Carrot Cupcakes

Carrot Cupcakes

Makes 12 Cupcakes

If you prefer, you can grind the carrots in a food processor rather than grate them by hand. If you add the optional currants and walnuts, the cupcakes will need to bake an additional 7 to 10 minutes. If you use walnuts, toast a few extra and use them as a garnish. This recipe and the frosting recipe are easily doubled.

8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and grated on small holes of box grater
1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins (optional)
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together in large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake until skewer or toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes (25 minutes if using currants and walnuts). Cool cupcakes in muffin tin 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack. Frost cupcakes with a thick and even layer of frosting. (See recipe for Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting).

*Make Ahead* Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. (They can also be individually wrapped in plastic and frozen in a zipper-lock bag for up to 1 month.) The frosting can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; just allow it to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes before spreading on the cupcakes. Once frosted, the cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day, but leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Kate
(11/02/07)

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No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread
Yield: One 1-1/2-pound loaf

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery

Time: About 1-1/2 hours plus 14 to 20 hours' rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1-1/4 tsp salt (or up to just under a tbsp.)

Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1-5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70° F.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450° F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

MoPQQQ
(2/2/07)

Comment:
 Whoever posted the original recipe for the no knead bread - YOU'RE GUILTY!! I just tried it using 1/3 whole wheat flour, 1/3 rye flour and 1/3 oatmeal. It's going to take all my willpower and then some not to sit and eat the whole loaf!! Wow, is this good.

Next is to try it with the original white flour for DH.

I did double the amount of yeast for the whole grain version as I didn't think the 1/4 tsp would be enough for the heavy flours. And that was about right. It's not too yeasty but rose pretty well. Might even try a bit more yeast next time.

Anyway, a big thank you to the original poster. This might just become a staple in this house.

Shoshana
(3/2/07)

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Gayle's Red Enchiladas

This recipe is mostly simple, although it has a few steps. I've written much out for those who aren't experienced with cooking like this. A lot of you are, I know. I don't usually have time to do things like make my own enchilada sauce. So it calls for canned sauce. You can make your own if you want. It's a good recipe to make up the mixture, divide it into parts for individual meals and freeze. Assembly is easy and quick for the later meals.

The amounts on this are very flexible. For example, if you have a large family, buy a big cut of meat. If you have a small family but freeze stuff a lot, buy a big cut of meat. If you have a small family, buy a smaller one. You can buy a roast with the bone in, or buy one without the bone.

Seasonings can be adjusted to taste - more or less chili powder, cumin, thyme, etc. On the sauce, if you like hot, don't dilute the enchilada sauce.

Gayle's Red Enchiladas

1 pork roast, about 3 pounds
2 carrots
2 stems of celery
1 onion with skin

3-4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp thyme
2-3 jalapeno peppers

1 sm can red enchilada sauce
1 reg can tomato sauce
1 pkg small flour tortillas

Put the pork roast in a large (not huge) stock pot. Add the carrots, celery and onion after cutting them into large hunks. This makes it easier to pick them out of the stock later. Fill pot with water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer this for at least 3 hours. Longer if you have the time and/or patience, because the flavors develop. Remove the meat from the pot and strain the broth. I usually end up setting a colander over another stock pot and pouring everything through that because the meat falls apart. Separate the meat from the veggies.

On your cutting board, pull the hunks of meat apart with the grain going in the same direction. Chop into small cuts, 1/2" or less, across the grain. Return the chopped meat to the stock pot. Add chili powder, cumin and thyme. Stir into the meat. A cup at a time, add broth and stir into the meat. Add enough broth to almost cover the meat. Simmer this mixture until most of the liquid has gone away. This part will require watching the pot and stirring frequently. You can use the rest of the broth to make posole, yum.

Just at the end of simmering the meat mixture, roast 2-3 jalapeno peppers. I have a gas stove, so I just place mine on the burner over the flame. (You can also skip this part if you don't want to bother.) Pop the peppers in a bag for 3-5 minutes to sweat. Remove the charred skin, open the jalapenos and remove the seeds and core. Slice into thin strips and then chop finely. Stir into the meat mixture just before assembly.

At this point, you can refrigerate everything and continue another day if you're over it, or you can divide and freeze it.

Because we can't stand a lot of spicy heat, I use 1/2 can of red enchilada sauce to 1 can of tomato sauce. Mix this together to blend well. Put in just enough sauce to cover the bottom of an oblong casserole dish.

Start assembling the enchiladas. Lay out a tortilla and just to the right of center (left if you're a leftie, I suppose) lay down a strip of meat, about 3 tbsp. You can add cheese if you're so inclined. Starting with the right side, roll the tortilla up and lay it seam side down in the casserole dish.

After you've filled the casserole dish (mine holds 6-8), top the enchiladas with enough sauce to have gotten every part of the tortillas wet. Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven, preheated to 350°F. Cook for 40 minute or until hot through.

Sometimes I add the rest of the sauce and Monterrey Jack cheese about 5 minutes before removing from the oven and finish cooking uncovered.

Jola Gayle
(1/23/07)

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Brioche

This is a dough JC specifically says is suited for bread, coffee cakes, sticky buns and beehive cakes and it produces enough dough for an 8-cup loaf pan, a 12" coffee cake, or 8 sticky buns. She gives directions for doing this in a food processor.

Brioche

Proof a package of dry-active yeast in 3 tbsp tepid water and 2 tsp sugar for about 5 minutes.

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (not bread or high protein flour)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
6 oz (1-1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced (This is 12 oz, 6 oz is 3/4 of a stick. Go with your gut on this amount.)
4 large " eggs
1/3+ cup milk

While the yeast is proofing, add the flour, salt, and sugar (and any spice flavoring you might want to add) into the bowl of the machine. Add the butter and pulse in 1-second bursts to break up the butter.

Whisk the eggs and milk into the yeast mixture, add to the flour mixture and blend. Add a little more milk if needed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball for 8-10 rotations (it should feel soft).

After a 5 minute rest, process the dough for 30 more revolutions, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and allow to rest for 2 minutes.

Knead by hand for 20 strokes, place in a bowl and cover. Proof until it is 1-1/2 times its intial volume (about 40 minutes at 72°F-75°F).

Deflate the dough and shape into a 12" rectangle. Fold into three layers from one of the ends, pat it out and repeat the folding. Return to the bowl, cover and proof a second time until the volume has more than doubled.

For the loaf, butter the pan and add the dough filling the pan to 2/3s and let it rise to the rim of the pan. Place in the lower middle level of a preheated 423°F oven and bake until done and the interior temperature is 200°F.

Notes: this sounds like one of the less rich doughs as she mentions that folks wanting a classic brioche and other more rich items using a true brioche dough can go to her other books (Mastering II and Kitchen) so someone may have to dig out an old cookbook if they have it.

I also have Ortiz' brioche recipe and the slew of regional versions in the translation of Calvel's book (realize that there is a chapter and then some on brioche in his book). These are all very different and further support the idea that any brioche made for loaf bread is not the same as classic brioche. Let me know if the recipe above isn't the one you're looking for and I can probably be talked into posting one of the others.

erin
let them eat brioche ;)
(1/19/07)

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Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice and Currants

Here's the recipe I used for the meatless version (although I believe I cooked mine in a crock pot.)

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice and Currants

1 jar (1 lb.) grape leaves (about 72)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
12 green onions, including tender green portions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried currants
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3/4 tsp plus a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices for garnish

Rinse the grape leaves under cold running water. Have ready a bowl filled with ice water. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the grape leaves, a few at a time, and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to cool. When all of the leaves have been blanched, drain and cut off the stems. Set aside.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the rice, green onions and pine nuts and stir until the green onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the currants, parsley, mint, dill, the 3/4 tsp. salt, the pepper and 1 cup of the water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.

Line the bottom of a heavy 4-quart saucepan with a few grape leaves. Sprinkle with the pinch of salt.

To shape the rolled grape leaves, place a leaf, smooth side down, on a work surface. Put a heaping teaspoonful of the rice mixture near the base of the leaf at the stem end. Fold the stem end and sides over the filling and roll up toward the point of the leaf, forming a little bundle. Place, seam side down, in the prepared saucepan.

Continue stuffing the grape leaves and adding them to the pan, packing them close together. When the bottom is completely covered, drizzle the layer with some of the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice.

Continue layering the stuffed grape leaves, drizzling each layer with olive oil and lemon juice, until all the filling is used. Add the remaining 1 cup water and cover the top layer with a few leaves. Invert a small heatproof plate, smaller than the circumference of the pan, directly on top of the stuffed leaves.

Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 1-1/2 hours. Check the liquid in the bottom of the pan occasionally and add water as needed so the pan doesn't dry out.

Remove from the heat and let the stuffed leaves stand in the pan to cool for about 2 hours.

Transfer the stuffed grape leaves to a platter and garnish with lemon slices. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 60 stuffed grape leaves.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, *Small Plates,* by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998).

MoP they were tasty, but never again QQQ
(12/4/06)

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Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat recipe:
1 pound of anjou pears, peeled cored and chopped finely (can use apples here)
1/2 cup of dried sour cherries (dried blueberries are good too)
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup brandy or Grand Marnier
2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup of walnuts or pecans toasted and finely chopped

Put all ingredients in an airtight container and chill stirring once a day for at least 3 days. If you do a double recipe you can bake two pies staggered up to 2 weeks. I always grate the fruit zest over the bowl to get the essential oils they release.

Double crust pastry dough:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 sticks butter cold: cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup of cold shortening ( I use lard)
1/2 tsp of salt
7 to 9 tsp of ice water

Blend fats, salt and flour with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse corn meal. this can be done in a food processor in short bursts. Add ice water and stir with a fork until it just holds together in your hand, depending on the humidity you will use more or less to get to this point. Divide dough in half and on a lightly floured board, smear with the heel of your hand a few times to distribute the fats. Chill at this point if it is warming up.

Roll out half the chilled dough on a floured board and place in a 9" pan. Add filling and spread out evenly. Roll out second piece of dough and cut into 1" strips and make a lattice top for the pie. Brush with cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Place baking sheet in the oven and heat to 425°F. Place pie pan onto hot sheet, bake for 20 minutes and then lower temp to 375°F and bake for an hour. (you might want to line the baking sheet with foil, this pie tends to bubble over). When center bubbles and the crust is brown, remove and cool.

Great with a rich french vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream with a dab of vanilla paste and a tablespoon of powdered sugar or 3 in it. (Get vanilla paste at Trader Joe's.)

ZW
(12/02/06)

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Asian Noodle and Vegetable Salad

This is absolutely delicious! It was taken from OrganicStyle.com magazine, which Ramona used to get.

Asian Noodle and Vegetable Salad

Sauce
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp brown sugar

Noodles: 6 ounces rice vermicelli (The kind with the black band around them.)
Note: The recipe calls for 6 bundles but 2 was plenty.

1 bunch spinach, rinsed and drained, stems trimmed
      (One bag pre-washed works well, even with the stems.)
7 tsp light olive oil
1 large egg, separated and beaten
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
8 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1-1/2 lg carrot, cut into matchsticks

Salt and pepper

Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Soak noodles in hot water 10 minutes; drain. Cook in a large pot of boiling water, uncovered, for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well and pat dry.

Put spinach in salted boiling water; cover and immediately remove from heat. Let sit 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze into a large ball to remove excess water. Chop into 4 thick chunks. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Tilt pan to cover with oil. Pour egg whites on one side of skillet, as for an omelet. Cook 1 minute without stirring. Remove, cover and let sit for a minute. Slice into thin strips. Repeat with yolk. Set aside.

Get a large bowl ready near the stove. Coat bottom of large nonstick skillet or wok with 1 tsp oil and heat over medium heat. Stir-fry each vegetable separately until just soft, adding 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt for each. Add a little water if it gets too dry. Transfer to bowl.

Add last tsp of oil and stir-fry noodles until just heated. Put noodles in with veggies, add sauce and lightly toss. Top with egg and serve.

J. Gayle
(12/2/06)

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Burrito Meat

Burrito Meat

1 whole Chicken or large Round Steak or 1 small Beef or Pork roast
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4+ cloves of Garlic, minced or 2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Cumin
1 lb fresh or canned Tomatoes, chopped and undrained
1/2 to 1 tsp Red Pepper
2 to 4 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 large Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 large Onions, chopped
Flour

Best method: Boil the meat with salt, pepper and one of the onions, quartered, in a covered pan with enough water to just cover the meat, for 2 hours, or until it falls apart. Drain or fish out the meat, saving the broth-like water, and shred.

(My friend's "quick and dirty" method: Cube meat in small pieces. Coat in flour and brown. Add spices and enough water to cover. (You can use the water you boiled the meat in if you go that route.) Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add water as necessary.)

Add veggies, including juice from canned tomatoes if you use them. Add more water if necessary to cover. Cover and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes to an hour.

This is good in burritos, chimichungas, etc.

For chimichungas, put the meat and whatever else you like in a chimi, in a flour tortilla, roll partially, fold the ends over and finish rolling up tightly. Grease a baking pan in manteca/lard. Lay the chimis with the "flap" down in the pan. Brush lard over the chimis. Bake at 350° F until crisp. This is more flavorful than fried chimis and less mess.

Manteca/lard (pork fat) is what gives Mexican food the best flavor.

Debbi
(12/1/06)

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Anita's Pear Butter

Anita's Pear Butter

I un-vented this year before last when a friend gave me 2 big boxes of pears from her tree, ready to eat *now!*

Quarter and core washed pears.

Place in crock pot on low setting, go away for a day or two, stir occasionally.

Once it is cooked down to a sauce, add what ever spices you might want. I added cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to taste. You can add cloves, too.

Place in hot jars and pressure can for 20 minutes (using the instructions your pressure canner states for canning pears).  It just doesn't get any easier than this.

Anita
(12/1/06)

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Anita's Persimmon Pudding

Anita's Persimmon Pudding

Preheat oven to 350°.

2-1/4 cups Persimmon pulp 
3 eggs
3 cups sweet (whole) milk
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 cups Flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp Baking soda
1/3 tsp Nutmeg

Mix all together, it makes a thin batter. Pour into 2 loaf pans or one 9" x 9" baking pan.

Bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, 1/2 to 1 hour depending on size of pan used.  Freezes well.

Anita
(12/1/06)

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