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Wednesday, 17 September 2008

  • Pico de Gallo

    9 roma tomatoes (remove juice, seeds, and guts and dice)

    1/4 sweet onion (diced finely)

    1 jalapenos (carefully remove seeds and dice finely)

    red bell pepper (dice enough to make 3 T)

    1/4 tsp seasoned salt

    crushed garlic (2 cloves)

    14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes

    juice from one lime 

    fresh cilantro (dice enough to make 4 T)

     

    Combine all ingredients and put in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 4 hrs to let flavors marinade.

Tuesday, 29 April 2008

  • Tamale Pie

    I have been wanting to try making Tamales but I haven't gotten around to shopping at the Latin Market for banana leaves or corn husks yet.  The McCormick corn husks at walmart had black mold spots on them so I said pass on that.  So I used Masa Harina as a crust and made a Tamale Pie today.  It was good.  I think next time I will double the recipe.

    1/3 cup Masa Harina
    1/2 cup water

    Mix flour and water until a ball is formed, add more water a teaspoon at a time if necessary.  My flour is old so I may have had to use extra water because of that.  The bag said 1/4 cup would be sufficient.

    Top with:

    Refried beans

    Cheese

    Next time I will also layer:

    browned hamburger with Taco Seasoning

    and black olives

    I sprayed a square baking pan with cooking spray, pressed the masa harina dough into the bottom to form a thin crust.  Then I baked that at 350 for about 5 minutes.  I poured the beans over it, covered with cheese, and returned to the oven for 20 minutes.

    Good stuff.  :)

Monday, 21 April 2008

  • Buttermilk Applesauce Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

    Next time I make this I will split it between atleast 2 loafs and still bake it an extra 10 minutes or so.  This was my first attempt at using sourdough in one of my favorite non-sourdough recipes.  The dough turned out real good.  It was just the loaf rose really high while baking and made a huge sticky carmalized cinnamon sugar volcano which errupted in my oven.

    2 cups sourdough starter

    1/2 cup warm buttermilk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

    1 egg, room temperature

    1/4 cup applesauce

    4 1/2 cups flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1/2 cup white sugar

    2 teaspoons yeast

     

    1 cup brown sugar, packed

    2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

    1/3 cup butter, softened

    1/3 cup raisins

     

    Directions

    Feed your entire starter and leave out 4 hrs in warm place until frothy and bubbly and warmed through.  Measure 2 cups starter, put it in bread machine pan or kitchen aid bowl.  (Feed your remaining starter and let proof again before returning to refrigerator.) 

    Add all ingredients up to yeast.  If using breadmachine, run through the dough cycle but remove before it rests to rise.  If using mixer, mix until dough forms, and knead with hook 5 minutes or until silky.  (I have a non-sourdough breadmachine recipe that lets the dough rise so I don't think letting it rise and rest at this point is a problem if you need to.)

    Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into a rectangle.

    Spread with softened or melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisin mixture.

    Roll up tightly, as for cinnamon rolls.

    Moisten edge with water and seal.

    Place in greased loaf pan (s), cover and let rise until double.

    Be patient, as rising time is totally dependent on your starter and how active it is.  (2-4 hours depending on room temperature)

    Uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

    Brush top(s) with butter.

    Remove from pan and cool on rack.

    Note: You can make this into one large loaf, or several mini loaves.  Or cinnamon rolls.

    If you make rolls then you have to glaze them with this:

  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Thursday, 17 April 2008

  • Sourdough Rye Bread

    I am trying this recipe now (from Recipezaar.com).  It should be less dense with a similar flavor.  I also thought maybe my rye flour being old may have effected the rise I got out of it.  So now all my old rye is gone and the next time I make a loaf I will have fresh, so I will update with info on if that made a difference.

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups rye flour
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 (2 1/4 teaspoon) packet active dry yeast
  • 2 3/4 cups flour (wheat and-or-white) 
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons caraway seed
  • 1 T dried onion flakes

    Directions

    1.  
      Combine starter, rye flour, and one cup of the water in a large bowl; stir to blend; if you'd like an extra-sour flavor, cover mixture with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place 6-24 hours (I let mine go twelve hours) until bubbly and sour, even boozy, smelling.
    2.  
      Combine yeast and remaining water in small bowl; let stand about 5 minutes until foamy; stir into sourdough mixture; add whole-wheat flour, 1 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, onion and caraway seeds; stir (in KitchenAid stand mixer on low speed) until dough comes together.
    3.  
      Knead 9-10 minutes (in KitchenAid stand mixer on speed #2) until dough is smooth and springy; add cornmeal, a tablespoon or two at a time during the kneading process as necessary to reduce excess stickiness (this particular dough will remain somewhat sticky); cover and let rise about 1 - 1 1/2 hours in a warm place until doubled.
    4.  
      Punch down dough and knead a few strokes to release air; shape into a round loaf and place on a baking stone or a greasing baking sheet; cover loaf lightly and allow to rise about 30 minutes until almost doubled.
    5.  
      Cut a couple small slashes about 3/4" deep on top of loaf; spray loaf with water and bake at 425° for 9 minutes, spraying loaf after 3, 6, and 9 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 400° and bake another 20-25 minutes until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom; transfer finished loaf to cooling rack.

     

    I am giving this bread a try.  It didn't raise after 8 hours.  So I added the following:

    1/3 cup warm water
    2 tsp yeast
    pinches of sugar

    1/3 cup wheat flour
    1/3 cup sourdough starter
    1/3 cup cornmeal
    1/3 cup white flour
    1 Tbl dried onion flakes (mmm)

    Now I am going to wait another 4 hours to see if it takes or if I have created a really big brick of wasted flour.

    ///UPDATE///

    This made the most perfect bread you ever tasted in your entire life.  I ate it with mustard and a side of sauerkraut.  Only next time I will put the yeast in first thing in the morning and also only make one loaf of bread.  Putting it in two bread pans made two half sized loaves, but maybe the rise will be better next time when the yeast isn't put in 8 hrs later as a rescue attempt.  I'll let you know.

    INGREDIENTS

    • 1 cup rye flour
    • 1/2 cup bread flour
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 1/2 tablespoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon white sugar
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon caraway seed
    • 1 cup rye flour
    • 1 cup bread flour
    • 1 cup sourdough starter
    • 1/2 cup water (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
    1. The night before you want to bake the bread, feed the starter with 1 cup rye flour, 1/2 cup bread flour, and 2/3 cup water. Cover, and let stand at room temperature overnight.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together expanded starter, 1/4 cup water, salt, sugar, oil, seeds, and 1 cup each rye and bread flour. Add more or less flour as necessary to get a soft dough.
    3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until satiny. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn once to oil the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled.
    4. Punch down dough, and shape into loaves. Place on a greased baking sheet. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.
    5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.
    6. Alternate baking method for chewier, salty crust: Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Remove loaves from oven and brush crust with salt water. Continue baking for 25 minutes more, brushing at 10 minute intervals.

Tuesday, 15 April 2008

  • Perfect Mexican Rice

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 small to medium chopped onion
  • 1 celery spear, chopped 
  • 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes
  • 1 small can green chillies
  • 1 cup water

    Fry rice, onions, and celery over medium-high heat in olive oil until rice begins to brown.  Meanwhile, stir in seasonings.  Once rice is browned nicely, add tomatoes and water.  Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is soft.  Allow to sit a few minutes, fluff with fork, serve.

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