Strawberry Shortcakes
July 11, 2012
Could there be a more classic summer dessert than a strawberry shortcake? Probably not. So when I finally got my hands on a lug of gorgeously fragrant, deep red strawberries from a local farm, all I could think of was making this simple dessert to showcase these berries.
Since there are only three simple components to a strawberry shortcake, it is essential that all three elements can sing on their own. Most recipes call for a cream scone, but I prefer a buttermilk biscuit not only because it reduces the overall fat in the recipe, but also for the lovely tang that the buttermilk provides. This recipe makes buttery, flaky, beautifully browned biscuits. Split them open and dollop them with cream which has been whipped into a soft, velvety mixture. (Do not pour in cream, turn on your mixer to whisk and then leave the room to mediate a sibling squabble, oh no, do not. You will make butter. Trust me.)
Last are the strawberries. This dish is best with fresh sweet summer berries. Pick ones that are small and red to the core, preferably from your local farmers market and not shipped to the supermarket in plastic boxes. There is a huge difference. Depending on the size of the strawberries, halve or quarter them and dust with a bit of sugar. As the strawberries sit they will gently weep and make a beautiful pink syrup. Scoop the berries and their syrup onto the pillow of whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit. Simple and delightful.
The last time we made these was the 4th of July, so we tossed in some blueberries as well to go with the red, white, and blue theme. My son insisted that the dessert would benefit from the option of Chocolate Pudding as well. He was right. We went with the self serve model, allowing each person to create their own shortcake dessert from bowls of whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate pudding. For a more formal approach, serve the assembled shortcakes.
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Asian Plum Sauce (and the winner is…)
July 6, 2012
It is unfortunate that so many types of condiments are readily available at the supermarket. Being able to walk down an aisle and toss in a jar of jam, bottle of ketchup, or any number of types of hot sauce distracts the collective “us” from the fact that none of these products are as good as we can make in our own kitchens. This point is only magnified when looking into imported ethnic condiments. There is the allure of some tasty sauce shipped in from around the world and many cooks (including myself) can sometimes lack confidence when branching out to culinary styles not grounded in our continent of birth. One look at the ingredient list of these foods though and we are reminded of the uncertain quality of foods with mysterious origin.
All of these complicated thoughts were running through my mind the other day when I happened upon Sherri Brooks Vinton’s recipe for Asian Plum Sauce in her book Put “em Up. I am a firm believer that a high quality condiment can transform an ordinary meal into something special. Since plums are literally falling from the trees right now, there is no better time to capture that goodness in this deeply spiced tangy sauce. The directions for canning the sauce are included, this sauce is sure to taste even better on a rainy or snowy day in February than it does now when these fruity tastes are so abundant. I also included the half batch proportions, because I can see whipping up this sauce in advance of my next eggroll party. What? You have never had an eggroll party before? Me either, but it sure sounds like fun to me!
And now for the winner of the Canning Supplies Give Away… Kalamckala from Eating on a Napkin is the lucky winner. She says, “I’m a newbie with the whole canning and preserving thing but I made an apricot preserve with vanilla and cinnamon – I may have fallen for the entire process! I only hope to can more and more this summer! ” It sounds like these supplies will be put to good use! Thank you to everyone who commented! There are so many great ideas in the comments of that post. Check them out and get inspired!
Generator Min: 1 Max: 57 Result: 52 Powered by RANDOM.ORG
*A note about the winner selection. There were 69 comments total, 12 were my responses. Since it would be strange for me to win my own prize, I used a random number generator to select a random number between 1 and 57. 1 was the first comment and 57 the last.
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Red, White, and Blueberry Popsicles
July 3, 2012
I am not known for overt patriotism, but I am also not one to pass up an opportunity to celebrate. And isn’t it a happy coincidence that our nation’s birthday falls smack dab in the middle of berry season? We are surrounded by luscious reds and blues hanging from the bushes and trees throughout our neighborhoods and farms. To pass these by is a shame and perhaps even unpatriotic.
My kids and I went on a west county adventure yesterday, and came home with a bag full of blueberries from Sonoma Swamp Blues (great spot to pick up super tasty local blueberries!). Most of them are destined for shortcakes with strawberries and cream, but I could not resist tossing a few handfuls into the blender to make these popsicles. Believe it our not, my kiddos will happily gobble up a popsicle every day of summer!
Red, White and Blueberry Popsicles are a tasty treat to cool you off while savoring the sweet tastes of July. Also they only take about 10 minutes to prepare (and freeze overnight), so you have more time to sit around sipping on lemonade (or an ice cold margarita). You can test your luck and pull them out of the mold after 4 hours or so. We did. Waiting until the actual 4th of July was more than our patience could take. Use caution though, if they are not fully frozen they are more likely to break off or for the stick to come loose from the popsicle.
*Don’t have a popsicle mold? Check out this one.
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Thai-Style Steak Salad
July 2, 2012
At least once a week we opt for a dinner salad. Tired from a long day of work or summertime adventures as it may be, dinner can be on the table in minutes with just a bit of forethought. Our secret… grill enough meat on the weekend to have hearty leftovers. Perhaps it is a breast of chicken spared from our ravenous tots or a generous morsel of salmon craftily hidden from my husband’s lunch, or as the case was last weekend, a nice piece of hanger steak. Steak salad takes on endless incarnations, but this is one of our favorites from Sunset magazine years ago.
Thai-Style Steak Salad bursts with flavor from a mixture of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, salty peanuts, and a tangy dressing. Using leftover grilled meat makes it a cinch to pull together, but you could certainly grill up a steak for the occasion. The dressing is super light and oil free helping this dinner balance out the indulgences of the weekend. The chili garlic sauce is spicy so adjust the amount to your own taste.
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Plan Before You Can AND Canning Supply Give Away
June 26, 2012
With Farmers’ Markets and roadside stands beginning to burst with summer fruit, I know I am not the only one who feels giddy dreaming of putting up some luscious jam for the winter. I already pumped out a batch of Cherry Rhubarb Jam and Three Berry Jam (subbing in blueberries for the raspberries) and am working on some apricot jam today. While there is nothing wrong with impulsive food preservation, diving into canning season with a plan based on what you and your family needs and actually wants to eat through the winter ensures you will have enough and not end up with a load of jars that go past their prime.
I finally got my act together and created a simple spreadsheet to record what types of canned foods I made, what quantities, how much is left now (or when we ran out), and notes about each item (loved it the way it was, too sweet, not sweet enough, add a bay leaf next time, etc.) It is here for you to download in both Microsoft word: canned goods inventory form and PDF: canned goods inventory form format.
New to canning? Check out this post waxing on about the glory of preserving food. Heed the Call of the Jar! (great read for beginners)
Also check out my page: Home Canning Basics that explains the basic process and equipment for canning.
Our favorites from last year that I am definitely making again include:
Three Berry Jam– it is hard to beat the trifecta of summer fruit in this deeply colored, intensely berried jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam– the strawberries and rhubarb are both slow roasted here allowing the fruit to maintain its shape and texture nicely
Mixed Berry Syrup– I need to make a quadruple batch of this lovely syrup. I could live on this stuff (and maybe these pancakes to go with it.)
Peppered Peach and Rosemary Jam– This beautiful delicate jam is my knock-out back up appetizer for any last minute event through the year. Excellent on a cheese plate.)
Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Pickles
Applesauce
Dilly Beans
On my list to try this summer are:
Smokin’ Strawberry– I am a sucker for chipotle and the Tigress is genius when she suggests pairing that smokey pepper with strawberries.
Cardamom Peach Pie Filling– Mrs. Wheelbarrow struck a chord with me when she paired ripe summer peaches with cardamom. Yum!
Classic Tomato Ketchup– Last summer my ketchup, though delicious, was not really “ketchup”. My son dubbed it “Rojo Sauce” and we gobbled it up none the less, but this time I want to try Local Kitchen’s recipe. Kaela claims it is “deep, dark red and seriously tasty”. I am intrigued.
Chocolate Plum Jam– Caroline at Grow It, Cook It, Can It came up with this one, and truly, she had me at chocolate. I dream of smearing this on French Toast in January.
Roasted Red Pepper Spread: Canning Homemade’s recipe sounds like a delicious addition to the pantry.
My Pantry Shelf 