Marrying Deserts

Does anyone else do this?  Marry recipes?  You know, take a bit from this and a bit from that and come up with something new?  I do it all the time and this recipe was a molten home run.  It was wonderfully frugal, too!  Bread Pudding is a classic frugal trick.  A great way to use up old bread. I have found many versions of bread pudding in frugal cookbooks and in one cookbook recalling recipes of the Great Depression.  The Italians use dried bread to create wonderful salads, too. 

My twist is Chocolate Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pudding.  I used stale Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls instead of Bread and part of a Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe.  I have found this method of mixing recipes to be a fun, innovative, and a great way to use up odd ingredients.  It can be very easy on the pocketbook, too.  I have found that you can easily deviate from many recipes and eliminate costly ingredients but not detract from the taste.  There are some things you can't do without, for example, I don't deviate from the dough portion of the cinnamon rolls but play with the filling and the glaze.  I used the Bread Pudding Recipe as guide for portions and cooking times. First the recipes as they appeared in my cookbook. 
   

PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS

From Chef Jacqueline Mc Mahan as

published in The San Fransisco Chronicle

Cookbook Volume II

DOUGH

5 tsp active dry yeast

1/4 C warm Water

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 C slightly warm buttermilk

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 C fresh or canned pumpkin puree

1/2 C Light Brown Sugar

1 TBSP Salt

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/4 C Canola Oil

About 7 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 C Butter, Melted

CINNAMON FILLING

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 C light brown sugar

2 TBSP Cinnamon

1/2 C Currants

GLAZE

1 TBSP Butter

1 TBSP Milk

1 1/4 C Powdered sugar

About 2 TBSP Boiling Water

1 tsp. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

To Make the Dough, Combine the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a bowl; set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Blend together the buttermilk, vanilla, egg, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and oil in a large bowl.  Stir in the yeast mixture, then the flour, 1/4 C at a time, until a soft dough forms and clings to the side of the bowl as you mix.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until springy and smooth.  Add 1 TBSP of flour at a time to keep the dough from sticking.

Transfer the dough to an oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.  The rising time is longer due to the heaviness of the pumpkin.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.  Pat or roll each portion into a thick rectangle, about 8 by 12 inches.  Spread each rectangle with half the melted butter. 

To make the filling:  Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and currants;  sprinkle half over each rectangle.  Press the currants into the dough.  Roll up each rectangle into a cylinder, then cut up each cylinder into about 9 thick rolls.  Place the rolls on parchment-covered or greased baking sheets.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Bake the rolls for 22-25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before glazing.  Note:  You must let them cool before glazing or the glaze will not stick to the rolls.

To make the glaze:  Combine the butter and milk in a bowl and warm in a microwave for about 30 seconds.  Or combing the milk and the butter in a saucepan and warm over low heat just until the butter melts.  Stir in the powdered sugar.  Add the boiling water and vanilla and whisk until smooth. 

Pour glaze over barely warm cinnamon rolls.

There are only 3 of us in our family and we can't eat these all before they go stale, although we really try.  I have had good luck freezing them in the past but decided bread pudding made with the cinnamon rolls might be worth trying.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

From Chef Jacqueline Mc Mahan as published

in The San Fransisco Chronicle Cookbook Volume II

1/4 C Sugar

1 C Milk

1 Can (14oz) evaporated milk

3 C finely diced crust less bread, dried out in oven

4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

1 TBSP Vanilla

1 tsp. instant espresso powder

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

TOPPING

1 C whipping cream

1 tsp. instant espresso powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 TBSP powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Place an ovenproof 2-quart baking dish or deep metal pan near the stove.  Put 3/4 C of the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.  After 3 to 4 minutes, begin swirling the pan.  Do not stir.  Cook for 8 to 10 minutes (again, do not stir), or until the sugar caramelizes.  Immediately pour into the baking dish.

In the same pan, heat the milk and evaporated milk over medium heat stirring in the remaining 1/2 C Sugar.  Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and add the dry bread.  Push the bread into the milk and let it soak for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place a roasting pan filled with 1 inch of water in the oven. 

Stir the chocolate, vanilla, and espresso powder into the mushy bread.  Beat together the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl;  add to the bread mixture.  Pour into the prepared baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and place the in the roasting pan in the oven. 

Transfer the pudding to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. 

To serve, loosen the edges with a knife, then unmold the pudding onto a rimmed platter. 

Just before serving, make the topping.  Whip the cream so very soft peaks.  Stir in the espresso powder, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Spoon a dollop on each serving.

WHAT I DID

I used dried cranberries instead of currants in the cinnamon roll recipe.  I have also used miniature chocolate chips, too.  I dried the cranberries myself.  I bought them by the bag full at the end of Thanksgiving last year.  I froze some and I also halved some and placed on the racks of my dehydrator and dried out.  I don't deviate from this recipe other than that. I did use milk with 1 tsp vanilla last time, too as I didn't have any buttermilk either. That is a classic substitute found in any standard cookbook. 

For the Bread Pudding, it is to be served cold, inverted like flan.  That just didn't sound appetizing to me, I like mine warm and gooey.  I skipped the first step, caramelizing the sugar, and baked it for the above mentioned time.  Mine should have baked longer but I decided to take it out then and serve it warm.  It was similar to a molten cake. If that is your choice, too, I would start checking it about half way through the baking time.  You want everything hot and bubbly. I also didn't need to dry the rolls out in the oven.  They were very dry when I made the pudding.  Note, the drier the bread the better it soaks up the egg mixture creating a custard like filling. 

I didn't have cream in the house but I had some leftover raspberry sauce from the last of the harvest at the beginning of November (a record for us!).  It was wonderful drizzled on top. 

QUICK RASPBERRY SAUCE

In a sauce pan place equal amounts of sugar and raspberries.  Cook on low heat until sugar dissolves and sauce forms.  I let mine sit for about 20 minutes. Stir frequently. Taste.  Add lemon juice if needed to brighten flavors.  Store in glass jar in refrigerator.  Mine is still good and was made the first week on November. 

The Cinnamon Rolls, served with local bacon, and piping hot coffee on the morning they were made. 
In the background is a stack of Vintage Day of the Week Tea Towels and Fabrics that I used as a center piece.
I couldn't bear to put them in the cabinet and the tea towels are a definate hands off set! 

Pumpkin Pie Cake

2008 Found us in a our current residence and I was making Thanksgiving Dinner for my parents and my mother-in-law.  I went all Rachael Ray with my recipes and we had a great meal.  My mother-in-law showed up with this cake.  A CAKE!  Who brings a cake to Thanksgiving?  This is the holiday where pies rule. . until you taste this cake!  Think crustless pumpkin pie with a crumb topping made with CAKE MIX!  Another thing I don't typically use!  This was utterly delicious.  A couple of notes, my mother-in-law was terrible about organizing things.  Her estate was filled with bags, boxes, and piles of recipes from magazines, newspapers, and on handwritten pieces of paper.  We had asked her for the cake recipe and she couldn't find it.  I did find it while sorting through mountains of recipes and a picture of Mary Jane Buck with her son, Tommy taken in 1964.  The recipe came from Mary Jane and we are glad to have located it and passed it down this year.  It stole the show.  It is seriously good and easy to make--so easy a child could do it!   

My mother-in-law, Marilyn in her high school years.  Simply beautiful. 


MARY JANE BUCK'S PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

3 Large Eggs
3/4 C Sugar
1-15oz Can Regular Pumpkin
3 tsp. Pie Spice
1-12oz Can Evaporated Milk

Topping
1 package Yellow Butter Cake Mix or Butter Pecan Cake Mix (we used yellow)
1 Generous Cup Chopped Pecans
(They toast while the cake bakes)
 1 1/2 Sticks Butter, Melted

My son, demonstrating making this cake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place eggs, sugar, pumpin, pie spice (I used cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg to taste as I didn't have spice mix)
and milk into mixing bowl. 

Mix througly

Pour into a greased 13 X 9 Cake Pan

Sprinkle on Cake Mix but do not mix into batter. 

Sprinkle on Nuts and Drizzle on Melted Butter

Place Cake in Oven and Bake 50 Minutes Until Knife Inserted in Center of Cake Comes Out Clean.  Cool in Pan.  Serve with Favorite Whipped Cream Topping. 
We Served it with Whipped Cream flavored with Vanilla and Powdered Sugar. 

Radishes and Redecorating

Freshly picked from the Garden

As the summer progresses so does the garden.  It doesn't really matter that the heat index has been over 100 degrees for over 20 days and I have been hiding out in the A.C.!  It still is growing!  These are the last of the radishes plucked and ready to be braised.  As I type this out I wonder if I should impart a life lesson or a quick recipe.  Well I am tired and in a creative funk. So we will see where this post takes us.  

My parents are due this weekend and I am busily tearing up my house to redo things instead of cleaning it!  Does any one else do that?  I constantly do things like this--then on midnight the night before they are due to arrive I throw things back together knowing they won't know that I spent a week repainting the back hallway and weeding the yard so things are "just so" when they get here.  And they are left wondering why I am so tired and haven't slept in 3 days! 

Just like the garden growing when I am busy hiding out in the A.C., life is happening while I am in the middle of self-imposed chaos.  My family is coming and they don't care about anything else but being with my house of three and three (3 people 3 pets)!  But as a child we learn early, "best foot forward" so on I go! 

When I design for people they always want me to come see the final project when it is all shiny and new and ready for photography.  To me this is not my favorite time.  While I love a pretty photograph and find it easy to stage one, it is not the time I like to see the space.  I love to be there when it is a utter mess and they are working in it.  I love to see them happily moving about their much improved space.  That is the greatest reward!  It is much like the sneak peeks we get behind the scenes in blogs and magazines.   

I have had many spaces published in magazines, won several local awards, was fortunate enough to have worked with a National Award Winning Design firm, had my spaces on HG TV and while all that is exciting it doesn't hold a candle to running into a customer in the grocery store parking lot while she shouts out across it, in the rain--because yes this actually happened, "I love my Kitchen, THANK YOU!" 

So as I act crazy getting ready for the parental visit, I will try to keep in mind that my parents are like so many of us, me included, they want to see us as we are and not the magazine picture of us that we want the world to see (remember the scene in Sex and the City where Charlotte was having her house photographed?) but I doubt it will stop the chaos I felt necessary to undertake a mere few days before they arrive. I will take note.  I will try to take it easier on myself and let my parents see my three and three living in our space as it is! 

And for the radishes, well braising them is the best way to eat them. Clean and cut off the tops.  I leave stems on them about an inch or two.  Put in a deep skillet with a generous pinch of sugar and a pat (or two) of butter.  Add Chicken Stock, enough to come up the sides about halfway.  Bring to simmer.  Cover and simmer until tender about 10 to 15 minutes.  When tender take off lid and cook off liquid until syrupy.  Serve warm.  Utterly delicious.  Braising them mellows the sharpness and you won't want them on a salad anymore! 

Recipe and life lesson all in one swoop!  Create, don't drive yourself crazy doing so, and eat something really wonderful!  Whew, who knew! 

There are just some days. . .

There are just some days when the creativity is just not there.  There are just some days when comfort food really is that, comfort wrapped in a warm flour shell side-by-side with crispy hot fries.  Each bite melting away the ho-humness of the day.  This day is one of those.  No energy to be creative or reflective for that matter. 

I see no need to push when I don't feel like it.  No need to run on overdrive.  When this mood hits I have learned that pushing it leads to mistakes and sloppiness.  So I order a flour taco with a side of fries, 1/2 Diet and 1/2 Cherry Coke and sit and eat and let the food comfort me until I am ready to face it all!  This day is no exception.  No apologies, just food. 

Alternative Panty Storage

In the trunk of my car (another cell phone picture)
is a find of Parisia Lemonade from France snagged
at a discount grocery store for next-to-nothing. 
Since I live in a tiny, tiny bungalow (did I say TINY?)
storage space is at a premium.  My pantry is small and I run
a streamline operation when it comes to bulk items.  Many
are stored in the basement because the packaging is
ugly and the space in the basement is also at a
premium.  It has to accommodate laundry, office, my husband,
my workshop and his!  Where was I going to fit in a case of
lemonade from France?  I couldn't bear hiding it away.
Just too pretty! 

Voila!  The bucket from the Croquet Balls
I found last week.  Perfect Vessel for a
Case of French Lemonade.  Sitting neatly by
the Buffet in my dining room. 
Not out of sight, out of mind, collecting dust
and not being enjoyed until I remember I have it!
Don't they say that the first part of dining is
visual?  Well it is, isn't it?  We have served
this lemonade with freshly picked mint and
lemon basil.  Also with a fruity white
wine for a beat-the-heat wine cooler topped with
a sprig of lemon basil.  All because, and I firmly believe this,
 it was at my fingertips begging for more creative touches.
So the moral in this story, when the packaging is beautiful,

a pantry staple can be made into beautiful accessory and

no one has to know that you don't have the space to store it.

Perfect Sweet Corn--Everytime

The Ingredients and Supplies

Giant Stock Pot filled with water

Freshly Shucked Sweet Corn

(I tend to leave a lot of silk)

Towel

Big Handful of Sugar

Put Stock Pot on Stove to Boil
Add Sugar

Add Sweet Corn and Bring to Boil

When at a rolling boil
Shut off heat
Put on Lid and Towel
(Towel does help--don't skip it)
and let it sit for 10 minutes

Serve up Perfectly done Corn.
This works every time with any amount.

Served my favorite way with butter.  Served in my
fancy, smancy corn dishes.
When the corn is really sweet no butter is needed.
My boys like kosher salt on it, too.  I'll pass on the salt.

We have tried all types of flavored butters (one
with Garlic Scape's and one with herbs and naturism's)
which have been really good but we keep going back

to plain butter.

Don't forget to buy extra corn and when it is cooked
slice it off the cob, freeze on baking sheet, and
then pack into bags.  Definitely worth pulling out
in February! 

Grown Up PB&J

I love Nutella.  I love Black Currant Jam. 
Mix the two together and it is the
best adult version of PB&J!

Black Currant Jam can be tricky to find.  This I found
at Big Lots and stocked up.  When I discovered
The Berry Patch Farm
I picked 5 quarts of Black Currants and made my

own jam--just to be safe--knowing I won't always be

able to find it at Big Lots.  In case you are wondering about

Black Currants, they are Very Tart Berries similar in look to

gooseberries.  They are very popular in Scotland, as my dear

Isabella will attest, served on top of Cream Scones with

Clotted Cream and that is a decadant treat, too! 

Enjoy!  And if you run across Clotted Cream, too I strongly suggest

that you whip up Cream Scones, fix a cup of tea, and indulge! 

Details Make the Difference

So Loving the Vietmanse Coffee Press.
Love that is was brought to my table this way
left to drip, drip, drip onto the sweetened
condensed milk.  Need to visit the Asian Store
to get me one! 

All done, mixed, and ready to drink. 
Those wonderful details make all the difference.  I
actually had someone make me a Vietmanese Coffee at a
fancy restaurant with "Flogers" and Sweetened Condensed
Milk.  The horror!  This was so lovely.  Thank goodness

for camera phones!  This tiny detail made the food even more wonderful.

The #28 in case you were wondering! 
Yum! 

and gone!   

Gussied Up and Ready for the Ball

The Range, in place, ready to go!

Lots of decorative touches on the shelf.  I do use almost all of them but couldn't resist some babbles.  This range is really neat and definately superior in quality to ordinary stoves.  We are lucky to have this!  I have made black current jam, baked a cherry crisp, and Swiss Chard Strata all with local ingredients as well as making our favorite Mole Pulled Pork Tacos and BLT's, Corn on the Cob, and the list is growing.  Spoiled Girl.  Happy Girl. 

BLACK EGGS AND FRIENDS

DYING EGGS

I stumbled on this picture while cleaning off my phone the other day.  The translation of cell phone pictures is poor but I loved the "Black" eggs on the right.  They were this lovely shade of purple--almost black.  The hard boiled eggs took the dye better than the blown out eggs.  I used cake decorating dye in black to acheive the look.  They are by far my favorites and I can't wait to do it again next year.  The top right is tumeric and directly below is coffee grounds.  They both made beautiful eggs.  So in spite of the poor picture quality, the eggs are worth looking at and remembering.  

Tested, Tasted, & Devored.

 After visiting Elizabeth Bard's chaming blog, Lunch in Paris, yesteday, I was really smitted with her Maple Cream Scones.  So I decided to whip up a batch for Sunday breakfast.  They are ready to go into the oven here. . .



Here they are wrapped in antique linen with a Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Tom's favorite, coffee for me and hot chocolate for Robbie

MAPLE CREAM SCONES

Lunch in Paris--see link in blog crushes

http://www.elizabethbard.com/

Makes 10 scones (I yielded 8)

2 Cups all purpose flower

1 Tsp baking powder

3/4 Tsp Salt

4 TBS cold butter, cut up

3/4 C Heavy Cream

1/4 C Pure Maple Syrup

Additional Cream and Syrup to finish

Chopped Walnuts or Almonds--optional

Preheat Oven to 425 degress.  Line a cookie sheet with Parchment. 

Combine Flour, baking powder and salt.  Add diced butter and rub together with your fingers until the texture of small crumbs. 

In a small bowl mix cream and maple syrup.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the cream mixture.  With a fork stir until just combined.  Don't overmix!  Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper and flatten to about 3/4".  Using a biscut cutter or small glass cut rounds 2-3" across.

Stir together a small amount of cream and syrup and brush on top of the scones.  Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown. 

Serve warm with Strawberry Jam (I used Strawberry Rhubarb).

Note,  in her published recipe, she lists Baking Powder and in the instructions she says soda.  I used the powder and they were delicious. 

Thanksgiving Desert Buffet

My thanksgiving desert buffet featured a fruit pie and nut pie.  I also served Earl Grey Chai Tea.  The nut pie was Walnut Pie.  I take a simple Pecan Pie Recipe and keep all the sugar and syrup lite and replace the pecans with walnuts.  The results are carmely and good.  The other pie came from the Splendid Table.  It is the pear and cranberry tart and was a delicious deviation of apple pie!  The buffet was completed with my antique black and white china, un-ironed linen napkins for a more informal feel, and my grandmother's silver.  Passing the side-board in the dining room was an indulgent experience! 



Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe from The San Fransisco Chronicle II

(bought at a used book sale, of course)



Fresh From the Oven

Served on the coffee table with French

Pressed Coffee for me and a pot of

Hot Chocolate for my son. 

The Pumpkin was mild but gave the rolls an

incredibly moist texture. 

We froze half the batch, so we will see how that holds

up this winter. 

Any book site would have this cookbook, any fan of

San Fransisco should have it in their library! 



Black, White and Plum

 Recently, my love for black and white has been rekindled after a long stray to the very colorful.  My kitchen is undergoing a black and white transformation. Tennis Court White with splashes of black to be exact.  Here is my latest China Find.  Black and White.  Perfect backdrop for seasonal plums drizzeled with local honey. 

The last of the summer harvest.  This summer was not a great summer for tomatoes because of all the rain we endured in the midwest.  A couple of Sunday's ago, I finally faced my garden and was suprised by the abundance of pole beans.  They went up their bamboo poles, over the fence and around the scarecrow. 

Re-Purposing the "Good Stuff"

These crystal candy dishes made 

their way to my house in the form

of wedding presents and inheritance

items from dear family members.

I don't keep candy around the house

and detest not using the things I own.

I have re-purposed these to hold the

spare grinds from my favorite coffee

and keeping those odd amounts of peas and beans in my cabinet.  

I am a firm believer that you should use everything you own, even the "good stuff" everyday even if it isn't for its original intent!  This allows my creativity to soar and re-purposing things is alot of fun!  Much better than storing wonderful items in boxes in the attic! 

Notice the exposed plaster and lathe--another post for another day!





Blooming Jasmine

Blooming Jasmine Tea on a lazy Saturday. 

My favorite place to purchase loose leaf tea, drink tea, relax, and

contemplate life is at Gong Fu Tea. 

Visit their Web Site http://www.gongfu-tea.com/

and experience for yourself a truly wonderful store!