Trash or Something to be Desired

I am a sucker for any repurposing.  I am not vegan so I can’t use that as an excuse.

Anyway I kept seeing chickpea liquid being whipped into meringue instead of fodder for the waste bin.

I wanted to try it with cocoa and see if it tasted like a pudding. I added 3 teaspoon of cocoa and 1/4 cup powdered sugar with a little Cream of Tatar. Armed with my trusty hand mixer I was about to give up. After about 15 minutes this is what I had.

I slung that stuff into some martini glasses. Ha!

After about an hour in the refrigerator it had deflated a little bit.

I have to admit it didn’t taste like pudding. More like a chocolate meringue with a touch of heartburn.  Yes, I got heartburn from the stuff. Pudding would never do that to me.

Trash or something to be desired?
I guess it depends on individual preferences.

Single Serve Sourdough Pretzel

Just who do I think I’m kidding?  I can’t go without my carbs! I can’t even go without gluten.  Gluten and carbs need me. It is good to feel needed.

I was craving a pretzel so bad my arms started to twist into a pretzel shape.

I searched the web for a single serve recipe because who needs that stuff laying around the house calling your name?

I found what I wanted at Top With Cinnamon but I wanted to use my sourdough start. I adapted the recipe to use 2 tablespoons of my start, for the yeast taste, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder for the rise. We all know how long sourdough takes to rise. My twisted arms couldn’t wait that long. I also doubled the recipe because who can eat just one pretzel?

Single Serve Sourdough Pretzels

1/3 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for shaping
pinch sugar
pinch salt
2 tablespoons sourdough start
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 to 4 tbsp warm water

For dipping
1/2 cup warm water, 1 tsp baking soda (and 1 egg yolk, if you want it to look shiny which I didn’t do)

In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir in 3 tbsp of water first. If the dough is dry, then add a little more water

Pour the entire contents of the bowl out, onto a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle with more flour

Knead gently until the dough comes into a ball

Shape the dough into a roughly 20″ rope. Make the rope into a U shape, twist the ends over each other and fold them down over the base of the ‘U’ to make a pretzel shape

In a dish, combine the water and baking soda (from the dipping ingredients). Dip the shaped pretzel into the mixture and coat completely. Transfer to a well sprayed baking sheet. (If you want a shiny pretzel, brush it with egg yolk).

Immediately sprinkle over topping of choice. Leave in a warm place to rise and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F – bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

I am sharing this with Foodie FriDIY #42

And Fiesta Friday by The Novice Gardener

Fiesta Friday co hosting is being done by Safari of the Mind and Ginger and Bread. Check them out and all the fun.

Oat Flour and Pancakes to boot

I wanted to try my hand at making my own flour and oat flour is the easiest. ..so let’s try!

I put one cup oats in my food processor and processed away.
Here is the result.

So I figured let’s make pancakes.

1 cup oat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons applesauce
1 large egg or  substitute
1 cup soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients. Using a 1/3 cup measure pour , and fry on a hot greased griddle.  Serve warm with maple syrup.
Makes about 6 pancakes at 97 calories each.

This post was submitted to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck and Mix it up Monday Linky

Happy St Patty and Corned Beef

Wishing everyone a happy Saints Patrick Day. We will be celebrating with our usual Corned Beef and Cabbage cooked in the slow cooker. There is nothing easier than layering potato, onion, carrot, cabbage wedges and corned beef brisket in a slow cooker. I then add three cups of water and one beer over the top along with the spice packet that comes with the corned beef. Put the lid on and cook on high for 7 hours.

Yummy, we will be chowing down this Saint Patricks Day.

Canning Jar Lid Idea

I never dreamed I would ever use canning jar lids for anything but canning.
We all need a little fall pumpkin!

I got this cute idea from – http://www.facebook.com/spaininiowa

Birthday Party Theme

My grandchildrens birthday party was May 25th at a local park.

Their mom Tina wanted a theme, so when she asked me to do the cakes I was stumped at first.As I thought on it, I asked what she thought about a jungle theme with monkeys.

I was thinking about that game, Barrel Of Monkeys, and how I could do cakes with
palm trees and place a monkey from the game on the cakes to look like monkeys were
hanging from palm trees.

Tina agreed it was a good idea.

We had a centerpiece of pineapple, banana, and coconut with balloons.

I did each grandchild a separate cake. Fraternal twins are double the fun you know.

I also did a large cake for everyone else. I am not a professional cake baker
but everyone felt they turned out very good. Tasted great too.

To carry the theme farther I dipped pineapple pieces in chocolate and sprinkled them with coconut.
We split a coconut to use as a dip bowl for chips and nestled it in flaked coconut so it would
sit straight.

Of course, one of the games had to be Barrel Of Monkeys to see which child could link the most monkeys.

It is funny how different each twin is.

Xavier being the most outgoing twin dug right into his cake.

Kingston took his time and seemed to be admiring his cake, but finally dug in also.

It was a wonderful time! What a privilege to be able to bake my grandchildren their first birthday cake. It will be a happy memory in my mind for life.

If you are ever stumped for a birthday theme, why not use a Barrel Of Monkeys?

Leftovers and Pat a Cake

I love leftover mashed potatoes made into potato cakes. Usually they are fried crisp in tons of oil.

Oil is my enemy at this time and will continue to be until I shed unwanted pounds, so I took my leftover Blue Cheese Mashers and played pat a cake with my oven.

Just take your cold refrigerated potatoes and dredge in flour after forming cakes. Season well and place them on a sprayed baking sheet. Spray the tops of the cakes well with your spray. I used olive oil spray, and then baked in a 400 degree oven about 15 minutes. Turn each cake over and bake until browned ( about another 15).

Top with fresh chopped herbs before serving.

Long Time No Blog

Sorry I have been absent from the blogging scene, but I am so busy.

I am only on now to search for Chiarello’s Chocolate Tiramisu.

I made it last year and it was such a hit, but I have lost the recipe. I must make it again because everyone scoffed it down.

I love Chiarello. He is my favorite Food Network star.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and, if I don’t see you soon… which I might, have a Happy Holiday!

Dog Treats

Panda was upset with me because I let her run out of milkbones.

So I made her these dog treats. The recipe says to use a bone cookie cutter. I didn’t have one but I had a rabbit cutter. Our dogs love rabbits although rabbits don’t love them back.

The treats don’t look a lot like rabbits without icing and my hubby thought they were seahorses. I don’t understand how he got a seahorse out of it.

Anyway the dogs like them so maybe I am forgiven a bit for being so lax about their milkbones.

Doggie Biscuits

1 large apple — cored and finely
grated)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375.
Grate the apple into a large bowl. Add the vanilla, egg, olive oil and milk.
In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until completely mixed (able to form into a stiff ball of dough). May need to adjust the amount of milk to get the right consistency.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Cut into shapes with bone cookie cutters.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.
Yield : 15 bone-shaped cookies

French Fries

Here is a neat item.

I got this french fry cutter as an incentive when I ordered a meat grinder a while back.

I use the fry cutter more than I have used the meat grinder.

I even busted the top I have used it so much.

I have to make sure I shield my hand from the crack in the top with a towel now. That crack can grab the skin on your palm and hurt like the dickens.

It makes perfect fries.

Here is a lower fat recipe I use and they turn out well.

About 4 medium to large potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon onion flakes
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Teaspoon dried basil
1 Teaspoon garlic pepper
Salt to taste

Put the cut potatoes in a freezer bag and top with all other ingredients but salt. Close the bag and shake well making sure the oil gets all over potatoes.

Bake in a single layer on greased jelly roll pan, 425 degrees about 30 minutes stirring a couple of times. Salt to taste when done.