Julia Child’s “Poulet au Porto” (Roast Chicken Steeped with Port Wine, Cream, and Mushrooms)

November 18, 2009 at 7:00 pm | Posted in baking, Cakes, cooking, dessert, Desserts, Food, French Cooking, photography, Recipes, Uncategorized | 9 Comments
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I love it when I prepare a meal and people rave over the results.

Julia Child wrote , “It is the kind of dish to do when you are entertaining  a few good, food-loving friends whom you can receive in your kitchen.”

…and Julia should know!

I wasn’t prepared to photograph the ignited cognac, but trust me, it adds a bit of excitement to the room.

Poulet au Porto

(Roast Chicken Steeped with Port Wine, Cream, and Mushrooms)

PRINT RECIPE

Adapted from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One”, by Julia Child

WINE SUGGESTIONS

Serve very good, chilled, white Burgundy such as a Meursault or Montrachet, or an excellent, chateau-bottled white Graves.

For 4 people

A 3- 4 lb., ready-to-cook, roasting or frying chicken

The original recipe calls for roasting the chicken according to the instructions in her book, but I really like to butterfly and pan roast my chickens.  I learned to do this from a Wolfgang Puck  recipe for “Pan Roasted Chicken with Port and Whole Grain Mustard”.   You may roast your chicken any way you choose, but I find butterflying and pan roasting gives me a crispy crust and a very moist chicken.  Plus, it cooks much faster!

I followed these instructions for my pan roasted chicken:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the chicken over high heat. Add a few Tablespoons of clarified butter ( or oil and butter ) and swirl it in the skillet.  Carefully place the chicken skin side down in the skillet. Sear the chicken, undisturbed, while reducing the heat little by little to medium, until its skin has turned golden brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the chicken skin side up.

Put the skillet into the oven and cook until the chicken is deep golden brown and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, 20- 30 minutes, depending on its size. When the chicken is done, remove it to a carving board and let it rest at room temperature while completing the sauce.

1 lb. fresh mushrooms (I mixed white and crimini)

Meanwhile, trim and wash the mushrooms. Quarter them if large, leave them whole if small.

In a  2 1/2-quart enameled or stainless steel saucepan-

1/4 cup water

1/2 Tb butter

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

Bring the water to boil in the saucepan with the butter, lemon, and salt. Toss in the mushrooms, cover, and boil slowly for 8 minutes. Pour out the cooking liquid and reserve.

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 Tb cornstarch blended with 1 Tb of the cream

Salt and pepper

Pour the cream and the cornstarch mixture into the mushrooms. Simmer for 2 minutes. Correct seasoning, and set aside.

1/2 Tb minced shallots

1/3 cup medium-dry port

The reserved mushroom cooking liquid

The mushrooms in cream

Salt and pepper

Drops of lemon juice

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan. Stir in the shallots and cook slowly for 1 minute. Add the port and the mushroom juice, and boil down rapidly, scraping up coagulated roasting juices, until liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add the mushrooms and cream and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the liquid to thicken slightly. Correct seasoning and add lemon juice to taste.

A fireproof casserole or a chafing dish

1 Tb butter

1/8 tsp salt

Smear the inside of the casserole or chafing dish with butter. Rapidly carve the chicken into serving pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and arrange in the casserole or chafing dish.

1/4 cognac  (I bought one of those tiny bottles at the liquor store)

Set over moderate heat or an alcohol flame until you hear the chicken begin to sizzle. Then pour the cognac over it. Avert your face, and ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole slowly until the flames have subsided. The pour in the mushroom mixture, tilting the casserole and basting the chicken. Cover and steep for 5 minutes without allowing the sauce to boil. Serve.

(*) Chicken may remain in its casserole over barely simmering water or in the turned-off hot oven with its door ajar, for 10 to 15 minutes, but the sooner it is served, the better it will be.

Julia Child  recommends serving this chicken with

“Pommes De Terre Sautees” (Potatoes Sauteed in Butter) and peas

and so I did!

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These are quite satisfying.  Cooking the potatoes in clarified butter made them extra flavorful!

I’m not sure I cut them up the the book advised, but I we all enjoyed them anyhow.

I will make these again and again.

 


Dessert was served hot out of the oven.  One of my favorite cakes.  You can get the recipe by clicking on the link below the photo.

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The Upside Down Pear Cake baked while we ate, and I pulled it out and served it nice and warm.

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Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce

November 12, 2009 at 10:30 pm | Posted in cooking, dessert, Desserts, Food, Holiday cooking, photography, Recipes | 14 Comments
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I’ve made these little heart shaped Coeur a la Creme desserts before, and this time I think I enjoyed them even more.  I changed up the Raspberry Sauce by eliminating the raspberry jam Ina Garten calls for in her recipe.  I just wanted to enjoy more of the pure taste of the raspberries without the over sweet taste of the jam.

I made 6 mini hearts and 1 large heart.

I’m told you can make these in colanders if you don’t have the molds, but my favorites are the mini coeur a la creme molds.  Just enough for a generous single serving per person and you don’t have to scoop into the larger heart and give each guest a scoop of dessert on a plate.  These make such a pretty presentation.

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Above: Coeur a la Creme Mold

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Cream and cheese mixture wrapped in cheese cloth.

Simply line your mold with cheesecloth, pour in the cream mixture, set on a plate and place in your fridge overnight.

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Pour a pool of raspberry sauce on a plate,  gently lift out your molded cream and carefully place it in the center.

In the past I’ve poured chocolate over the top and decorated with several fresh raspberries.

This dessert has the texture of mousse.  The flavor is reminiscent of cheesecake and vanilla bean ice cream.

A very elegant dessert, yet simple to make!

Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce
Adapted from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot in Paris”

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1  1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2  1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4  teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
fresh raspberries–I had to use frozen

Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7-inch sieve OR Coeur a la Creme molds with cheesecloth or paper towels so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base–I like to place the cream into a pool of the sauce. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.

Raspberry and Grand Marnier (OR Cointreau) Sauce:

10 ounces frozen raspberries, defrosted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)– I used Cointreau because that is what I had

Once the raspberries are defrosted, puree them in a blender or food processor. Add the sugar and blend until smooth. At this point, strain raspberries through a sieve/cheese cloth to remove the seeds.   Chill for at least 4 hours.

“Day of the Dead” festival in Seattle (2009)

November 10, 2009 at 1:15 pm | Posted in Family Fun, Food, my life, photography | 8 Comments
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“The ”Day of the Dead” (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls’ Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans  living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st, and 2nd in connection with the Catholic  holiday of  All Saints Day which occurs on November 1st and All Soul’s Daywhich occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.” (Wikipedia)

I am in love with this celebration.  I love the colors, the music, the dancing, the makeup, the food, the costumes, the decorations, the art–the ART !

As much as I whine about longing to live on a farm in the country, I feel blessed to live so close to Seattle.  I have learned more about different cultures by attending the free festivals, than I had ever known before.

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Many more photos plus a wonderful Youtube video behind the cut…

Continue Reading “Day of the Dead” festival in Seattle (2009)…

Pressing Apples into Cider with Friends

November 10, 2009 at 12:10 pm | Posted in Food, friends, photography, Uncategorized | 4 Comments
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A few weeks ago I was hunting for a pumpkin or two to give to my son and his fiancee.  I ended up at a roadside produce stand, found the pumpkins I wanted, bought them, and loaded them into the trunk (don’t tell my chiropractor!).  Just as I was loading the pumpkins a gentleman approached me and said something along the lines of,  “Hi there, I think I know you.”

As a woman, my first thought was,  “Are you kidding me? Do you have to hit on me while I’m loading huge pumpkins into my trunk, and what is up with the “I think I know you”  line!”

I looked up and realized he was serious–especially when he asked, “Do you write a food blog?”  Followed by, “Angelnina?”

“Well, pleased to meet ya!”  I nearly shouted it–I was both relieved that he wasn’t hitting on me or asking for money–you never know in the Seattle area.

As it turns out, Wally  is a very nice man, and he should have his own food blog!  I can learn a lot from this guy.   After introducing me to his wife–via Facebook– they both invited Mark and I to press apples into cider at their home the following weekend.  We hit it off immediately.  His wife, Lucinda, and I have quite a lot in common.  I felt like I’d known her for years.  It is always nice to meet good people.

On our visit, we were greeted with hot bowls of Wally’s homemade Borscht, homemade yogurt, parsley from the garden, toasted homemade bread, AND beer–yes, you guessed it–Wally makes the beer too!   Normally I don’t drink beer, but I really wanted to sample his home brewed beer, and I have to admit, this was not the high school beer I had remembered–this beer had a hint of  herbal, floral, taste–great stuff!

Lucinda served us and amongst many wonderful talents, she  is also a very friendly hostess

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ABOVE: Wally’s Beer

Wally wasn’t wasting any time with pleasantries, and before my last bite of borscht was down, he announced “These apples will not peel themselves.” ,and with that he set 4 cutting boards, knives, and a huge box of apples.  We had a great time visiting and chopping.

Next, we went out to the cider press Wally built–yes, he made it.  He and Lucinda also raise chickens and mason bees.

When the apples were pressed we drank coffee, apple juice, and ate some pignolis I had packed up as a hostess gift.

Nothing is better than meeting new friends and enjoying great food and drink.

Light Pumpkin Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

October 28, 2009 at 7:43 pm | Posted in baking, Cakes, cooking, dessert, Desserts, Food, Holiday cooking, photography, Recipes | 13 Comments
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My good friend gave me a subscription to “Cooking Light” magazine this year, and I have enjoyed combing through all of the light recipes inside each edition.

In the November issue, I spotted this recipe from a woman in Eagle, Idaho (A  quick SHOUT OUT to my Idaho friends!)  for a Frosted Pumpkin Cake.

Autumn brings with it a craving for all things pumpkin and spice.  Throw in a light cream cheese frosting and I’m all over it.

Still, if I’m being honest, I worried about a low  fat cake.  At least it wasn’t non-fat, and the recipe looked like it had all the necessities needed to meet my yum factor.

So, it is my pleasure to share with you, the lower in fat,  Pumpkin Cake.

I rate this cake a 4 out of 4 stars.  I’m rating it as a “light” cake.  I can’t really say this is a 4 out of 4 star cake in the same way I would rate a Hummingbird Cake, because lets face it, it’s not a Hummingbird Cake.   Hummingbird Cake rates a 10 out of 4 out of 4 stars :)

Seriously, I think this is a fabulous cake.  It has the flavor of autumn, it’s dense and moist–all the more reasons to bake her up!

pumpkincake

Frosted Pumpkin Cake

Adapted from November’s Cooking Light Magazine


Cake:

  • 10.1 oz all purpose flour (2.25 cups)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon ( I used more)
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 15 oz can pumpkin puree (Pure–check ingredients)
  • Cooking spray

Frosting:

  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuirng cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, other spices,and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
  3. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 tsp vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture, beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin puree; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13×9 inch baking ban coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
  4. To prepare frosting, combine 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. 

Yields 24 servings; serving size: 1 piece

Calories  178, Fat 5.5, Protein  3 g, Carb  30 g, Fiber  .09, Chol 32 mg, Iron 1.2mg, Sodium 135 mg, Calc 62 mg

Chocolate Birthday Cake with Buttercream Frosting

October 14, 2009 at 6:58 pm | Posted in baking, Cakes, Desserts, Food, photography, Recipes, Uncategorized | 18 Comments
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Finding  for the perfect chocolate birthday cake has always been a challenge for me.  There are so many chocolate cake recipes that I can quickly feel overwhelmed.  For her 66th birthday, my mother requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting .

Flour-less chocolate cakes are all the rage, and although I’m quite fond of the dark fudge-like cake, it is simply too much for a birthday cake.   Then there are the “too dry” chocolate cakes, the “not chocolate enough” chocolate cakes, the “too crumbly”, etc.

I think Grand Central Bakery’s cookbook nailed the chocolate birthday cake!  I opted not to use the ganache frosting, and found an easy buttercream frosting  that wouldn’t take over the very chocolatey cake.

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Let me start with a warning here:  This cake is HUGE! The layers are so thick it looked like a three layer cake.  I don’t know about you, but I think more chocolate is always a good thing!

You can easily split each layer into two layers to make a 4 layered filled cake.  I simply used the two layers and layered with buttercream.

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Adapted from “The Grand Central Baking Book”

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE


4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into chunks

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken into chunks

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( i use Dagoba)

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup  (8 ounces or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar (1 pound)

6 eggs, at room temperature

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups (16 ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or flour two 9″ cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Melt semi sweetened and unsweetened chocolate chunks in a double boiler”lower pan filled with an inch of lightly simmering water.  Set aside melted chocolate and cool slightly.

Combine the dry ingredients.  Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into bowl.

Cream teh butter and sugar.  Using a standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on med-high for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy, scrape bottom and sides of bowl with spatula to evenly incorporate the butter.

Add the eggs into a liquid measuring cup with the vanilla.  Mix on low speed, slowly pour in the eggs, let fall one at a time making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.

Add the melted chocolate all at once and mix on low speed until slightly combined.  It isn’t important to fully incorporate at this point.

Alternate additions of dry ingredients and buttermilk.  With mixer on low add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk, mixing just till combined after each addition.  repeat using half of the main dry ingredients, and the remaining buttermilk.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and stop the mixer before they’re fully incorporated.  Finish mixing by hand using a sturdy spatula.

Bake.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.  Run a paring knife through the batter in one smooth motion-onei nch from the edge of the pan.

Bake 30 minutes, then rotate the pans (carefully) and lower the temperature to 325 degrees and bake 25-30 minutes more.  Check with wooden skewer for doneness.  Skewer should have a few crumbs sticking to it but no gooey batter.

Let cakes cool for 15 minutes before turning them out of their pans.  Wait until completely cool before splitting or frosting.

EASY Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from Viet World Kitchen


Makes enough for a 9-inch 2-layer cake or the equivalent

1 3/4 – 2  sticks  unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2- 5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup dark cocoa powder (use a good quality cocoa)
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Approx.  7-8 Tablespoons heavy cream

Put the butter into a mixing bowl and sift 2/3 of the powdered sugar and 1/2 c cocoa powder into the  mixer bowl.  Mix at low speed till crumbly.  When crumbly, sift the remaining powdered sugar and cocoa into the bowl. Continue creaming the ingredients.

Once combined – it’s fine of the mixture is crumbly and dry looking – add the vanilla and cream. Increase the mixer speed to medium and then medium high to create a fluffy and darkly colored frosting. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Taste and add extra sugar if more sweetness is needed. The chocolate flavors will deepen as it sits. Add more cream to make a soft, spreadable frosting. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Return to room temperature before using.

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Sorry for the wrinkly frosting–I didn’t get around to photographing a slice until the next morning when I removed the saran wrap and had a slice for breakfast :)

Pollo con Cipolle e Aceto (Chicken with Onions and Vinegar)

October 9, 2009 at 10:59 am | Posted in cooking, Food, Italian food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Weeknight Dinners | 13 Comments
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This is my new favorite chicken dish.  I’ve raved over the years about my favorite cookbook in the entire world, “Cooking with Grace” by Grace Pilato, and once again I’ve found a treasure hidden in this wonderful book.

I think the name of the dish turned me off, and I was a bit frightened by the amount of vinegar.  One day I was thinking about a chicken dish I had been served by my Italian grandmother, and suddenly it occurred to me that it had a bit of vinegar.  I decided to go for Grace’s recipe, and am I ever happy I did.  It was different and– dare I say—better than the chicken I had remembered–this is good old Italian fried chicken with a huge kick!

I’ve made it twice now, and I’ll be making it again very soon.  I have served it with potatoes and with rice, I like it both ways.

Click below for recipe and more…

Continue Reading Pollo con Cipolle e Aceto (Chicken with Onions and Vinegar)…

Angelnina’s Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 26, 2009 at 7:45 pm | Posted in baking, Cookies, Desserts, Food, photography, Recipes | 4 Comments
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These are my new favorite cookie.

Apparently my family likes them too because these cookies sure didn’t stick around in the cookie jar for very long :)

I just love coconut!  No, I mean, I really really love the stuff.  I know some people hate coconut, and I’ve heard people complain about certain foods tasting like the 1970s suntan oils.  Well, I’d like to confess that when I was a kid, I slathered that stuff all over me–I have the wrinkles and moles to prove it too.  If it was edible, I would be making 1970s coconut scented suntan oil cookies SPF 15.  I’m serious.

Yes, I’m a coconut nut.  Throw chocolate into the mix, and my eyes start to roll back into my head.  I’m afraid everything tastes better with chocolate.  So, I give you my version of the coconut chocolate chip cookie.

Angelnina’s Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (at room temperature)

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 x-lg eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cups oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Kosher salt

2 cups unsweetened coconut –I use the large shavings-processed in food processor

1 3/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

-Cream butter and sugars with mixer

Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients together and Stir into wet mixture

Stir in chocolate chips

Scoop dough by tablespoon (or use medium scoop) onto parchment lined or silicon baking mat lined cookie sheet .

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes

PS These do not taste like suntan oil ;)

DSC_6366ABOVE: Giovanni lounging while I bake

Italian Cookies ~ Pignoli Amaretti (Pine Nut Cookies)

September 22, 2009 at 9:23 pm | Posted in baking, Cookies, Desserts, Food, friends, Italian food, Recipes | 7 Comments
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As much as I enjoy cooking and baking,  you can only imagine how excited I was to find out that the son of one of my good friends was going to school to become a pastry chef!

Over the years, I had noticed Ket’s interest in baking and cooking when he and his family would  join us for dinner at my house.  I noticed he might be looking over my shoulder asking questions and talking food.  He  liked to peek  in at my cookbook collection too.  I have also had the pleasure of eating a few slices of his famous cheesecakes!

Not long ago I gave him an open invitation to come to my kitchen and bake with me.  Well,  Ket has now graduated and I was more than happy when he asked if I’d like to bake some Italian cookies together.  He chose Pignolis–a cookie neither of us had ever baked before.  Perfect.

Allow me to start by saying, almond paste and pine nuts are expensive.  Shop around for a good deal.  We opted to split the cost of a 7 pound can of almond paste from Cash and Carry.  We have enough almond paste leftover to make plenty more desserts.  Pine nuts were purchased at Costco.

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It wasn’t easy removing the almond paste–at first.  We discovered that using an ice cream scoop made it a lot easier.

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The recipe says to use almond paste broken into pebble sized pieces.  Good thing Ket was helping because my great idea was to use my KitchenAid mixer, but he suggested using the food processor and adding the sugars to it.  It worked like a charm.

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Pignoli Amaretti Cookies (Pine Nut Cookies)

Adapted from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray

1 1/2 lbs almond paste (broken into pebble sized pieces)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

4 egg whites

2 cups pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine almond paste with sugars in food processor and pulse till size of pebbles.

Add mixture to mixer and add egg whites, mix on low till blended, then medium speed for a few minutes.  This will make a sticky dough.

Roll dough into 1″ balls.  Roll in pine nuts, or roll tops and sides in pine nuts.  Place on lined (parchment or silicon) cookie sheet 2″ apart.  Using your fingers, slightly flatten tops of cookies.

Bake for 15-20  minutes or till golden brown.  Remove cookie sheets from oven.  Allow cookies to cool on parchment for easier removal.  When cookies are cool use a metal spatula to loosen from parchment.

Store in an airtight container.

Approx 50 cookies

cookiebeforeWe shaped some into balls and some into crescents–I happen to be addicted to the crescent shape.

I highly suggest using the silicon mats or parchment–these are sticky little buggers!

Wet your hands with water while forming the cookies–it really helps!

cookieWe made two batches– close to 100 cookies!

Pignolis have a moist center and a wonderful almond flavor.  Perfect with coffee and tea or a glass of milk.

After baking,  Ket helped me dig potatoes from the garden.  We had a lovely dinner of roasted chicken, chicken with vinegar and onions, and swiss chard from the gardens, and mashed pototoes–albeit the mashed taters were farmed out to my husband who lost track of the timer–no worries, we had enough to feed a small army.

Thanks Ket!

Future Farmers of America and a Berry Crumble

September 3, 2009 at 1:06 pm | Posted in baking, Chick stuff, cooking, Desserts, Family Fun, Food, gardening, My Dysfunctional family, my life, photography, Recipes, Uncategorized | 19 Comments
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ABOVE: American Gothic? My son Sean, and his fiancee Olivia posed for me.

I was required to bring in five or more prints to present to my photography class.  I had a lot of fun with this project.

If you’d like to see more photos I’ve taken please go to Angelnina’s Photography Blog

In other news….

Berry Crumble

Blackberry season, in my neighborhood, can easily turn to war.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught people trespassing on my property to pick the blackberries.  Attempts to deter the berry thieves have been futile.  People will break the law for a free blackberry.  I’ve tried everything–from sneak attacks to police tape.  It simply comes down to survival of the fittest.  So far, a group of four elderly Korean women are burying me.  These ladies are out before the rooster crows!  They can clean out the entire patch of newly ripened berries in a single morning.  Before I manage to drink my morning tea, the early risers have filled their buckets and–I’m guessing–have blackberry pies in the oven.  I was lucky to score a few cups of berries to make my berry crumble.  Thankfully, I had a cup of frozen raspberries to throw into the mix!

Berry Crumble

Filling

3 cups of your favorite berries or mix of berries

1/3 c sugar

1/8 c flour

Tbsp orange juice (opt)

Toss well, and heat a little on stove

-Pour berry mixture into little ramekins– I used 5

Topping

1/2 c flour

1/4 c brown sugar

1/8 c sugar

1/8 tsp Kosher salt

Pulse a few times to combine in food processor

Add

4 Tbsp cold butter , cut up

pulse until size of peas

Pour mixture into a bowl and add 1/4 cup dry oats ( I used Old Fashioned Quaker Oats)

stir in oats.

Place a few Tablespoons of topping over the berries in the ramekins.

Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.

You will have some topping leftover–place in fridge to use next time!

Bake these on a lined baking sheet  at 350 degrees till warm and bubbly–about 30 minutes +

Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

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