Got 5 minutes?

No kidding! It works.... We subscribe to the Mother Earth News magazine (we plant trees, and we hug them) and they have some great articles about all kinds of handy, good to know information.
So we baked a simple bread recipe (it is reeeeallly easy! no kneeding or anything) and it worked and we, well, I was amazed. Cause I have always been kneading and pressing and rising and punching and waiting and slicing.... and on an on and 8 hours later, a loaf of bread.

So these authors broke it down to the simplest ingredients, yeast, flour and water. It makes a wet dough that you keep in the fridge and just pull out what you need for a daily loaf. Set it on a pizza peel (or a floured surface that you can slide it off into the oven) and let it set for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven for 20 minutes (we have a breadstone and a pan for a cup of water in there with it) and after 20 minutes, add a cup of water to the pan and slide the bread onto the stone. Get this, that's it! 30 minutes later you have a beautifully crusty loaf of fresh bread!

We have not purchased bread this year at all. We bought the book and it has tons of recipes and alterations for things like cinnamon rolls...all from that basic starter dough.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It's true.

Banana bread with chocolate chips and roasted walnuts

This is a treat! If you have bananas that get over ripe... don't throw them out! Send them to me!!! Or, put them in the freezer for up to 6 months and wait for that day when you want some banana bread. (You can do the same with zucchini if you shred it first).

So, you want to make bread, and have some (at least 3) frozen bananas? Thaw the bananas in a mixing bowl. After they thaw, dump out any banana juice from the bowl (sometimes it makes too much liquid). Peel the bananas and smash them well in the bowl. Decide how many batches you want to make. I usually do a double recipe.

One cup of mashed bananas makes one batch and fits well into two 4 by 9 bread pans or twelve muffin cups if you want to do that instead.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Flour (all purpose is fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (have you switched to aluminum free yet?)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (yeah, I don't measure this part... I know I probably double this)
1 egg (my favorite eggs are from my family's hens, or buy humane labeled if you can find it)
1/4 cup oil (I always use olive oil for baking)
1 cup mashed bananas (previously frozen are sweetest)
3/4 cup sugar (I actually use 1/2 cup, especially if I use frozen bananas)
Juice of one lemon, or about 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter (real butter works best, not margarine, sorry ma)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but you loose that roasty flavor)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but not really cause it's chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add the chopped walnuts to an 8 x 8 pan and flatten them to a single layer, place them in the oven until they start to brown (about 15 to 20 minutes). Remove them and put the butter on to coat the nuts well.

In a small mixing bowl (bigger if you do a double batch) combine the mashed bananas, egg, oil, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.

In a larger mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (want some nutmeg, add that too).

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add the wet ingredients and blend just until it's combined. Add the toasty nuts and chocolate chips til combined. You should be able to stand a spoon up in the batter easily.

Spoon batter into two buttered bread pans (If you don't have stoneware pans, and you like to bake bread, definitely put them on your list! I don't make them for sale yet, but I will. I made the ones you see in the photo). Or you can make muffins if you like.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, testing with a toothpick (or wooden skewer like I do) every 5 minutes. Bread is done when the stick comes out clean (assuming you don't stab a chocolate chip...) In the case of muffins, start testing at about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Caramel Pear Crumble, easier than pie

So, you want a hot dessert with a little ice cream but don't want to go messing around in the kitchen with all the measuring and mixing and all that jazz.

I have your answer. I am always just tossing things in a pot, or the oven and seeing what happens. When it's good, I'll let you know. This is one of those times!

What's great about it is it only requires you to dirty a pastry cutter (or a fork), a knife, peeler, one bowl and one oven safe serving bowl (which can be the same bowl that you mixed it in). It takes about 10 minutes of prep, and 30 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:
Pears (or other pealed fruit, the harder the fruit, the longer you may want to bake it depending on how soft you want it.)
Brown Sugar
Rolled Oats
Butter

You have those things right? I make sure to grab a couple bartlet pears every so often when I want to make this.
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Preheat the oven to 350*

For one serving:
peal and core one medium pear (one pear can make 2 servings if you want), slice it or cube it if you want. Place it into a oven safe single serving bowl.

Place about 2Tbsp softened (not melted) butter in the bowl. Add about 4Tbsp rolled oats and 4Tbsp Brown sugar and blend them with a pastry cutter or by pressing into it with a large fork. It should become crumbly after a little bit at which point I always like to test it :)

Place it gently (James likes his pressed down, I like mine crumbly) on top of the pears in the oven save serving bowl. This is the point at which you decide what ratio of pairs to crumble topping you like for future reference. I like it when the pears are covered and the crumble is able to caramelize against the side of the bowl. Depending on your bowl, you may need to adjust the recipe. I recommend winging it, it works fine with these simple ones.

Bake at 35* for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes, cause if you burn your tongue it's just not as good. Ice cream helps though, it' s really yummie on top.
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ENJOY!

More recipes (lasagna) are on their way soon.

Thank you to my followers, and a note on future "scheduled programming"

I just wanted to extend my gratitude to everyone who has been so supportive of me, and of others!

For the time being, I am keeping the giveaway post at the top of the page, so that everyone who wants to enter, can find it easily.

I have been asking around about what people want to see more of and have made some decisions about the ongoing edition of this blog...

This is a list of what to look forward to seeing during the next few months:

I will be updating the photography tutorial soon specifically as it applies to jewelry photography.
Stay tuned for more recipes including dinners and links to online stores where I get specialty products for cooking with.
I'll be promoting other handmade sellers as well
There will be ongoing special offers and giveaways.
I will probably be talking about my cats, the garden progress, the weather, and look forward to taking photos of the holiday decorations at my house.

Let me know if you want to add anything else! I always enjoy your input!

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

These are some of my favorite chocolate goodies. They are very moist because of the zucchini. They are easy to make in a single large bowl and cleanup is quick if you use muffin cups.

Start to finish about 40-50 minutes, makes 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded zucchini (the smaller ones are my favorite)
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 C cooking oil
2 tsp. vanilla (or more, I don't really measure the vanilla)
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder (dark chocolate is the best in these!)
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
3/4 C milk chocolate pieces (that's chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 325. Line 24 regular sized muffin cups with baking cups (highly reccomended), or grease the cups with butter.

In a large bowl stir together shredded zucchini, eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate pieces. Bake 25 minutes (mine usually go 35 minutes) or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cups and cool completely.

These are great with ice cream! Since the recipe makes plenty of them, I usually make them to bring to parties and keep a couple for myself. AND! There's veggies in there!

Cast Iron Vegetable Pasta

There is a recipe that I like to have when I am feeling like something fresh and crisp, but still a hot meal.

You can use many types of vegetables but I prefer long sliced sweet peppers, sweet onions and broccoli tops.
I add the broccoli tops to the pan while it is heating to medium heat. Spray the tops, and the pan with a light mist of oil (I use a high heat canola oil) which help give them a bright green color as they heat. I heat the broccoli first as it usually requires a slightly longer cooking time. Cover for a few minutes while the pan warms and the broccoli gets slightly darkened on the underside. Add the vegetables (be cautious of steam and hot oil). If you have truffle oil, it is great with this dish.

I like the edges of the veggies to be dark and crisp. Steaming the vegetables will cause them to wilt, so keep the lid off. You are going for that dark edge that is not burnt but has a little crisp to it. Using the right temperature will give you both the edge and the veggies will still have a fresh snap to them.
This has taken some practice, and I still don't always do it they way I want. It's good that they are veggies and not cake... at least I can practice and not have too many calories.

I like to add goat cheese about 2 minutes before removing from the pan.

Serve over linguine or your choice of pasta with some grated mizithra (or parmesan) cheese and and some brown broiled garlic buttered mini baguettes.

Yum! Best served in a LiciaPot. :) Yup, I made that bowlie.

Beef Stew Crocker

This is so far my favorite beef stew recipe. It is easy to just toss everything in a crock and let it cook for 8 hours. I love my new crock pot!

So, it's best to brown the meat first, but not necessary. I put mine in a sizzling hot cast iron skillet with a small bit of olive oil until the meat is dark (but not burnt) on all sides. It will splatter so watch out and use a splatter shield if you have one, I used a lid to avoid the little hot splatters.

Ingredients:

• One or two pounds of steak, cut into one inch pieces
• several large carrots, unpeeled. I used about 5 cut on the bias
• One pound of small red potatos, quartered. OR one pound of any potato in one inch pieces
• 4 stalks celery cut into half inch slices
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup large sliced sweet onion
  
• 8 ounces of mushrooms, whole (okay to omit)
• 1 - 6 oz can of tomato paste (necessary)
• 1 - 12 oz can of whole peeled tomatos (san marzano if you can get them)
  
• 3/4 Cup beef or chicken broth (not the concentrated cubes if possible)
• 1/3 Cup red wine (I like cabernet)
• 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 2 minced garlic cloves (I put in 4 whole cloves sometimes)
• Dried spices including, dill, basil, thyme, marjoram, cilantro, sage, oregano....be generous!
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• salt optional

So, basically, stick all that in a pot let it simmer for an hour, stir it so that it is all in liquid and let it simmer for 7 more hours.

It is soooo good, and makes several servings so you don't have to cook every night. It's even better on the second day.

Glazed Lemon Lavender Bread

This is the best bread! Traditionally I give out Banana breads for the holidays, but this year I decided I wanted something with a little brighter flavor. So, as requested this is the recipe for Glazed Lemon Lavender Bread.
I made these in little bread tins, but breads are best baked in stoneware if you have it. If you don't, then you can order some from me when the pottery making starts!

Gather:

• graduated liquid measuring cup
• dry measuring cups: 1C, 3/4 C, 1/2C (opt for nuts), Tbs, tsp, 1/4 tsp
• 2 medium mixing bowls
• 2 wooden spoons
• small sauce pan
  
• loaf pans (or muffin tins or whatever)
• pastry brush (not entirely necessary, you can use a spoon if you want.)
• Shredder for the lemons
• reamer for the lemons
• mortar and pestle (or something to smash the lavender)
• skewer or chopstick
  

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 C all-purpose flour (unbleached)
  
• 3/4 C sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free is best)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg (find the brightest orange yolks possible, or get some from my parents)
• 1C milk
• 1/4 C oil (my preference is expeller pressed olive oil, but I'm picky.)
• 2 T finely shredded lemon peel
  
• 2 T lemon juice (from the lemon that you just peeled)
• 2 T smashed culinary lavender
  
• add 1/2 C nuts if you want, I don't.

Glaze:

• Lemon juice
• Powdered sugar
• lavender (culinary grade), yes you can pick some from your garden if you are sure it is free of chemicals and safe from animals... I choose to smash mine with a mortar and pestle. LiciaPots will be making mortar and pestle sets for your purchase at a later date.

Lets do this thing:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
  
• Use butter (works best) to grease the bottom and sides of the pan you choose to use. Recipe is timed for an 8 x4 x2 loaf pan. I use smaller pans and start poking the bread at 40 minutes to see when it is done.
  
• In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, lavender, lemon peel and salt. Make a divot in the center of mixture (see Rocky for more about how to make an excellent divot).
• In another medium mixing bowl add the egg and beat well, then add the milk, oil and lemon juice.
• Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. (Using a glass bowl and spatula makes this easier since you can see if you missed a spot. )
• Spoon the batter into your choice of pan and bake for 50 minutes for a 8 x4 x2. Muffins? start testing batter at 30 minutes, small pans? start testing at 40 minutes... you get it.

A few minutes before you are ready to take the bread out of the oven (don't fret if you already did) place the saucepan on the oven over low heat. Add about 1 Tbs of lemon juice, 2-3 Tbs of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of crushed lavender to saucepan and stir until it just starts to warm but not simmering (again, don't fret about this too much). Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove bread from oven when a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Poke the breads several times with the skewer or chopstick halfway to bottom. Dip the pastry brush in the warm glaze and brush generously over breads. Or you can drizzle with a spoon.

Wait until you can just bear the temperature of the breads and eat them all up! Or, wait till the next day (ha!) and serve lightly toasted with tea. I like to make too many and share them with friends. They seem to like it.