-white-flour-and-the-more-whole-wheat-the-better standards.

And then I made a delightful mistake by adding a very large dollop of pomegranate molasses that I'd made last fall, instead of the black molasses that the recipe stipulated.

Well, they were both dark and they were both un-marked. And I really didn't think I had to stick my nose way into the container to see what I was using.

More to the point is it tastes really good in this bread. I do admit to adding the black molasses to the dough when I realized my mistake, but I just might make this particular mistake twice.

So here's my bread. This recipe makes two loaves. And in case you're wondering where my low-carb lifestyle has gone, bread made with whole wheat, nuts, seeds and whole grains is high in fiber and protein and is good for you. Just don't be a pig about it.

Molasses-Cereal Sandwich Bread
adapted from the Joy of Cooking
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgar wheat
3 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or Earth Balance Buttery Stick
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar, honey or Splenda-Sugar Blend
1 tablespoon molasses
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 packages active dry yeast1/4 cup very warm water (105 - 115 degrees)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 cups whole grain flour
Preparation:
Place the 3 cups water and the bulgar wheat (cracked wheat for making tabouli) in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium-low and cook until the wheat is tender. There should still be some water in the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, salt, sugar, molasses and milk, stirring to blend. Pour mixture into the large bowl of your stand mixer and allow to cool.
In the 1/4 cup warm water, stir in the packets of active yeast and allow to dissolve for about 3 minutes.
Using the dough hook and with the stand mixer on low, stir the yeast into the cooked cereal mixture.
With the mixer running on medium-low, #2 on the dial, gradually add in the flours, allowing the dough hook to work its magic to incorporate it all together so quickly and easily. I do love this part.
Then when all the flour has been added, let the mixer do the kneading for about 5 more minutes, adjusting the speed as necessary.
Then dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead some more, about 10 minutes, adding flour only if the dough sticks, until the dough is satiny smooth and no longer sticks to the surface.
Place the ball of dough into a large buttered bowl. Turn the dough once to butter all sides then cover with a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to let rise until doubled in bulk. This may take as long as 2 hours.
Gently punch the dough down and knead a few times to re-gather it.
With a dough scraper or a sharp knife, cut the ball into 2 equal pieces and shape* them to fit into two 5x9-inch, buttered bread pans.
Cover the pans with the towel and let the dough rise again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Pre-heat an oven to 350-degrees, place the bread pans in the middle of the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the bread has a golden top and has pulled away just slightly from the sides of the pans.
You can also tip the bread out of a pan to check the bottom for doneness. If it seems sticky at all, put it back in the pan and bake for 5 minutes more. I've done this successfully many times.

And there you have it: Chewy, healthy bread with no preservatives, no dough conditioners, no high-fructose corn syrup, just the goodness you put into it yourself. I like that. And what better vehicle for your heirloom tomato sandwiches?

Cook's Notes:
*To shape the loaves, using your hands, flatten each piece into a rectangle slightly longer than the length of the bread pan and 2 or 3 times the width. Beginning with a long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Pinch the seam closed then tuck each end under and pinch those closed also. When you are finished it should fit nicely into the pan.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Oatmeal Cookies With Crystallized Ginger And Dried Cherries

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As I've said elsewhere on this blog, several times I'm sure, I'm not the baker in my family. My mother was the baker extraordinaire, passing that gene along to both of my sisters. So I'm always surprised when I bake something and it turns out fairly tasty.

Like this afternoon. I suddenly got a hankering for something sweet to nibble with my tea. Searching around the kitchen, it became clear that if I wanted this sweet something, I was going to have to make it. Plus, it had to be low in sugar and high(er) in fiber than your average sweet something.

So here's what I came up with. It took less than an hour from taking the butter out of the fridge to taking the first bite. A pretty-good tea cookie that earned me Mr CC's Taster Seal of Approval.

You can use all butter and all sugar if you want. Or, these can be made vegan by using all Earth Balance and substituting 1 medium banana for each egg. A smart trick my daughter-in-law, Amy, shared with me. I decided to use the Splenda blends because I wanted a lower carb cookie and because cookies need some sugar in them to bake properly.

Oatmeal Cookies with Crystallized Ginger and Dried Cherries
Click here to print recipe
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
1 cube Earth Balance Buttery Stick
1 cube unsalted butter
1/2 cup Splenda/Brown Sugar Blend (or you can use 1 cup brown sugar)
1/2 cup Splenda/Sugar Blend (or you can use 1/2 cup sugar)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup organic dried bing cherries (cranberries or blueberries would work fine)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until it's smooth and fluffy.
Add the sugars and continue to mix until incorporated.
Add the eggs, one at a time, plus the teaspoon vanilla, and mix until incorporated.
Lower the speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture. Mix until the dough is smooth and all the flour is incorporated.

Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and stir in the oats, dried fruit and crystallized ginger.

Drop the dough by tablespoonsful on ungreased cookie sheets.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, switching the cookie sheets halfway through the baking time.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes before tranferring to a wire rack to cool. Repeat process with the rest of the cookie dough.

This recipe yielded about 40 2 1/2-in cookies. It probably would have yielded more, but I'm a cookie dough nibbler. Just can't help myself.

Dedicated to Di and Cynthia: Bakers extraordinaire.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Biscuit Baking Mix Day

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My mother always baked from scratch.

And did she ever love to bake: cakes, pies, cobblers, fruit dumplings, drop biscuits, rolled biscuits, shortbread, gingerbread. You name it, she could, and did, bake it.

From scratch. Uless it was pancakes.

There always seemed to be a box of Bisquick in the cupboard as I was growing up and so far as I can remember, she always made pancakes with it. I haven't a clue why. Maybe my sisters can shed some light on the mystery.

At any rate, so did I, make pancakes from Bisquick, until, somewhere in my twenties, I found a recipe for scratch pancakes in a very old Better Homes and Gardens cook book and learned that they didn't have to be salty.

Since that light-bulb day, I've not used Bisquick or any pre-mixed biscuit mix. Ever. Not only because of the high salt content of the mix, but especially because of the load of trans-fats it packs.

So I've been faced with a bit of a dilemma: I wanted to participate in my blogger friend Mimi's Biscuit Baking Mix Day to show my support for her event and the reason behind it, but I HATE biscuit mixes, salty Bisquick in particular.

Well wouldn't you know, while shopping yesterday, with no intention whatsoever of picking up a box biscuit mix, I spied Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix. Intrigued, I found that no trans-fats lurk within this mix and the sodium content seems to be within reasonable limits.

You got it - into my cart, home to my kitchen and now, into what I think is a quite respectable (for having come out of a box) and tasty down home berry cobbler.

Whodathunk?

Going through my old yellow recipe box, I found a recipe card that my mother must have clipped from the back of a box of Bisquick (more mystery). So not only have I used Bisquick in my recipe, I adapted one of their own recipes to do it. What a hoot.

Now before you go thinking I'm going to start baking with biscuit mixes, think again. This is a one-time deal.

Wel l l l l, maybe I'll try some pancakes. Mr. CC would like that.

Mimi, my friend, this one's for you.

Blackberry Cobbler
Adapted by Christine from a General Mills Peach Cobble-up recipe
Ingredients:
For the batter:
2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick baking mix
2/3 cups milk
1 tablespoon Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (or 2 tablespoons brown sugar)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


For the fruit:
3 1/2 cups blackberries, frozen (Mine were from last Fall's harvest)
2 tablespoons Pomegranates au Merlot sauce
1/4 cup Splenda granular (or 1/4 cup regular sugar)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:
Fruit:
Place the berries in a large saucepan over medium low heat.
Stir in the pomegranate-merlot sauce, Splenda and lemon juice until fully blended.
Keep over low heat until the berries soften and juice forms in the pan. (I ended up with 2/3 cup of juice, 1 cup would be better.)
Remove from heat and set aside.

Batter:

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir with a spoon until fully mixed. The batter will be a bit on the stiff side.

Place batter in a buttered 8x8-inch dish.

Using a slotted spoon, place the berries on top of the batter.

Slowly pour the berry juice mixture over the top of it all and place the pan in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes, or a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed with your finger. (The recipe said to bake it in a 400-degree oven for 40 minutes, but that was too long.)

When done, remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature. A scoop of good vanilla ice cream would be nice.



Did I like it?

Yup.

Copyright 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved. No content from this site, including text and photos, may be copied, re-located or otherwise reproduced, in part or in full, for personal or monetary gain, without the express permission of the administrator/owner.

Eggplant Ricotta Timbales With Faux-Fresh Tomato Sauce

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This recipe is an adaptation of one I used to make for a local restaurant many years ago. It involves a bit of preparation but is worth every minute of time you will spend. A company pleaser for sure, it's vegetarian to boot. Add a simple salad and you're done.

Eggplant Ricotta Timbales
Loosely adapted from the Larrupin' Cafe
Ingredients:
2 large globe eggplants
Olive oil for brushing
15 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons seasoned, toasted bread crumbs (I use Brio croutons and buzz them in my food processor)
1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/3 cup parmesan, grated
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, left whole (walnuts may be substituted)
8 sun-dried tomatoes that have been packed in olive oil, minced
1 large egg, slightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Slices of mozarella or provolone (optional)

Preparation:

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.

Cut the stem end from each eggplant and slice each down the middle lengthwise.

Laying each half cut side down, cut into thin slices lengthwise.

Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and place on the prepared sheets.

Roast in the oven on two racks, switching racks halfway through the roasting time, until the slices are completely softened but not cooked dry. About 10 minutes in a very hot oven. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Lower oven temperature to 375.

Mix the ricotta, breadcrumbs, basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes together and blend well. Season to taste with the salt and pepper then add the beaten egg and mix to combine.

Using a paper towel, oil 6 6-ounce souffle cups.

Beginning with one strip of eggplant, lay eggplant slices, one next to the other, in each cup, one end in the bottom of the cup with the rest of the strip laying over the edge and draping on the outside. See photo for example.

Fill each cup 2/3 full with the ricotta mixture then, going around the cup, bring the eggplant strips up and over the top of the mixture, cutting the ends on a diagonal to fit.

Place cups in a roasting pan, pour hot water into pan to reach halfway up the sides of the cups and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the timbales from the water bath and allow to cool.

To serve, tip a timbale out of its cup onto a warmed plate.

In the oven, melt a slice of mozarella cheese over each timbale.

Spoon the warm tomato sauce (see recipe below) around the timbale and serve immediately.

Faux Fresh Tomato Sauce
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
1 large can whole fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Muir Glen organic
8 slow-roasted tomatoes a la Kalyn, diced to make about 1/2 cup
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 tablespoons sweet Vermouth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until well blended. The sauce should be thick. Adjust seasonings to taste then heat gently in a saucepan.



Cook's Notes:
This is a photography note actually. Lately I've been taking my photos at night with the resulting yellow-tinged effect that I dislike intensely. I apologize for this and want you to know that I'm trying to find a permanent home for the great Photo Studio in a Box that I got for Christmas so I can start using it regularly. At the moment I can't leave it out because the cats, being the curious creatures they are, eye it longingly. Taking the studio out of the box, taking a photo, then putting the studio back into the box not only makes for cold food, it's not my idea of fun. I must figure this out.

Saffron Bread Holiday Tree And Rolls

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The ornaments have been taken off the tree and packed away, the twinkling lights rest in their boxes until next year, and the tree is leaning against the picnic table in the back yard, keeping company with several species of birds.

Thus marks the end of another Holiday season replete with family, friends, gifts and, best of all, the sharing of seasonal food.

Now, with the beginning of a new year, my thoughts are turned to the future and what lies in store: A new job perhaps? A few resolutions to set into (and keep in) motion?

Yes.

But there are a few unfinished items lingering from the holidays that are leaving me with a feeling of loose ends, as I did promise to post a few of the recipes from my Christmas table. I've already given you dessert(s) and one loaf of bread. Here is yet another bread that harkens from my past. Before now, I'd only made it one other time...

I was a very young mother-to-be, had never made bread before, found this recipe in a magazine (the name of which has long been forgotten), and scribbled it onto a piece of paper. On that very day, knowing absolutely nothing about saffron, I bought my first tin of those tiny orange threads and my first box of dried yeast packets.

Once home, I began making this heavenly-scented, slightly sweet, festive bread which I have, this time 'round, adapted slightly from my original scribblings, always trying to lower fat* and carb count.

Holiday Saffron Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar for the yeast
2/3 cup Splenda-Sugar Blend for the dough (you could use 1 1/4 cups regular sugar if desired)
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 cup egg substitute (or 4 large eggs)
1 13-ounce can low-fat evaporated milk, room temperature (original recipe called for full fat)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
9 1/4 to 9 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour**

Prepare the Dough:

Combine the water, yeast and 1/4 cup sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer and let stand 2 minutes.

Add the saffron, Splenda-Sugar Blend, egg substitute, milk, butter, salt and 4 1/2 cups of the flour.

Mix on low speed until smooth, then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes more.

Gradually beat in 4 3/4 cups more flour, allowing the mixer to do most of the kneading, until the dough is satiny smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, shape it into a ball, cover with the mixing bowl and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

Uncover the dough. If it sticks to the surface, knead it with your hands, incorporating the remaining flour until it no longer sticks and is shiny and smooth.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to bring the greased side up. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.

Turn out onto a surface (the dough will be very stiff) and knead for 1 to 2 minutes.

Compose the Bread:

Lightly grease three large baking sheets.

Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Each portion will make a sheet of bread or rolls.

To make the rolls,using your hands, pinch off a piece of dough and roll out a rope 16 to 18-inches long and 1/2-inch thick.

On a baking sheet, make a tight circle with the rope, pinching the end to adhere.

Repeat with more ropes of dough, forming a pattern of your choosing, until the entire portion of dough is used.

To make a tree, begin by making a 1/2-inch thick rope in each of these lengths:

8-inches, 11-inches, 14-inches, 17-inches, 20-inches, 23-inches, and 26-inches.

Continue to make 9 more 1/2-inch thick ropes that are 6-inches in length.

To assemble the tree (follow the photos above), make the curving branches from the top down and space each branch with a tight circle of 6-inch rope. Braid the remaining 3 pieces of 6-inch rope for the trunk, tucking one end under the lowest branch and the other end under the braid.

To make the trees look even more festive you can press a candied cherry into each of the swirled ends of the branches.

Cover all the bread shapes with a towel or towels and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Place one large egg in a bowl and beat slightly.

When the dough has risen, brush each of your creations with some of the beaten egg then slide the sheets into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Brush again with the rest of the egg and bake for 10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Slide breads onto wire racks and cool completely. Wrap with festive holiday ribbons to give as gifts.

Saffron: Touted as the most expensive, by weight, spice in the world, the threads are used sparingly in savory middle-eastern dishes, Spanish paella, and in some sweet breads. In medicine, anti-carcinogen and anti-oxident properties have been discovered. When combined with a sweetener, saffron not only imparts its lovely orange hue, but a sweet, hay-like essence, as it has done with my breads.

Weekend Herb Blogging is back from its holiday hiatus and is home this week at Kalyn's Kitchen. Kalyn's brainchild, WHB is one of the most popular food blogging events in the blogosphere today. Kalyn will be posting her round-up of entries this Sunday evening, so be sure to stop by to see what herbs, spices, veggies and plants are being offered up by food bloggers 'round the globe. Click on these links to read about the "rules of engagement" and up-coming weekly hosts.

Cook's Notes:

*No getting away from using 1 cup of butter. Sorry!

**Since I had only made this bread one time previous to this Christmas, and that was many, many years ago, I decided not to experiment with using whole wheat flours which can demand more liquid be used in the dough. If I do make this bread again, I'll experiment more freely.