Ingredient: lemon juice

Ratatouille Panini at Pebble Beach

If you have had the opportunity to travel to California’s central coast you’ve probably heard of the 17-Mile Drive. Tucked between the seaside towns of Pacific Grove and Camel-by-the-Sea, is where you will find the famous 17-Mile Drive, an amazing trail of nature and history, all conveniently lined up along a road that skirts the coast of Monterey Peninsula. The privately managed roadway (fee to drive; biking and walking are free), takes you through a wind-sculpted forest of cypress trees to a rocky coastline dotted with beautiful homes as this is some of the most exclusive real estate in the world. 

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. 17-Mile Drive is always one of our favorite day trips. As a matter of fact, we rented a tandem bike a couple of times just to experience it in a different way. Cycling the road gives you a whole different perspective on such awesome natural beauty.

Before 17-Mile Drive became one of California’s most celebrated scenic roads, it was merely a description. Created as a tourist attraction for Monterey’s Del Monte Hotel, the 17-Mile Drive opened in 1881 to day-trippers in horse carriages. It traced the picturesque peninsula, circling the coastline of Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel, before returning to its starting point.

The route varied slightly depending on the driver’s preference, but the idea was to show affluent guests the spectacular forests, coastal views, and beaches between Monterey and Carmel.

Today there are a total of five gates where you can pay a toll, pick up a map, and enter the exclusive gated community of Pebble Beach that the drive cuts through. 

This winding, coast hugging journey has, coincidentally, 17 marked points of interest.  Seascapes, animal antics, cypress groves—it’s all there, with frequent turnoffs for views and for historical and natural information. The signage along the way mixes bits of history and legend with natural history; not only the look of the coastline but why this area formed a natural harbor.

China Rock, one point of interest, was named for the Chinese immigrants who made their homes in lean-tos against the rocks in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They fished and polished agates to sell to tourists to make a living.

Another interesting vista point is Bird Rock. Named for the thousands of birds that roosted there.  Bird Rock was harvested for its rich deposits of guano back in the early 1900s (bird droppings made great fertilizer!) and after the guano was gone, the seals and sea lions decided this rock seemed like a good place to lay in the sun.  So now, Brandt’s Cormorants, Western Gulls, pelicans and Ashy Petrels hang out with California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals, all vying for the perfect spot.

Fanshell Beach Overlook is a crescent-shaped, white-sand cove that is one of the primary pupping habitats for harbor seals on the Central Coast.

Probably the most famous sight along 17-Mile Drive is the famed Lone Cypress Tree.  The dramatically situated, wind-and-sea-sculpted tree lost a branch in a 2019 storm, but it still makes for a nearly too-perfect focal point in what is already a jaw-dropping setting.  Monterey Cypress trees are native to only two small areas, at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and at Point Lobos near Carmel.  The trees in these native stands are up to 40 meters tall, 2.5 meters diameter and 300 years old.  These trees are unique because as they age, they take on a twisted, spread-out form due to the high winds that they are exposed to on the coast of California. The Lone Cypress Tree is estimated to be around 250 years old. Little wonder that it’s one of the most photographed trees in the world.

The Restless Sea directly off Point Joe, is one of the few places in the world where ocean currents meet. The result is unusual turbulence, present even on the calmest days.

On the drive, you also come upon the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links and Pebble Beach Lodge.  The lodge is open to the public, and so is the golf course.  Out of curiosity, Brion asked what the green fee for a round of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links was currently. Answer: $675, plus a $55 cart fee per person. Definitely won’t be golfing there anytime soon but nothing says we can’t enjoy lunch at the Gallery Café that overlooks the 1st tee of Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Whenever we make the 17-mile drive trip, we have made this restaurant our lunch spot. On this trip I decided to try a ‘ratatouille panini’ and Brion had a ‘sunrise burger’. The panini consisted of balsamic roasted Portobello mushroom, squash, red bell pepper, provolone with basil pesto aioli. Brion’s burger was quite unique with Applewood-smoked bacon, Monterey jack, red onion, over-easy egg, green chili on a brioche bun. It is such a wonderful setting to enjoy lunch.

There is so much beauty to take in, I found it hard to condense it into a blog so I guess all I can say is try to experience it if you get the chance. I have added a few photos I hope you enjoy.

  • Gallery Restaurant outdoor seating overlooking the first tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links
  • 2 views of Golf Course
  • 2 views of 17-Mile Drive
  • Lone Cypress Pie
  • Bird & Seal Rock
Print Recipe
 Ratatouille Panini at Pebble Beach
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Rating: 5
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Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword ratatouille panini
Servings
Ingredients
Basil Aioli
Ratatouille Panini
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword ratatouille panini
Servings
Ingredients
Basil Aioli
Ratatouille Panini
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Ratatouille Vegetables
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line one large baking sheet with parchment. Line a second baking sheet with foil then place a wire rack over it. Set aside.
  2. Remove & discard stems & gills from mushrooms then slice in 1/2-inch slices. Spray one end of the wire rack (over the baking pan) with cooking spray. Place mushroom slices on it & drizzle with balsamic vinegar, oil & sprinkle with garlic salt.
  3. Spray a small piece of foil paper. Lay drained red roasted peppers on it & place it on the other half of the mushroom baking sheet.
  4. Peel & slice Butternut squash. Arrange on one half of the parchment lined baking sheet. Brush slices with oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  5. Slice onion & place on the other half of the parchment lined sheet. Drizzle with oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  6. Place the two baking sheets in the oven. Roast the mushrooms & peppers about 30 minutes. Roast the squash & onions 45-50 minutes.
Basil Aioli
  1. Combine mayonnaise, garlic, basil & lemon juice in a small bowl & whisk together. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Assembly
  1. Slice cheese. Spread all 8 slices of bread with basil aioli. Layer 1/2 of the bread slices with a slice of provolone cheese, onions, squash, peppers & Portobello mushrooms. Top each with another slice of cheese & remaining bread slices.
  2. Spray a double-sided grill with cooking spray, cook the sandwiches until cheese has melted , the sandwiches are hot in the center & the bread is golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Mango Cream Crumble Squares

What is the difference between crumble and streusel? It seems there is no clear, distinct difference, at least in present-day North America. Streusel originated in Germany and was made by cutting butter into a mixture of flour and (white) sugar. Over the years, many people have made subtle variations to improve upon the base recipe to their taste preferences and is often referred to as ‘crumb topping’.

When it comes to baked fruit-and-pastry desserts, the classic pie isn’t the only game in town. Crumbles work with whatever fruit is in season or available and in any shape pan.

Bright, juicy mangoes make a delicious winter or summer dessert. A crumble gives you all the wonderful flavor of a fruit pie, but with much less prep work. The easy crust/crumble topping takes the place of a more time-consuming pastry crust. There’s no rolling or chilling; all you have to do is combine the ingredients, place some under the fruit and sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top. It’s that easy!

These mango crumble squares aren’t overly sweet as they get lots of their sweetness from the natural sweetness of the mangos with the mango flavor coming through in every bite. I added a cheesecake layer to make these squares just a bit fancier but it can be easily left out if you wish.

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 Mango Cream Crumble Squares
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword mango cream crumble squares, mango crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble Topping
Mango Layer
Cheesecake Layer
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword mango cream crumble squares, mango crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble Topping
Mango Layer
Cheesecake Layer
Votes: 1
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil & spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Crust & Topping
  1. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt butter. Add flour, oats, sugars salt & stir to combine. Mixture will be dry & sandy with some larger, well formed crumble pieces. Reserve 1 heaping cup of the mixture to be sprinkled on later as topping. Transfer remaining mixture to prepared pan. Using a spatula, press down lightly to create an even, smooth, flat crust; set aside.
Cheesecake Layer
  1. In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese, milk, lemon juice & egg. Add egg beating only until it is incorporated.
Mango Layer
  1. In the mixing bowl that you used for the crumble, add all mango layer ingredients & toss to combine.
Assembly / Baking
  1. Evenly distribute cheesecake mixture over the crust. Top with mango mixture then evenly sprinkle the reserved crumble topping mixture over all. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cheesecake is set & crumble is lightly browned. Squares may take longer if the mangoes are very juicy.
  2. Place pan on a wire rack & allow squares to cool for at least 1 hour (preferably more) before slicing & serving. If sliced before completely cooled they tend to fall apart.

Strawberry Cheesecake w/ Danish Rum Balls

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

In keeping with Valentines Day, I’m pairing the classic duo of strawberry & chocolate today. At some point, in the many years I spent in the commercial food service industry, I learned the history of the iconic Danish Rum Balls or ‘Romkugler’. These legendary little sweets came about due to leftovers and day old cake that Danish bakers couldn’t sell. Even though they did their best to make the right amount of baked goods so that it would all be sold during the day, they always had leftovers which would not be fresh enough to be sold the day after. They came up with an idea to add jam & rum extract to the day old chocolate cake and the classic rum ball was created.

Today, the rum ball is not considered an unwanted leftover or solely made to avoid food waste. Instead, these little ‘cakes’ continue to appear on the present day bakery shelves.

I think these mini rum balls are the perfect compliment to the strawberry cheesecakes. Sweet, but heh …. its Valentines!!

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 Strawberry Cheesecake w/ Danish Rum Balls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American, Dutch, European
Keyword strawberry cheesecake + Danish rum balls
Servings
MINI CHEESECAKES
Ingredients
Crumb Base
Cheesecake
Garnishes
Danish Rum Balls - Makes about 39 mini size
Course dessert
Cuisine American, Dutch, European
Keyword strawberry cheesecake + Danish rum balls
Servings
MINI CHEESECAKES
Ingredients
Crumb Base
Cheesecake
Garnishes
Danish Rum Balls - Makes about 39 mini size
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Crumb Base
  1. In a small bowl, combine Oreo crumbs, sugar & melted butter (mixture should have the consistency of wet sand). Place 1 1/2 tablespoons in the bottom of each 'cup' of an individual cheesecake pan. Press the mixture down firmly to form the crust.
Cheesecake Batter
  1. Dice 150 gm strawberries. Reserve several strawberries for garnish.
  2. Process strawberries in a food processor slightly; add softened cream cheese, sugar, orange & lemon juices. Continue to process until very smooth.
  3. Soften gelatin in cold water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Beat into cheese mixture.
  4. Divide cheesecake batter between 14 individual 'cups' in cheesecake pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Carefully remove cheesecakes from molds.
Mini Rum Balls
  1. In a food processor, process cake until crumbly. Add jam & rum then process until the dough has a uniform consistency.
  2. Roll dough into 1/2 oz. size balls. Refrigerate until chilled for about an hour..
  3. In a double boiler, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring until smooth. Roll balls in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a piece of dry wax paper until set.
  4. When ready to serve, top each cheesecake with a rosette of whipped cream & a slice of strawberry garnished with a mint leaf. Serve with a Danish rum ball on the side.
Recipe Notes
  • If you're cheesecake pan only has 12 cups, use a mini muffin pan for the extra two cheesecakes.
  • If you want to increase the strawberry flavor in the cheesecakes add 1/2 tsp Lor Ann strawberry flavor to the batter and for some extra color, a bit of red GEL food coloring.
  • If you wish, don't hesitate to add finely chopped nuts to the rum balls or roll them in chocolate sprinkles.

Scallops Benedict

Eggs Benedict is a common North American breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. It was popularized in New York City.  

Many variations of eggs Benedict exist, involving replacing any component except the egg such as:

  • Avocado toast eggs Benedict – substitutes toast in place of the muffin and adds sliced avocado.
  • California eggs Benedict – adds sliced avocado. Variations may include sliced tomato instead of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Atlantic – substitutes salmon which may be smoked, in place of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Blackstone – substitutes streaky bacon in place of Canadian bacon and adds a tomato slice.
  • Eggs Florentine – adds spinach, sometimes substituted in place of the Canadian bacon. 
  • Eggs Mornay – substitutes Mornay sauce in place of the Hollandaise.
  • Eggs Neptune – substitutes crab meat in place of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Omar (steak Benedict) – substitutes a small steak in place of Canadian bacon and sometimes replaces the Hollandaise with bearnaise.
  • Huevos Benedictos – adds sliced avocado or Mexican chorizo, topped with salsa and Hollandaise sauce.
  • Irish Benedict – substitutes corned beef or Irish bacon in place of Canadian bacon.

Being seafood lovers, Brion & I are having a pre-Christmas treat of scallops benedict for brunch today. Yum!

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 Scallops Benedict
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Chive Buttermilk Biscuits
Brown Butter Hollandaise Sauce
Other Ingredients Needed
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Chive Buttermilk Biscuits
Brown Butter Hollandaise Sauce
Other Ingredients Needed
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Biscuits
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until coarse crumbs. Add chopped chives. Toss together & make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk, stirring with fork to form ragged dough.
  3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead gently until dough comes together. Pat or roll into 1 1/2-inch thickness. Using floured cutter, cut out rounds. Place, well spaced, on lined baking sheet. Dough should make 6 large biscuits.
  4. Bake in the 400 F. oven for about 10 minutes before lowering the temperature to 375 F. & baking for an additional 10 minutes or until tops of the biscuits are light golden. Remove from oven & keep warm in a basket with a tea towel over it.
Hollandaise Sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, watching it until the color turns light golden brown. Pour it off immediately into a heat proof measuring cup, leaving the sediment behind.
  2. In a blender, combine egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice & zest for a few seconds. With the blender on medium speed, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream. The sauce should thicken quickly. Pour into a bowl & keep the bowl warm in a warm water bath while preparing the other components of the scallops benedict.
Scallops
  1. Season the scallops with Old Bay seasoning, salt & pepper. Pan sear them in a hot pan with butter & olive oil for only a few minutes per side. Keep warm. Prepare scrambled eggs.
Assembly
  1. Slice biscuits in half, using bottoms as the base. Divide scrambled eggs evenly between the 6 bottom biscuit halves & top each with a couple of seared scallops. Pour some hollandaise sauce over scallops & sprinkle with chopped bacon. Garnish with chopped chives. Top with the second half of the biscuit if you wish.

Canadian Salmon Pie

Salmon pie is a variation on a classic Canadian Christmas meat pie from Quebec called a ‘tourtiere’. Fundamentally, tourtiere is a pie that contains meat and spices baked in a flaky crust. The meat is generally diced or ground, including any or all of pork, veal, beef or wild game. No matter what the meats used, or the presence or absence of potato, bold seasoning is the rule for all varieties. The four original spices used in the classic tourtiere are cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Like so many of these recipes that have been ‘handed down’ over generations, each family alters it to suit their taste. 

The salmon pie version takes the same meat pie concept, but uses flaked, cooked salmon that is seasoned and mixed with mashed potatoes.

I thought it would be nice to have some salmon pie before we get into all that Christmas turkey. The lemon dill sauce is such a nice condiment to go with it.

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 Canadian Salmon Pie
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Cuisine American
Keyword Canadian salmon pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword Canadian salmon pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a large bowl, combine flour & salt. Cut in butter until mixture is an even crumbly texture. Add cold water a Tbsp at a time & mix until dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap & chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling prepare filling.
Salmon Filling
  1. Wash & peel potatoes. Cut into chunks & boil in a medium size pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, mash & set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions & sauté until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, thyme & Old Bay seasoning to skillet.
  3. Season the salmon fillet with salt & pepper & place it into the skillet skin side down. Spoon liquid & onions over salmon, cover the skillet & cook until the salmon is opaque, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat & let salmon cool slightly.
  4. Remove the skin & break salmon into pieces. Add the salmon, onions & poaching liquid to the mashed potatoes & mix to combine. Taste & adjust salt & pepper if needed. While the salmon pie is baking, make the dill béchamel sauce.
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour & whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to thicken, add the lemon juice, dill and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Serving
  1. Remove pie from oven & let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Cut pie into wedges & drizzle with lemon dill sauce. Serve warm.

Apple Crisp Snack Cake

In Canada, apples are available throughout the year. About 100 species of apples are grown in the country. With their bright colors, crisp texture and clean, slightly spicy flavor, apples are the perfect fall icon.

Today’s blog recipe is a bit of a different take on a beloved old classic. Apple crisp is a North American dessert which combines tender apples covered with a delectable crunchy topping. It is one of the common desserts that does not have the regular bottom crust and uses sliced or diced apples, generously doused in cinnamon and sugar, as the bottom layer.

The streusel which covers the apples can employ a wide variety of different flour types, nuts, and oats, commonly combined with butter and sugar. It results in a crumbly topping, which usually completely coats the apples, allowing them to release and cook inside the flavorful juices.

Apple crisp is believed to have stemmed from the British crumble, and today these two classics merely differ in their names. Even though the North American crisp was particularly made with oats, which resulted in a crunchier coating, nowadays both varieties can employ various ingredients.

This warm and spicy ‘apple crisp snack cake’ is a comforting twist on the favorite fall dessert. Filled with apples and topped with more apples, cream cheese drizzle the perfect crispy streusel. Orange pumpkins might be more popular this month, but there’s no better time than now to take advantage of apple fresh season.

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 Apple Crisp Snack Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 x 8inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Peel, core & grate apples. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom & salt together in a medium bowl & set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, cream butter & sugar until light. Scrape the bowl & add the whole egg, mixing on medium-high for about a minute. Scrape the bowl again & add the egg white & vanilla; mix for another 2 minutes.
  4. Alternately fold in flour mixture & buttermilk, then gently fold in grated apples.
  5. Pour/spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack.
Baked Crisp Topping
  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients except butter in a bowl. Combine well then add softened butter. Mix until the mixture begins to form pea-sized clusters. Spread mixture evenly on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then bake at 350 F. for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let crisp topping cool completely to room temperature. If crisp mixture is too chunky break it up with your fingers slightly.
Apple Topping
  1. Place apples , lemon juice & water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart. Add brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Cook for a minute to dissolve sugar. Remove & cool until cake is baked & ready to top.
Drizzle
  1. Sift powdered sugar with salt. Set aside. Cream softened cream cheese & butter with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla & mix to combine. Add powdered sugar & slowly incorporate into wet mixture. Add milk & beat to create a drizzle consistency.
Assembly
  1. When cake is cool, carefully & evenly spread apple topping over top of cake. Using a small piping bag, drizzle icing over apples (using a spatula, lightly spread a bit of drizzle on sides). Next, top cake with baked crisp topping. Slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
  • To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup & add milk to equal 2/3 cup, stir & let stand until room temperature.
  • If you prefer cupcakes over the snack cake, no problem. Same idea just a different shape. Your choice!

 

Pumpkin Streuseltaler

Nothing tastes more like fall than fresh baked pumpkin goods. I love just about anything with pumpkin in it. It definitely wasn’t always that way but it’s amazing how your taste buds change as time passes.

My original thoughts were to make some German pumpkin plachinda. It was one of those wonderful things my mother used to make that got pushed into the back of my memory.

It seems most recipes you find on the internet make plachinda as individual pastry turnovers with a pumpkin filling. I think I recall my mother making it in a rectangle casserole dish with the pastry on the bottom and up the sides and the filling showing.

I decided to do some ‘recipe development’ and try making some German streuseltaler and top it with a sweet pumpkin (plachinda) filling.

Streuseltaler was inspired by the round shape of the taler, a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in the currency called dollar.

Taler is a German word for coin, so the name of the dessert literally translates to streusel coin. Basically, a free form tart made with a yeast dough topped with a huge amount of streusel, sometimes filled with custard and often with a sugar glaze.

A traditional German streusel (streusel meaning something ‘strewn or scattered’ in German) bakes up into shortbread balls. It makes a crunchy, cookie-like top but is soft on the bottom where it meets the bread or fruit compote.

Streusel was first popularized in Germany. In its simplest form, it consists of flour, sugar and butter but gets even better with the addition of oatmeal, cinnamon and nuts …. just my opinion of course!

In the history of cooking, one could find recipes that have constantly changed and could be seen as a connecting link between modern times and our past. I guess this is my contribution to the evolution of plachinda.

For all of you who love pumpkin, here’s a treat you don’t want to miss!

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 Pumpkin Streuseltaler
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword pumpkin streuseltaler
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
Pumpkin Filling
Streusel Topping
Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword pumpkin streuseltaler
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
Pumpkin Filling
Streusel Topping
Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. In a small bowl, add yeast, lukewarm water & 1 tsp sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine yeast mixture, butter, salt, cinnamon, eggs & pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time, until well combined. Knead dough for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth & soft. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for about 1 hour or until double in size.
Filling
  1. In a small dish, combine the filling ingredients, set aside.
Streusel Topping
  1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembly & Baking
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface & divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a ball & allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
  2. Space out the balls on parchment lined baking sheet. With fingertips or the back of a Tbsp., press out center of each ball to about 4-inch diameter. Add about a Tbsp of pumpkin filling to each dough piece & spread leaving a border around the outside.
  3. Divide streusel topping evenly between the pastries. Allow to rise for about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In the meantime, you can prepare the glaze.
Glaze
  1. In a small dish, whisk powdered sugar & lemon juice to a thick glaze. When streuseltaler are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
  • The picture at the bottom of the recipe is MY version of my mother's plachinda. I had posted it on a blog in October 2016. She used to serve this wonderful pastry when she made a white bean soup. At the time I thought it was an odd combination but it works! Another one of those 'taste of a memory' kind of comfort foods.

Lemon Saskatoon Zucchini Muffins w/ Hemp Hearts

You cannot go wrong when you pair lemon and saskatoons. I guess, it’s kind of a spin-off of the classic lemon blueberry combo. The zucchini just adds more texture and ensures these muffins are never dry and for a little protein and Omega 3, hemp hearts make a fabulous addition to the mix.

Though often mistaken for seeds or grains, hemp hearts are actually a nut and are derived from the hemp plant once its outer hull has been removed.

Like all the ancient grains, its history goes way back. It was found in a 10,000-year-old archeological site near Japan. Its popularity quickly grew as people discovered the variety of its uses. It is a very fibrous plant and was used anciently by the Chinese to make paper, clothes, ropes, and shoes. Hemp seeds were a by-product in the hemp fiber industry and often fed to animals. It was not until recently that the high nutritional value of hemp seeds for human consumption was discovered. 

Hemp hearts provide plenty of nutritional benefits when consumed on their own, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them such as:

  • In soup, salad, or vegetable dishes
  • Sprinkled on cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt
  • Added to baked goods or desserts
  • Added to smoothies or protein shakes
  • Spread on toast with nut butter
  • Sprinkled in sandwiches or wraps

Of course, this is just one more reason to enjoy that bountiful seasonal zucchini crop!

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 Lemon Saskatoon Zucchini Muffins w/ Hemp Hearts
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Rating: 5
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Keyword lemon saskatoon zucchini muffins w/ hemp hearts
Servings
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Keyword lemon saskatoon zucchini muffins w/ hemp hearts
Servings
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Muffins
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers.
  2. In large bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, hemp hearts, salt & lemon zest.
  3. In separate bowl, mix egg, sugar, oil, almond extract, yogurt (sour cream) & lemon juice.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
  5. Add zucchini & saskatoons until just combined. Spoon into muffin pan.
  6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until tops are firm to the touch & centers test done using a toothpick.
  7. Remove from oven & cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Topping
  1. In a small dish, combine jelly with water until smooth. Add saskatoon berries & mix to coat. Prepare small amount of whipped topping.
  2. When muffins are completely cool, top each with a tsp of whipped topping then a Tbsp of glazed saskatoons.
  3. The topping really isn't necessary but adds a nice touch making an ordinary muffin become 'special'.

Bedfordshire Clangers w/ Variations

July is such a wonderful month. The weather’s warm, there’s still plenty of summer left, and the produce is literally amazing.

Midsummer means the farmer’s markets are brimming with great fruit & veggies. With such a colorful bounty of goods, we can settle into our summer cooking routines with tasty meals hot or cold.

But, even in summer, we sometimes crave ‘comfort food’ such as a ‘hand pie’. The humble hand pie goes by many different names: call it a pasty, a turnover, an empanada, or a ‘Bedfordshire clanger’….

A Bedfordshire Clanger dates back to at least the 19th century. It was typically made for agricultural workers to take with them to work as their lunch. The original pastry was made from suet and cooked by a boiling method. There is a theory that the pastry crust was not originally intended for consumption but as a vessel in which to protect the filling from the soiled hands of the workers.

The clanger originated from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England and adjacent counties, including Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. 

The name is as intriguing as the food itself. The word clanger, it had been suggested, referred to the mistake of mixing sweet and savory fillings. But a more likely explanation was that in nearby Northamptonshire dialect, ‘clang’ means to eat voraciously.

Knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, homemakers came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat, and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the field workers – handheld, portable and delicious.

The version we have today is not its beginnings but its evolution. Once you’ve nailed this basic Bedfordshire clanger recipe you can experiment with all sorts of flavor combos, there’s really no limit to what you can combine in this savory/sweet pastry.

Since Brion takes lunch to work, I became intrigued with the idea and decided to get creative with the fillings. That way I could make a variety and freeze them and use as needed. These tasty little ‘clangers’ can be served as the main course for a warm-weather picnic or for a hand-held, backyard meal with the addition of a nice fresh salad at home.

Print Recipe
 Bedfordshire Clangers w/ Variations
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Lunch
Cuisine British
Keyword Bedfordshire clangers w/ variations
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Pork Filling
Spiced Meat Combo
Turkey Filling
Boursin Sauce for Turkey Filling
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
Raspberry / Nectarine Filling
Blueberry Filling
Apple / Apricot Filling
Plum / Rhubarb Filling
Sour Cherry Filling
Rhubarb / Apple Filling
Apple / Pear Filling
Course Lunch
Cuisine British
Keyword Bedfordshire clangers w/ variations
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Pork Filling
Spiced Meat Combo
Turkey Filling
Boursin Sauce for Turkey Filling
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
Raspberry / Nectarine Filling
Blueberry Filling
Apple / Apricot Filling
Plum / Rhubarb Filling
Sour Cherry Filling
Rhubarb / Apple Filling
Apple / Pear Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
  2. When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
  1. Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Spiced Meat Combo
  1. In a saucepan, sauté onion & garlic. Add ground meat, basil, thyme, cardamom & salt & pepper. Scramble fry until cooked, remove from heat & add parmesan & potato. Place in a dish.
  2. In the saucepan, melt butter; add flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add beef broth, stirring until sauce thickens. Season to taste. Add to ground meat mixture & combine to form filling. Set aside until ready to use.
Turkey Filling
  1. In a skillet, cook bacon until just crisp, then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain; chop when cooled. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon drippings from skillet.
  2. Add butter to the skillet, sauté onions, garlic & mushrooms with herbs & spices, scraping up any brown bits, until the onions have softened & mushrooms have lost most of their size & moisture. Stir in the bacon & shredded cooked turkey, taste for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from heat & set aside.
  3. In a saucepan, combine Boursin, milk & spices (if using). Stir until Boursin has melted. Remove from heat. Add to turkey/veg mixture.
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
  1. Heat butter over medium low heat in a heavy ovenproof skillet. Add the onions cook for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. When the onions are a deep golden color, remove them from the pan and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Combine the flour, salt, chili powder, thyme, allspice, & black pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. In the same pan as the onions, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add each piece of chicken & fry for a few minutes until golden brown; flip & cook for a few more minutes. Transfer to a plate (it will not be fully cooked at this point, just browned – it will finish cooking in the oven).
  4. Turn the heat down & let the oil cool off a little bit. Make a roux with excess oil in skillet & dredging flour. Add chicken broth & cook until a sauce forms. Add the onions & chicken to the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes longer. When chicken/onion mixture is cooked, remove from oven. Allow to cool until ready to use.
Raspberry/Rhubarb Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cardamom & salt. Add water & stir then add chopped nectarines. Simmer until nectarine is slightly soft & liquid is thickened. Remove from heat & carefully fold in raspberries. Set aside to cool.
Blueberry Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except blueberries. Cook until sauce starts to thicken then gently fold in blueberries & cook a couple of minutes more. Remove from heat & set aside to cool.
Apple/Apricot Filling
  1. Peel & dice apples. Drain canned apricot juice into a small saucepan. Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon & salt & combine. Add apples & cook until apples are tender. Cut canned apricot halves into quarters. When apples are cooked & sauce has thickened, remove from heat & add apricots. Gently combine & set aside to cool.
Plum/Rhubarb Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt & lemon zest. Add rhubarb & plums. Gently stir over a low heat. When enough juice has formed, allow to simmer until rhubarb is soft & juice has thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
Sour Cherry Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, place sugar, cornstarch & salt. Add juice/water mixture & stir to thoroughly combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat. Gradually fold in cherries. Set aside to cool.
Rhubarb/Apple Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, add the rhubarb, apples, salt & sugar. Add a drizzle of water if necessary & heat on medium. The rhubarb will begin to release liquid & break down as the apples soften. Heat the mixture until the moisture has evaporated & begins to thicken. Once the mixture is thickened, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and cinnamon. Place it in a bowl & allow to cool.
Apple/Pear Filling
  1. Heat butter in a small skillet until melted, add apples & pears & cook until fruit begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over mixture & continue to cook stirring often until fruit begins to lose its juices. Mix together cornstarch & lemon juice & add to pan. Simmer until mixture has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 14 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll excess pastry into a 3-inch length.
  2. Cut each piece of pastry in half horizontally so you have (2) 7-inch long pieces from each piece of pastry. From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from the outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
  3. On the 3-inch wide section, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
  4. On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  6. Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
  7. Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
  • Due to the length of this recipe, I found making the savory & fruit fillings on one day & the pastry, assembling & baking the next, worked out well for me. Although these pastries are VERY time consuming, believe me, the are well worth it in the end, especially if your freezing some to use later. I baked them all & then wrapped them well before freezing.
  • You will probably find there will be enough savory & sweet fillings left over to make about 10 more clangers.
  • All of them will freeze well which will be a time saver for your next batch. Just make a recipe of pastry & your ready to assemble & bake.
  • If your not interested in freezing the 'leftovers', the fruit combined will make a wonderful crisp & the savory fillings can be used in quiche or casseroles.

Roasted Fruit Tart w/ Cinnamon Crust

Since stone fruit is so gorgeous when in season, why not make a fruit tart? Not just an ordinary fruit tart, but one bursting with an array of colorful fruit and roasted to bring out all the natural sweetness.

I like this tart in the fall made with apples, but since we can enjoy the seasons stone fruit bounty right now, let’s take advantage of it. When we were shopping for fruit, we came across some apricots called raspberry apricots. Their flavor is absolutely incredible. Of course the plum/apricot cross (pluots) is pretty special as well. I decided on a nice cinnamon-y pastry to highlight all these wonderful fruit flavors!

 Roasting stone fruits concentrates their sweetness and flavor, creating a depth of taste unrivaled by a regular fruit salad. The cornstarch in the filling acts as a thickener to prevent the fruit juices from making the base soggy while it bakes. And the open-faced top exposes the fruit to the oven’s heat, allowing it to caramelize and concentrate its flavor. What’s not to love!

Print Recipe
 Roasted Fruit Tart w/ Cinnamon Crust
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword roasted fruit tart w/ cinnamon crust
Servings
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crust
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword roasted fruit tart w/ cinnamon crust
Servings
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crust
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Crust
  1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon & salt. Cut in butter with a fork or finger tips to form a crumbly mixture. Drizzle in beaten egg & combine until mixture just begins to come together. Lightly press mixture into the bottom & up the sides of a 14 x 4 x 1-inch tart pan. Chill until firm while you prepare the filling.
Filling
  1. Toss prepared fruit with sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest & juice, vanilla & salt.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Arrange fruit mixture over pastry in pan. Press down slightly into pan.
  3. Bake until the fruit is soft & cooked through, the fruit juices are bubbling & the crust is a golden brown about 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes.