A Greener Biener

What do you get when you need to cross a peck of picky eaters, an earth under assault, and a serious desire to control: (1) the family budget; and (2) the family health?

The answer as far as I can tell is this:

Make it fun, make it fresh, and keep it local. Easier said than eaten? That remains to be seen. I promise to share our stories, the successes and the utter failures, as we boldly plunge onward…Eating Green.

Or, the cake formerly known as Yeast Cake

This is my Grandmother’s cake, updated and renamed because, really, who wants to eat something called Yeast Cake? Sounds like some kind of home remedy for something that should not be discussed on a recipe page.

DO NOT BE PUT OFF BY THE TIME NEEDED FOR THIS BABY TO RISE.  IT IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE, I PROMISE YOU.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbls of Yeast, dissolved in 1/3 cup of warm water
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 3 cups of flour
• 1/3 cup of sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups of ground walnuts
• Unsweetened cocoa for sprinkling
• Canola oil (or other mild flavored oil) for sprinkling

To Do:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, set aside for 5-10 minutes
2. Warm the milk over low heat and melt the butter in it.  Don’t let milk get too hot.
3. Mix together flour, sugar and salt
4. Beat eggs lightly, then add to the flour mixture.
5. Add the milk/butter mixture to the flour mixture.
6. Blend with wooden spoon until it starts to come together.  Make an indentation in the center and pour in the yeast water.
7. Mix, adding more flour if dough seems too sticky.
8. Cover loosely and let rise for 2 hours, or let it rise in the fridge overnight.

Once dough has risen:

1. Punch down the dough and knead a little bit, no more than a minute or two.  Roll it out into approximately an 18” square.
2. Sprinkle the ground nuts over the entire surface of the dough.
3. Sprinkle cocoa powder to cover the nuts – not thick, but covered
4. Sprinkle sugar sparingly over the entire surface.
5. Drizzle oil, kind of like a Jackson Pollock. About 4-5 Tbls total should do the trick
6. Once the surface is covered, roll the dough along the longer side to form a tube, applying a little extra oil if needed to get the edges of the tube to stick together.
7. Bring the ends together to make a circle.
8. Put the whole thing into a kugelhopf form (round pan with a hole in the middle) and allow to rise 1/2 hour more.

Finally….

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Note: as soon as I devour the current cake I will make another, and try to stop and photograph the process. The resulting pictures will be smeared with chocolate, but will show that it’s not as complex as it sounds. Really.

I may not be Southern, but somehow Thanksgiving and Cornbread stuffing have always gone together in my mind.  Here’s how I do it–

• 1 pan of cornbread*  (*I use the recipe on the back of the cornmeal package, but whatever the recipe I always add a heaping TBLS of sour cream to the batter.)
• 2 Tbls butter
• 1 cup or so of dried apples, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 chicken stock
• 3 Tbls dried sage
• salt+pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut the cornbread into smallish pieces and spread out on a baking sheet to dry out. Here in Colorado it takes no time as any moisture is sucked out of anything in minutes.  If you live anywhere less desert-like, put the baking sheet in a 200 degree oven for about 20 minutes to achieve the same results.

Melt the butter in a medium pan.  Add the chopped onions and saute for about 10 minutes, or until soft.

Crumble dried-out cornbread into a bowl.  Add the onions, apples, sage and salt and pepper.

In separate bowl whisk together the egg, cream and chicken stock.  Pour over the cornbread and stir. together.

Put into a buttered 9X13 baking dish.

Bake 30 minutes until hot and crusty on top.

Cranberry sauce in a can is gross.  I don’t care what you’re used to, it is time to grow up and make your own.  There are many reasons–

1. Kids love the cool popping sounds that the berries make as they explode juice all over the stove top
2. It’s better, that’s why
3. All the cool kids are doing it.

Glad you’re on board.  Here’s how it’s done:

• 1 orange
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup port
• 1 12oz bag of cranberries (not dried)
• 1 apple, finely chopped

Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from the orange into a medium sized pot.

Add the port.

Over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice and port.

Stir in cranberries, zest and apple.  Cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, or until the popping has stopped and the mixture becomes thick.

Remove 1/2 the mixture and blend it until it forms a smooth jelly.  Add back into the pot.

C hill for about an hour, and serve cool or at room temperature.

• 15 lb turkey — I went for the natural one at Whole Foods, which was going for 99 cents/pound.  They even defrosted it for me and kept it chilled until I needed it.
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 large onion
• 1 apple
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup of apple cider
• 10 dried sage leaves, or a few Tablespoons of dried sage

Prop the turkey up on a counter somewhere and take a good look.  A good look inside.  Typically the neck will be tucked into one end. Remove it and save it for my father.  He insists that it’s the best part.

Now peek into the business end of the turkey.  Reach in– there will be a baggie of giblets.  Do not cook the bag inside the turkey (I have. I don’t suggest it.)  Remove it and set aside for gravy making.

Melt the butter–until it’s mushy but not liquid.  Add the crumbled sage and the cider to the butter.

Roll up your sleeves.  Massage the butter combination into the turkey, all over, even a little on the inside.

Chop the apple, the onion and the lemon in big chunks and throw them into the roasting pan.

Place the turkey, breast side up, into the roasting pan, uncovered.

Roast at 425 for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375.  At this point if the turkey is brown enough already, create a little tent of tin foil to cover the turkey loosely.

Begin checking with a meat thermometer after 3 1/2 or 4 hours.  Our 15 pound turkey, cooked at altitude, took 4 1/2 hours to cook.

I cheat.  Not only do I make my gravy ahead of time but I make my turkey gravy from chicken parts.  Which leaves you with two choices: You can go out and slander my name all over this turkey lovin’ country, or you can do what I do: cheat.

Welcome aboard.  Here’s how it’s done.

What you’ll need:

• 1 package of chicken parts (4-6 wings or thighs or drumsticks)
• 2 medium onions
• 2 Tbls butter, optional
• 1/4 cup apple cider, optional
• 4-6 cups chicken stock
• Pepper — a couple teaspoons or to taste
• 3-4 Tbls Sage
• 2-4 Tbls flour or more

Heat oven to 400.

Put wings in a single layer in a roasting pan. Scatter chopped onions around and on top and Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is cooked.

Remove chicken parts and onion chunks from the pan and put them into a large soup pot.  Add 4 cups of stock, pepper and sage and apple cider.

Into the still hot roasting pan, add 1 cup of water, which will hiss and start to boil. Scrape at all the dark stuff (this is where the good flavor comes from) so it mixes into the water.  Add to the pot.  You can repeat this step, with a little bit of water at a time, to get at all the good, baked on stuff.

Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for another hour or so.  The house will start to smell divine at this point.

Remove the meat and save for another day.

Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing against the onions and bits to get all the liquid out.

At this point you can put it in the fridge, which makes the fat solidify at the top of the container.  You can easily remove the fat and throw it away before finishing the gravy on game day.

Heat the strained broth in the saucepan.  Remove about 1/4 cup of the broth and put it in a bowl with a couple TBLS of flour.  Whisk together until all lumps disappear and add to the pot.  Continue to do this until it reaches the thickness you like.  Keep it simmering stove top, stir occasionally.

At the very end, you can add a couple TBLS of butter into the gravy and whisk it in as it melts. This makes it shiny and pretty and tasty. I totally forgot this step this year and no one seemed to miss it at all.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of lukewarm water
• 1 ½ Tablespoons yeast (less at altitude.  I use 1 1/4) T)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 6 ½ cups of all purpose flour

Directions

This makes enough for about 4 loaves. The dough can be refrigerated and used as you go, so you can have fresh bread for dinner anytime.

1. In a large bowl of very large tupperwear add the water, yeast and salt.
2. Mix in the flour, using a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together and is uniformly damp without dry patches.
3. Cover loosely and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Baking Time—

1. Dip your hands in flour, and generously dust your work surface with flour.
2. Pull off a chunk of dough—about a softball size makes 2 medium sized baguettes, or a nice round loaf.
3. Manipulate the dough into the shape you want, incorporate enough of the flour so the dough is not sticky.
4. Put it on a baking sheet, dusted with corn meal or another granular flour.  Let it rise another 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 450 , with an empty broiler tray on the lowest oven rack. ***NEVER USE A GLASS CASSEROLE INSTEAD OF A METAL BOILER TRAY.  YOU WILL END UP WITH THIS NOT-SO-TASTY RECIPE INSTEAD!
6. Put the bread in the oven, and pour one cup of water into the boiler tray.  Let bake for about 20 minutes—less for thin baguettes, more for thick round loaves.

These go fast, so make much much more than you imagine your children could ever eat.

We’ve made these with every kind of potato–purple, fingerling, russet, new, red, you name it.  Each type has a slightly different baking time though, so you might want to bake them separately if you’re doing different types together.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Peanut Oil (substitute canola if allergies are an issue)
• Salt

To do:

• Preheat oven to 400
• Slice potatoes into fry-like shapes and put into a large bowl
• Coat with oil and toss to make sure all the potatoes are covered
• Put on baking sheet in a single row, sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until crispy and just brown. Check after 15 minutes, particularly if your fries are sliced thin.

Homemade Pizza Dough — The dough takes about 15 – 20 minutes to put together, then sits for an hour or two or whatever works with your life.

Ingredients for dough

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS for dough

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 5 minutes. Place dough in bowl, and cover loosely with a towel. Let stand at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a cookie sheet dusted with corn meal or flour or well greased.  Or use a flour-dusted pizza stone.
5. Pre-bake crust at 425 for 8-10 min or so, then baked with toppings at 425 for about 7 min.

TOPPINGS

After pre-baking the crust, add sauce and toppings and return to the 425 oven just long enough to heat the toppings and melt the cheese, or about 8 minutes.

Anything works on top of pizza! Shredded mozzarella and jarred sauce, fresh goat cheese and homemade sauce.  Whatever floats your boat.

My kids love peanuts on theirs (gross, I know, but to each her own, right?)

My favorites are balsamic glazed onions, thinly sliced tomatoes, spinach and fresh mozzarella.  I use all the ingredients raw except the onions–here’s how I cook the onions.

I put these onions into just about everything we eat.  I love love love them!  Next time I’m taking pictures to add here, I promise.

• Slice an onion thin, then cut slices into thirds or so (about 4-5 inches long.)
• If desired, add garlic to taste. I do a couple of cloves, or a heaping Tablespoon of crushed garlic.
• Saute onions and garlic in heated olive oil (about 1-2 Tablespoons) until they begin to wilt.
• When the pan gets dry, splash in about 1-2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Stir to coat all the onions, and continue to cook until they are soft and golden in color.

These are great as a pizza topping, in pasta, as a lasagna layer, or on top of your kids’ cheerios. Ok, maybe not on the cereal.

I adapted this recipe from the Stone Fruit Tea Cake recipe in Gourmet magazine (because raspberries make it taste better, and my name sounds yummier.)

Ingredients–

• 2 cups diced and peeled peaches (about 2 large peaches)
• ½ cup raspberries
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbls vanilla extract
• 1 Tbls turbinado sugar (optional)

1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

2. Cream sugar and butter for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

4. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined in a sticky dough.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and smoosh down into a 1 inch disk. Freeze dough for ½ hour.

6. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a round baking pan.

7. Divide dough in half. Spread one half the dough evenly on the bottom of the pan. Spread the fruit over the dough. Break the rest of the dough into 4-5 inch pieces and place on top of the fruit (they will spread and mash together.)

8. Sprinkle turbinado sugar across the top.  This is optional–it is not needed for taste since the cake is sweet enough, but it does add a little glitz and sparkle to the top of the cake, you know, if you’re serving it to princesses.

9.   Bake 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool a little before serving.