MarbleFallsParadise's Profile
How do I make a grain-encrusted loaf of bread?
I'm looking for a quick bit of technique help. I do the Dutch oven bread from Ratio by Ruhlman. I would like to have a 7-grain type crust (whether the actual loaf is or not). The last one I purchased had oats, millet, flaxseeds, and ??? covering the crust.
Do I just olive-oil the top of the boule after the final shaping and sprinkle grains on the top, or roll the entire ball in a mixture and then shape it?
Also, what additional grains would be a good choice?
(I'd also gladly take recommendations on a 7-grain/multigrain recipe, but the coating technique is what I can't seem to uncover).
I thank you!
MFP
Homemade Cheese?
I make yogurt weekly and use the whey in place of water in bread baking as another poster mentioned. I think it gives the bread a great flavor and improves the texture.
Need travel food for road warriors w/kids: cooler yes, mini-fridge & microwave sometimes.
Hi all - we road-trip quite a bit along with my husband for work. Kids are 8 & 5. One will eat anything, one is moderately picky but is a fruit, dairy, and pasta freak so she makes it.
We often find ourselves in a hotel room in the evening or even for lunch & dinner while Dad is out working (baseball scout). The goal is for us to avoid room service or the walk across the parking lot to whatever "restaurant" fortune has gifted us with. Otherwise, it just gets a bit costly at this point for us to tag along. Secondary goal is to enjoy a really good meal that just happens to be in a hotel room.
I have run out of ideas for food to take along. What I normally take suffices well for snacks but doesn't satisfy as a meal. We usually take a mid-sized cooler (the size that isn't embarrassing to lug into the hotel room). It won't work as a refrigerator but we most often stay in the types of places that have a dorm fridge and small microwave. Here's the parameters for what I need:
1. *very* portable (I'm open to ziplocs, throwaway plastic, or "lug back home" containers). Individually portioned dishes would probably work really well if we are talking about a main, side, or "wet" dessert. For those I could use disposable cups and seal really well with plastic wrap.
2. either doesn't need refrigeration at all, or can fit into the cooler in a ziploc bag or such. I'm a food poisoning freak because of the kids so I can't hang with letting meat or egg dishes ride outside the cooler. Cooler space will basically be at a premium, but I don't mind allocating other bags for food.
3. can be mains, sides, salady things, desserts, or snacks. No fish/shellfish please.
4. economics are an issue. I really have to crack down on the grocery budget. I try to stretch the expensive stuff far, but still buy things that are very flavorful to make us feel that we aren't missing out (goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, capers, etc). So I need to limit the pricey stuff.
I would love a couple of harmonized meal ideas and I particularly think I need some hearty savory snacky things (thinking like cheese straws, sausage cheese balls, etc). FWIW, we have a freezer full of venison in pan sausage, smoked link, and Italian sausage format. Would be good to mow through some of that since hunting season is upon us again.
I love to bake and make homemade versions of commercial stuff (currently addicted to homemade yogurt courtesy of the mega-thread on Chow) so make ahead and freeze ideas might be nice too - something that could thaw in the cooler on the way, but would reheat in the microwave ok.
Of very particular interest would be some sort of bars or snacky things that would fit in my purse for outings outside the hotel to avoid visiting snack bars, fast food stops, etc.
Thanks all! I know it seems like I should be able to figure this out myself but I'm already just.so.very.tired of planning weekly meals at home and kid school lunches, etc. The thought of having to come up with extra creative energy to do this is too much. If I work up a couple of road food menus and rotate them, I'll be sailing.
MFP
Is it possible to cook deliciously without salt, sweeteners, soy, milk products, eggs, non-fish animal protein, alcohol, caffeine and wheat?
I had to eat a very similar diet while nursing a baby with food allergies, but I could have all the sugar and salt I wanted (no citrus or melon, though, or nuts of any kind except for sunflower seeds. And I ate beef. Copious amounts of beef).
I skimmed everyone's replies but just wanted to say that what was fun was that my palate really "woke up" and I found that even things like plain vegetables dressed with a little olive oil could taste heavenly after my palate kind of detoxed.
I had avocados and bananas every day. I put olive oil on everything to keep up sufficient calories and energy. Loved rice vinegar too (but that may be sweetened??).
I caramelized all my vegetables when cooking, and then even enjoyed them the next day cold out of the fridge. I'd find myself snacking on cold roasted Brussels sprouts, thinking they were delicious, and go "whoa" - times sure changed.
What about hot water cornbread? That doesn't require egg or milk. I will say we use almond milk for everything now, and you can buy it unsweetened.
I used a cookbook for food allergies - I can't remember the name of it - but there was a good recipe in there for fried cakes made with a type of flour made from beans - it's called "garfava" flour and is a mix of garbonzo and fava bean flour. There's a line of specialty flours called Bob's Redmill (??) or some such that carries it. The bean cakes were great - they had the consistency of potato pancakes and gave me a sort of bread fix.
Also, I did a lot of cooked fruit with tapioca for desserts. It'll be a little painful without sugar but mixing in some bananas or using sweeter fruits will make that palatable. And I second the suggestions about coconut milk. A little fat just goes a loong ways in helping you feel satisfied and get past those cravings. That's why the avocado was such a part of my routine.
Hope it goes well for you! I had no choice when I was on that diet, so willpower wasn't even a question because it was necessary to help my baby, but had it not been for her there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD I could do that. I admire your restraint!
In the freezer isle, quick meals...
Preface - I'm not a purist these days because I have two small kids and a hubby who works out of town most of the time, so I am comfortable with some frozen foods that others might not be overjoyed at, so:
I am completely infatuated with two frozen foods - spanakopita (brand is Johnathan B's I think) and vegetable samosas (brand is Bombay something). I live in small-town Texas and the thought of a Greek or Indian restaurant here is laughable, so I gotta take it however I can get it. :)
With either of the above, I can throw together some cukes and tomatoes and use sour cream on the side, and I'm in heaven.
Also from the freezer aisle, I love frozen spinach sauteed almost to caramelization in olive oil, with some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and occasionally some jarred julienned sundried tomatoes and feta. It's very lush and rich and filling. I do something similar with frozen extra-thin green beans, sauteed in olive oil and splashed with balsamic vinegar right before I turn off the heat. I love my veggies caramelized for some reason so I cook the green beans hard and fast and let them actually brown somewhat, but that is just my personal oddity, I know.
We've had some new frozen vegetable options at the grocery store that I've been eyeing lately but haven't tried - one is frozen balsamic-glazed roasted root vegetables, and another is some chopped sauteed wild mushrooms in some sort of cream sauce. I know I will eventually try them, just hate to spend the money on them for some reason.
feeding a new mother...
I'm a Texas girl so that colors my tastes, obviously. Some things stand out for me - my mom's homemade chili (very very mild) - so versatile. I used it for Frito pies, we put it on tostadas, or just ate a quick bowl of it microwaved with some crackers at 2 in the morning...also fresh homemade bread was great too. Homemade bread and butter can feel like a meal, along with a glass of OJ...
I loved it when people brought soup/stewish things that would last a few days in the fridge and could survive the microwave. To me, lasagnas/enchiladas weren't as helpful, though still appreciated.
My typical meal I take someone (not necessarily a new mom but in other meal-help circumstances) is mild chili, a pan of cheddar cornbread (ideally still warm from the oven), a six-pack of Dublin Dr. Peppers, and the Hershey's chocolate cake (recipe on back of cocoa can).
Sikes Cooker - anyone have any feedback?
My husband just bought us a Sikes Cooker (bbq grill) and we are anxiously awaiting its arrival. It has a different configuration than most grills and looks like it will smoke meat well. Just curious to see if anyone has any experience with them. We are just buying it on faith, because we were able to find one at a significant discount - the retail price was way out of our league for a bbq grill.
I've been looking for any forums dedicated to cooking on them and haven't turned anything up yet.
Hoping to hear some (good) feedback!
Lucy
Leftover Chocolate Cupcakes
Are they frosted or not? If unfrosted, what about doing a trifle where you did a base layer of crumbled cupcakes soaked in something like Kahlua, then a nice vanilla custard, then perhaps some raspberries? Maybe a very thin ganache with Bailey's incorporated to drizzle over the top? I know you don't really drizzle ganache, but you know what I mean.
Unfrosted would also work well in conjunction with vanilla ice cream in some sort of molded bombe-type thing..
Frosted: I would go for something baked like bread pudding where it gets all incorporated in. Top with a bourbon cream sauce.
Boy I'm all about the alcohol today...
Pimp my cupcake? Meyer Lemon theme..
Ok thanks - the lemon curd is a good idea. Now I just have to figure out how to make my own because the lemon curd I shopped for today has corn syrup in it and my little one can't have that due to allergy.
The recipe for the frosting is simple:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Mix first 5 ingredients until smoothly blended, then beat in powdered sugar til creamy and fluffy.
I will say that at first the frosting tasted ok but not spectacular, but after refrigerating the cupcakes overnight the frosting came into it's own. It makes me want to make some kind of lemon cream cheese truffle or bonbon with it.
Fried spinach
I don't know if this will get you what you want, but I take frozen chopped spinach, thaw it a bit and squeeze as much moisture as possible out, then add it to hot olive oil in a cast iron skillet and just sautee it unmercifully until it caramelizes and frizzles. I add sea salt and cracked black pepper along the way, and usually a squirt of lemon or lime juice.
It is so good I gorge myself when done..oh the olive-oily fried goodness of it. It makes spinach decadent. But one little box jus disappears into a tiny amount of finished product. After cooking, if you add in some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and some crumbled feta, you will pass out from pure dining pleasure.
Gonna have to make this tonight now. Sigh.
Pimp my cupcake? Meyer Lemon theme..
Found a great recipe last night for Meyer lemon cream cheese frosting, and put it on top of yellow cake mix cupcakes (I know...).
Upshot: the frosting was divine and of course the cupcakes were a wretched soul-less vapid piece of spongy vehicle for the frosting.
What I want: a cohesive scrumptious lemony sensation - a great base - either lemony or buttery cake, with some sort of custard or filling, topped with my existing lemon cream cheese frosting.
On the custard or filling, maybe lemony, or white chocolate, or ??? I would like to be able keep the finished product refrigerated because the cream cheese frosting tastes good cold. So the custard or filling should work well in the fridge.
Thank you for helping me to produce a masterpiece.
Anyone have a minimalist kitchen?
Well, I made a good first pass today and eliminated some things (we've having a big living estate sale in a month) and identified some other things to move to storage in the garage for large-scale entertaining. We only do that about 1-2 times per year but since I have storage in the garage there's some stuff I'm just reluctant to let go of - giant catering-sized platters, an oversized crockpot, etc.
I hope to make another couple of hard efforts at letting go before the sale, and then any extra money can go towards something "of quality" in the kitchen when it comes time to replace something.
Anyone have a minimalist kitchen?
Yeah, that's a great point. I keep my counters almost totally clear because clutter freaks me out, but I think if my cabinets and drawers were emptier, I wouldn't feel as if my kitchen were so cluttered. I would love to keep my stand mixer and my other appliances out. I have somewhat limited counter space. I'll challenge myself to declutter the rest of the house and then maybe allow some kitchen appliance clutter on the counter.
I just want that feeling like when you rent a house or villa on vacation, and you can mess up every utensil and pot in the kitchen and be done washing in 5 minutes, and how you have to get creative to get it all done working with what you have.
Anyone have a minimalist kitchen?
What's the least a person can get by on, in terms of utensils and equipment? I've read the Chowhound link from the NY Times (I think ) article, but I love personal stories. They motivate me. I'm trying to declutter and streamline to the point of minimalism but there's a lot of stuff I take for granted in the kitchen, because I have room to store it.
Ok, motivate me please!
No gluten, dairy, nor meat - help me please!
Hi - I had to eat a crazy diet while breastfeeding my youngest daughter for a while bec. she had food allergies, so I had to eliminate a vast number things including what you mentioned, plus more, actually.
What helped me be successful was to always keep several things cooked and readily available. Staples in my fridge, cooked and ready to go were:
Brown rice
Black beans
Sauteed spinach (cooked in olive oil til almost point of caramelization, because it was yummy)
Cooked carrots
I regularly roasted vegetables too, which gave them much more flavor. Roasted squashes, onions, tomatoes, eggplant. Yum. Everything was so much better when roasted.
I always kept salad fixings on hand. My standard salad dressing was rice vinegar + olive oil, sea salt, pepper.
I used rice flour to make cookies with (I never gave up chocolate - some things are too much to ask of anyone). I also experimented with bean flours - you can use garbanzo flour to make really delicious fritters that give you a good breast substitute vibe.
For sweets, I did peaches cooked in tapioca for a cobbler-like dessert, or fresh/frozen fruit. And dark chocolate.
I will say this - it was hard initially, but obviously I had a super-strong motivation. After I got used to it, I was astounded at how delicious everything tasted. It was as if my palate had been deep-cleaned! Simple healthy food was just superb.
Oh - for breakfast, I did rice milk with rice cereal and frozen blueberries. I also occasionally bought rice bread. It was less than ideal but I was dying for bread.
Best wishes. I can tell you that you WILL feel really good and will enjoy your food once you get used to it, but expect a couple of weeks of feeling BAD first. It also makes going out to eat pretty challenging but I always did well at Mexican restaurants and salad places.
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
I came back to check something on this recipe and thought I'd post an update. We make this regularly now, and the best variation I have discovered is to make it in a muffin pan. I let it rise for about 30 minutes in the muffin pan, topped with a pat of butter for each "muffin."
Our last batch was made partly with whole wheat flour and included shredded cheddar and some cooked venison breakfast sausage. The version I'm making today will include added ground flax seed and more whole wheat flour - trying to ramp up the health factor.
My kids want to make a batch with mozzarella and pepperoni, with a marinara sauce for dipping.
This bread has been a lifesaver for me, and especially now with the muffins, because one batch makes 12 huge muffins and I usually freeze a few. If I make loaves, I split it into two loaves and let rise, then after baking I freeze one loaf.
I'm still interested in other ideas for this bread and I'm thinking about doing a sweet one, and also one factoring in peanut butter perhaps.
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Just an update: I made these for our Christmas gift baskets, and one of the tips I read elsewhere was really helpful (I actually thought it was from this thread but I guess not). You make the dough as above with the same amounts, then split the one batch into two blobs of dough, put in loaf pans (I patted it/stretched it out to cover the bottom of the loaf pan) and let rise in a warm place for an hour. They do rise a bit, then you bake, reducing time as needed. I did do the half stick of melted butter poured over the top, and it does make it good.
I have two pans in the oven now and another batch rising. It's so good with butter and honey. I still have only used Lone Star, but I'm eyeing the Guiness.
You end up with two flatter loaves, but get more crust (a plus for me) and none of the doughiness I was having a problem with originally.
Oreo "truffles"
Well thanks to this thread I added these to my Christmas gift baskets. Going to buy the supplies today. I think I'm doing reg. Oreos and then may try the Newman GingerOs with dark chocolate coating, plus a peanut butter cookie version. I'll update back on the ginger version after Saturday (candy factory day!)
Food gift help: Imagine a luxe Frito Pie kit - what would it have?
Ok first I was thinking for gift baskets for my family I was going to do a savory cheese spread, a yeast bread, and some venison meat sticks we had made from hubby's deer.And maybe some of the preserved lemons from this board.
But a thread on another forum I'm on has been going on for days about Frito Pie, and now I want to come up with a make-ahead kit for Frito Pie. It would be very funny for some of my family.
Fritos are obvious, natch, and I am thinking I could still do a savory cheese spread to use on top - maybe a cheddar/jalapeno thing. I don't THINK I want to do a can of Wolf Brand but it would be funny...but if anyone can think of a good alternative I will do that.
I was also reading about caramelized onions and maybe a good spicy caramelized onion would be nice, but how much in advance could I do caramelized onions, and would I package them in oil or butter if they are going into a jar?
Or could I do a caramelized onion & cheddar cheese spread and combine the two into one item?
Thoughts, if you dare....
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Also, I made a beer cheese spread to go with it (from one of my ladies' magazines - maybe Better Homes & Gardens??):
1 cup shredded cheddar
Garlic according to taste
Onion to taste, chopped fine
Hot sauce
Pepper
Mix above in a stand mixer, then slowly add 6 oz of beer, mixing on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
Salt & season further to taste, chill 2 hours, then keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. Will keep in the freezer for one month.
LOVED it with the beer bread. Oh wow. And all I had was that nasty Lone Star. I can't imagine what this would be like with a heartier beer. For my hot sauce, I used Tabasco Chipotle, but I can see numerous different avenues there - sriracha, or Tabasco green, or Cajun Power, for starters.
I am going to gain 500 lbs before Christmas even gets here, just from beer bread and beer cheese. And I don't even like to drink beer.
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Ok, I tried it tonight in a cast iron skillet, used 1 cup whole wheat flour plus 2 cups white flour, dotted the top with butter, and squeezed honey liberally all over the top.
The pros: I liked have some whole wheat in there, and the honey crust on top was great. There was a nice chewy crust on the sides and bottom.
The cons: It was doughy. Dense. And I still want more crust.
So, do I try mini-loaf pans to get more crust ratio? And any thoughts on why so dense?
Lucy
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
You know, I grabbed it originally somewhere off the internet and can't find the original spot I got it from. Wish I could so I could give them credit.
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Why yes, as a matter of fact, I DO mean three teaspoons. Sorry. Now I can't edit my original post. It should be three TEAspoons of baking powder, not TABLEspoons. No wonder it was salty. Thanks for the catch.
[Note: the recipe has been edited to be correct. The Chowhound Team]
Get me started using extra firm tofu, please!
When I lived in The Big City (vs. small town rural Texas now) I used to eat lunch at Whole Foods and loved their seitan dishes, but I honestly don't think my grocery store here carries it. But I will check. They have sometimes pleasantly surprised me here. Yeah, texture is what I'm after, really.
Get me started using extra firm tofu, please!
I want to start serving it to my family. I am not a cooking novice but not all that accomplished either. And the only times I have ever been exposed to tofu are via occasional Chinese buffets. I vastly prefer firm tofu because I like the meaty texture of it so I need help cooking it to make it as firm/meaty/chewy as possible, I think.
SO:
What are the best ways to prepare it, and the tastiest combinations? We are a sauce, gravy, & condiment family, if that points you in a direction.
Thanks!
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Ok, yeah, I am truly going to go the grocery store & have so much fun buying random heavy beers & will post back if I come up with any inspirational results. I really want to try a sweet version with orange zest & chocolate. Actually, we have a ton of Meyer lemons & satsumas right now, so maybe a citrusy bread w/some appropriate beer. I'm not a beer drinker at all so I don't know what would go with citrus except maybe Corona???
Oh - Corona bread with lime & flaked sea salt on top. Get out!
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
Yes to the butter. And I almost gasped aloud with the pepperoni & provolone idea. Maybe that plus the basil. Oh YUM!
Fallen in love with 3-ingredient beer bread. What's your twist?
I made Lone Star bread tonight. :)
12 oz beer
3 C flour
3 t baking powder
3T sugar
1.5 t salt
(It would have been 3 ingredients had I used self-rising flour (omit salt & baking powder).
Bake at 375 for one hour.
Anyway, my mind is reeling with possibilities. Has anyone tried different types of beer? Adding honey or molasses to the top while baking? Using different sweeteners in the bread?
I'm just very taken with how easy it was, and how I could make up some mixes in baggies in the pantry and then just pour in a bottle of beer. I do like to bake yeast breads but this was so quick compared to yeast bread, and tasted better than my normally-failed biscuits. I want to try it making small loaves (more crust factor).
I'd love any variations or suggestions, even some exotic ones. Like what about dark chocolate chips added in, and using a really dark beer and possible some orange flavor somehow?
How to gussy up a commercial granola bar into a delightful food gift??
Wow - what a great idea from a semi-healthy snack perspective to make a sub for rice krispies...
How to gussy up a commercial granola bar into a delightful food gift??
Pistachio = genius. Since we're going to get all sculptural (love the Leaning Tower idea) what about an Oreo buche de noel??? A small one....or do something with Oreos and chocolate covered cherries.
Wow - I may just have to focus on Oreos. I thought I was ready to move on from them this year, but maybe not.
