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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Baking Mood? Try my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

These vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are rich and buttery with peanut butter flavor in every bite. Loads of melty chocolate chips in there too. This recipe will come in handy over the holidays too! Cookie exchange, holiday get-together or party of one? I got you.

Perfect pairing? You can try almond, soy, pea or any other plant milk you love. Crumble these over top some banana ice cream or a vanilla smoothie. And I definitely think these cookies pair well with any cozy night in, binge-watching your latest fave TV show. Bonus, these cookies will make your whole house smell amazinggggg. Think, vanilla bean peanut butter clouds bouncing around your kitchen type aromas. Plus, what's new with me!.. (Ps. don't miss the recipe tweak/update noted below..) Rich peanut butter flavor..

Melty chocolate chips..

Peanut butter cookies are one of my all time favorite recipes to make. And since I realized that I don't have a straight-up, basic recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies here on the blog, I knew I needed to post this one for you guys.

For the egg replacer, I used a flax egg, but you could also try using apple sauce or even a mashed banana. I like the fluffiness of the flax egg though. My trick for a great flax egg is to grind the flax seeds very finely and then use warmish water when you whisk things together.

Basic Flax Egg = 1 Tbsp ground flax seed + 4 Tbsp water What's new with me? One thing is that I recently started a new writing class. It is a night class, a few times a week, so that involves trying to keep my eyes open and brain turned on until 10pm at night, sometimes 10:30 and beyond if we go over. I am a total morning person when it comes to getting work done, so night classes are a challenge for me - but I think that is why I love it: the challenge.

I have really enjoyed challenging myself and taking some classes the past year in subjects like art, photography and writing of all sorts. Blogging for over ten years is amazing, but I never want to feel stuck or bored, and learning new skills helps me avoid that feeling. Classes not only let me learn new skills and use my creativity in new ways, but they also get me out of the house and interacting with others just like me. Which, any work from home person will tell you is greatly welcomed. I mean, I love my cat co-workers and doing phone calls with brands and colleagues from home, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction.

And there are some really great networking opportunities that can stem from classes. So as you can see, I'm a big advocate for the 'never stop learning' mantra. So if you are thinking about doing something for yourself in a different area of wellness - sign up for a class. Fitness classes are great, always awesome too, but our brains love the exercise too!

Have you taken a class for your career or to learn or develop a new hobby or skill? I would love to hear about it!

So, these cookies.. Total 'study snack' material. Bake up a batch of these and your homework session feels a whole lot cozier. Study sesh, holiday party, any day of the week, for anything, like, ever...

In a baking mood? Try these!

For the chocolate chips, I used semi-sweet from Guittard. It can be a challenge to find REALLY amazing vegan chocolate chips, but these are absolutely my favorite right now.

For the peanut butter, you can use creamy or chunky, whatever your preference. Just make sure it is well stirred so that the texture is neither too dry or too oily.

Recipe Update! So I made these a second and third time to test things further .. oh and we just really love them. And I found a tweak you can choose to make if desired. So if you want your cupcakes a bit fluffier and more spread make these modifications:

1 - Do not chill the dough before baking 2 - Add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar + another Tbsp of sugar + 1/8 tsp baking soda

The cookie batch from those modifications..

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Kathy Patalsky

Published 10/24/2018

These buttery, nutty peanut butter cookies are speckled with melty chocolate chips. Vegan.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp finely ground flax seed

4 Tbsp warm water

5 Tbsp vegan butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup raw turbino sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, organic

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine the flax meal and warm water in a small dish. whisk together and let sit for at least three minutes to gel up a bit.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flax mixture (flax egg), vegan butter, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat until mostly smooth and fluffy.

Add in the flour, salt and baking powder. Beat again until fluffy. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer the dough to a small bowl (or keep in the large bowl if your fridge can handle it) and chill the dough for at least fifteen minutes before using.

While the dough is chilling you can preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the fridge, it should be nice and chilled. Roll into small balls and place on the parchment. Repeat until all the dough is used. Press down on the cookies using a fork, to get a criss-cross pattern in the center.

Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for two minutes until transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or store leftovers in sealed baggies for later.

Yield: 1 dozen

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 25 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Total time: 35 mins.

Tags: cookies, peanut butter, chocolate chips,dessert,vegan,easy,baking,

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Source: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2018/10/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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MUDDLED CHERRY MAI TAIS

I went through an intense cocktail phase in my early 20’s. Speakeasies were de rigeuer then, and no bar cart was complete without obscure, single purpose liqueurs and a supply of egg whites at the ready. But I never made it far enough through my catalog of vintage recipes to reach the Tiki explosion – when GIs returning from the Pacific came home with a lust for sweet rum and a taste of the tropics. Trader Vic’s and cocktails like the Zombie soon populated every mid-century housewife’s repertoire. Seriously, every cookbook I have from the 50’s is punctuated by Americanized luau recipes – maraschino cherry studded pineapple slices decorating hams, spare ribs marinated in sweet teriyaki sauces, fluffy coconut desserts.

But recently, I’ve become sort of obsessed by 1950s kitsch. Yes, some of the food is a slow motion car crash, but some of the recipes are festive, fun, and silly in the best way. So for this mai tai, I borrowed the period’s love of pineapple and cherries, but with a much fresher spin. Fresh cherries soaked in syrup and muddled with pineapple and lime juice add brightness and punch to this tiki classic. Cheers!

INGREDIENTS

[Note] For 1 cocktail

2 ounces aged rum

1 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce orange curacao

1/4 ounce orgeat

2 ounces pineapple juice

1/2 ounce cherry syrup (plus cherries)

Mint sprig, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients except the mint sprig in a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously, and pour the entire contents into a double Old Fashioned glass.

INGREDIENTS (CHERRY SYRUP)

1/2 cup cherries, pitted

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Combine everything in a small pot over medium heat, cooking until sugar is melted. Set aside to cool fully.

Source: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/?recipes=/muddled-cherry-mai-tais/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Baked Swiss and Sausage Omelet – Flashback Thursday

Normally I only do flashback posts on Friday. However, for the special Mother’s Day breakfast week, I had two that I really wanted to update and feature this week. So you now get a flashback Thursday and Friday.

This is a recipe for a delicious omelet that get baked in the oven. It uses sausage, peppers, onions, and Swiss cheese! You can always swap out the type of meat and cheese used to change things up if you want to.

Baked Swiss and Sausage Omelet

Source: https://www.realmomkitchen.com/baked-swiss-and-sausage-omelet-flashback-thursday/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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My Favorite Cherry Pie in the History of Ever

No, really, this is the best cherry pie EVER. Nothing hard or secret about it – it’s a classic! Notes included in the recipe for using sour OR sweet cherries.

Cherry pie. It’s my favorite. It is the pie I can’t resist even when I’m already stuffed to the gills. I love the tart sweetness. The bursting cherries. The buttery, flaky pie crust. There are other fruit pies that don’t hold my attention, but cherry pie has my whole heart.

A few years ago, I decided homemade cherry pie did not appear in my life as frequently as it should, and I resolved to change that by establishing it as a tradition. If it’s tradition, it has to happen right? So I decided every 4th of July (or within a week or so if we are traveling), we needed homemade cherry pie. (And let’s be honest, most Thanksgivings, too.)

It took me a few years to get this cherry pie perfectly perfect, but this is the version I’m sticking with forevermore. It’s straightforward. It’s simple. And the flavor is the best I’ve ever tasted (and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of cherry pie in my day).

We are going to pretend I don’t already have a cherry pie recipe in the archives. That recipe is almost 10 years old; chalk it up to cherry pie maturity (and a decade of taste testing), but today’s recipe is 1,000 times better. Promise.

Homemade pie can seem really intimidating. I get it! It’s not exactly the quickest thing to whip up on your average Tuesday night. But if you plan a little time, work with fresh, delicious ingredients, and keep everything cold, cold, cold, you’re going to be making pie like a rock star before you know it.

I’m going to walk you through the steps of making this homemade cherry pie today. Not because it’s hard…but just because sometimes a visual how-to can make all the difference so you can go from “no way, not me, homemade pie is the devil” to “I think I’ve got this; oh yeah, I’VE GOT THIS!”

There’s a lot of information in this post. Read it. Absorb it. Think about it. Take some deep breaths. And then go make the best cherry pie of your life.

I have a lot of pie crust tutorials/boot camps/lectures already on this site, so I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of how to make pie dough on this post.

But I will say that for this cherry pie (and all other pies), I use one of two pie crust recipes:

For the pictures in this post, I’m using the sour cream pie crust. The flavor and tenderness and flakiness is so, so good. To get started, you’ll want to roll the bottom crust to about 12-inches in diameter and gently place in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the dough leaving 1/4-inch excess beyond the rim of the pie plate.

Homemade cherry pie filling! Could life get any better?

I include many of these same details below in the recipe, but I’ll outline them here, too:

I’ve tested this recipe using sweet, dark cherries. The sugar level in the recipe is counting on the cherries being perfectly ripe and naturally sweet. If the dark cherries you are using are on the tart side, you might want to increase the sugar just a bit.

I haven’t tried Rainier cherries, although they usually substitute really well for dark cherries in terms of sweetness and flavor.

I also haven’t used sour pie cherries because they are rather hard to find fresh where I live (and the canned varieties scare me off a little because, hello, mushy cherries).

The good news is, I hear it’s pretty darn easy to convert a cherry pie from using sweet, dark cherries to sour pie cherries.

To substitute sour pie cherries, try, decreasing the lemon juice to 1 teaspoon (don’t leave it out completely) and increase the sugar to 1 cup (or slightly more, depending on how sweet you want the pie).

I haven’t tried frozen cherries (yet!), but I think they could be used with pretty good results as long as they are thawed and very well drained before using. They might be a tad bit softer after the pie is baked – but if they are good quality prior to freezing, chances are, it stands a good chance of working.

The filling of this cherry pie recipe is as simple as combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and letting it hang out while you get the pie crust in the pie plate. We have a lot of u-pick cherry farms near us; maybe that’s what’s increased my love for cherry pie? Very possibly.

You can bet just about every homemade pie maker has a pretty strong opinion about what should be used to thicken the filling. Flour. Cornstarch. Tapioca. Clearjel. Fasting and prayer.

I’m not out to make enemies over the subject, but after loads of testing (and so.many.cherry.pies), I stand firmly by the recipe below. I’m not saying this thickener lineup should be used for every fruit pie ever made, but for this cherry pie, it’s money.

Tapioca flour/starch + a little bit of cornstarch. The combination creates a perfectly set cherry pie filling that isn’t cloudy or glumpy with weird gelatinous blogs hanging around.

I know tapioca flour isn’t the most common pantry ingredient in the world (we happen keep it on hand 24/7 for this Brazilian cheese bread that gets made at least weekly), but it’s worth grabbing for this pie recipe. It’s widely available in many grocery stores, even my small town grocery store, in the baking aisle (Bob’s Red Mill is a popular brand) and definitely available online.

Does using tapioca flour vs 100% cornstarch make a difference? YES! It’s what transitioned my cherry pie from pretty good to really amazing.

As I mention in the recipe below and already once above, keeping the pie dough chilled is the key to success. Warm pie dough is a recipe for disaster.

Roll the top crust out to a 12- or 14-inch circle and cut 10-12 thick strips. Scoop the pie filling into the pie plate and get to work on that lattice crust!

Yes, you can bypass the lattice crust and just slap on a whole top crust, cut a few vents and toss in the oven.

But where’s the fun in that? Plus, I submit that creating a lattice-topped pie might be one of the most satisfying endeavors of my life. And also, cherry pie JUST NEEDS A LATTICE TOP.

You can see from the quick little collage below that it’s really just a matter of lifting the right pie dough strips in order to lay down a horizontal lattice strip…and repeating that several times. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The strips don’t all have to be the exact same size. Pies should have personality!

Just go for it. You’ll be glad you did.

Once the lattice top has been lovingly and carefully assembled (work quickly so the pie strips stay cold and don’t get warm and melty in your grubby little hands!), trim the lattice strips evenly with the bottom crust.

Now take the bottom crust and roll/fold it up and over creating a lip that sits right on the edge of the pie plate. Press gently toward the inner edge of the pie to seal the edges and trap the ends of the lattice strips.

With that thicker edge, you can flute the edges of the pie all the way around. Again, this is another aspect of homemade pie making that doesn’t have to be perfect. And it’s also another area that should go quickly so the warmth of your little fingies doesn’t melt the butter in the pie crust.

Refrigerate that pie for at least 30 minutes! An hour is even better. You want to make sure the pie crust is really, really cold. I wouldn’t let it hang out in the fridge much past an hour – the risk of a soggy bottom crust is not worth it, in my opinion.

I like to brush the top of the pie with a simple egg wash. This is optional. But it greatly enhances the ability of that pie to get the perfectly shiny/golden vibe going on that definitely increases the pie rock star feelings.

Pop that pie on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet (trust me, it probably will bubble over a bit – totally normal – and easy cleanup will be your friend). Bake it at 400 degrees for about an hour. Watch closely. Every oven differs a bit in oven temp.

If the top or outer crust is over browning but the bottom crust (looking through a glass plate) or filling needs more time, tent the top of the pie with foil to continue baking.

Now for the hard part. As appealing as it is to dig into warm pie, if you don’t want a soupy mess running all over your plate (and probably your pants), let the pie cool. It doesn’t have to cool completely, but I recommend a 2-3 hour cooling period so the filling has time to set up.

If you cut into it too early, you’re going to cry big buckets of tears and insist the recipe is flawed or that I was totally off on my thickener soapbox. Cooling it for the right amount of time means perfect pie. And if I’m being honest, I actually prefer my cherry pie at room temp. It’s the best.

Ok, there you have it! My favorite cherry pie in the history of ever.

I wouldn’t consider myself the best pie maker in the world, and I certainly don’t make pie on the weekly, but I’ve come to really love the pie making process (even the frustrating moments).

There’s just something magical and so utterly self-confidence boosting about taking a homemade pie out of the oven. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to hearing angels sing in my kitchen.

And embarrassing as it is to admit, I’ve actually been known to say these words as I stare lovingly at the piping hot pie in my oven mitt clad hands: “oh my gosh, I’m amazing.” Homemade pie will do that to you.

Here is a quick list of all the tools/ingredients I use for this cherry pie (and for most of my pie-making endeavors). The right tools make all the difference. Affiliate links included for products I’ve purchased from Amazon.

Now go make yourself some cherry pie!

Yield: 9-inch pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Double crust 9-inch pie dough (see note for recipes)

For the cherry pie filing:

5 cups (about 28-30 ounces) pitted sweet, dark cherries - you'll start with around 2 pounds whole fruit (see note for sour pie cherries)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 medium lemons)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup (5.75 ounces) granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt (use 1/4 teaspoon for table salt)

1/3 cup (1.5 ounces) tapioca starch/flour (see note)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon butter

Egg wash:

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons cream or milk

Instructions

Keep all ingredients/pie crust as cold as possible throughout the making process to ensure the most delicious pie ever! Roll out bottom pie crust according to pie dough recipe instructions and place in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate (I use a glass pie plate). Trim edges leaving 1/4-inch excess from outer rim of pie plate. Refrigerate until filling is ready.

For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the pitted cherries, lemon juice, almond extract, sugar, salt, tapioca starch and cornstarch. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

Roll out top crust to 10-inch diameter and cut into 10-12 strips (I like to cut thicker 3/4- to 1-inch strips).

Scoop cherry pie filling evenly into refrigerated bottom crust, scraping out all the sugar and liquid. Dot the top with 1 tablespoon butter (pinched or cut into small pieces).

Weave strips on top of the filling for a lattice crust (see above pictures in post for how-to). Trim lattice strips evenly with bottom crust. Fold bottom crust up and over evenly with edge of pie plate and press/pinch to seal. Flute the edges of the pie crust.

Refrigerate the pie for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour to make sure the top crust is completely chilled.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pie on a parchment or foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly and thickened (will thicken more as it cools). The exact time will depend on type of pie plate, thickness of crust, if pie was refrigerated, etc.

Let the pie cool for 2-3 hours before serving (if it's too warm, the filling will be soupy). The pie can be covered and kept at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Notes

Pie Crust: I use either this recipe or this recipe for flaky, easy to work with pie dough.

Cherries: I have not tried this pie with frozen cherries; if doing so, I highly recommend thawing and draining thoroughly before using. For sour pie cherries, decrease the lemon juice to 1 teaspoon and increase the sugar to 1 cup (or more, depending on how sweet you want the pie).

Sugar: For any type of cherry, the exact amount of sugar really depends on the sweetness of the fruit. Even dark, sweet cherries can be quite tart depending on when they were picked. The 3/4 cup sugar called for in this recipe for dark, sweet cherries assumes the fruit is perfectly ripe and sweet. If they are slightly underripe and a little more tart, increase the sugar by 1/4 cup.

Almond Extract: I normally do not like almond flavor in hardly anything - I almost always leave it out if it's called for in a recipe, but I promise, the almond extract is everything in this recipe! That small 1/4 teaspoon adds the best complimentary flavor to the cherries. Don't leave it out!

Tapioca Flour/Cornstarch: I like a pretty firm cherry pie filling and after a lot of experimenting I really prefer this lineup of tapioca flour with a little bit of cornstarch. It gives the best texture without being glumpy and globby. Tapioca flour/starch is pretty easily found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores (definitely in stores with bulk bins); can also be ordered online. Alternately, you can grind minute tapioca or other tapioca pearls until finely ground.

Make-Ahead: Pie can be made start to finish and cooled 1-2 days ahead of time. Cover well and keep at room temp. Warm in the oven (250 degree oven for 10-15 minutes) or individual pieces in the microwave. I haven't frozen the unbaked or baked pie.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Mel

Source: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/my-favorite-cherry-pie-in-the-history-of-ever/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Fig & Anise Pull-Apart Bread

Here we are, home in the woods.

There’s nearly a foot of snow on the ground as I write this and the sky doesn’t look like it’s fixing to quit time soon. Erin Brockovich, my favorite movie of all time is playing and I’m perched on the windowsill by the fireplace waiting for a certain Elk that I know lingers around the house to make an appearance.

Loveliness and prettification has NEVER been my schtick, and I hate that the summary of my morning sounds like an Eddie Bauer catalog or one of those instagram accounts that are all leather goods and falling leaves –– BUT life out here does feel good. For all the confused looks we got for making this leap, there is nothing I’ve felt so sure about, next to marrying Shaun. We definitely didn’t know how life would change when we waved goodbye to the city, but we knew it would, and that it would for the better. They say “wherever you go, there you are,” which is true. We brought our same soggy hearts and issues and questions up the canyon with us, but… yeah… and HERE we are, choosing the front row to our own lives and experiences, away from that which no longer serves. I think the “there” can hold more water than we care to admit. But I’m biased. The mountains are my church. It’s impossible to not step outside, breathe deep, and get hit with this rush of perspective. For the first time in a very long time, I think I recognize the sound of my heartbeat again.

There’s this pull-apart bread I’ve been sitting on a while, though. I made it a month ago, the last shoot in the old place. I was feeling that sort of manic-compulsive desire to bake and make a wholly sticky mess of a half-packed kitchen (pro tip: wine bottles make A+ rolling pins). I’m the kind of person who turns to baking when things feel totally psychedelic and out of control. Unlike throwing together something grainy, herby, green-ish, crunchy, tangy in a bowl and calling it a masterpiece, baking requires a high degree of rule-following that tends to turn me off on most days (in the kitchen, and in life). But I appreciate the precision. The requisite patience. The attention to detail. I crave it when everything else in the world feels topsy turvy. I promise the pay-off is big on this one, guys.

Fig + Anise Pull-Apart Bread

For the dough (slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman):

2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast

4 cups AP flour

1/2 cup (additional) AP flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

dash of salt

Filling:

2 cups dried mission figs, soaked + softened

2 Tbsp ground anise seed

10 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350’ F.

Start with the dough. Combine milk and butter in a small sauce pan. Heat until just beginning to steam. Turn off and remove from heat. Stir in yeast and 1/2 cup sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. In a stand mixer with a bread hook or in a large bowl with wooden spoon, stir together liquid with 4 cups of flour. Wait an hour for the dough to rise, then add 1/2 cup additional flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Place figs in a bowl of warm water to soften for 20 minutes. Strain, dry, and place in the basin of a food processor or a immersion blender. Add anise, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Blend until a sticky paste forms. Add more butter or a bit of milk to thin if necessary. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4” thick. Spread fig/anise paste evenly until it covers all of the dough. WARNING: the next phase is extremely messy. It’s unavoidable. Just have fun with it. Cut the dough into 6 to 8 strips, then stack all the strips into one stack. Cut the stack of strips into 6 slices. Place the stacks sideways into a buttered bread pan. If you’re me, you will probably feel the need to shove things in the holes… Dee recommends against this, but hey… it doesn’t always have to be pretty to taste good.

Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes and then check to make sure the top is not browning. Test the center… are things still gooey in there? Cover with tin foil and continue to bake for 10, 15, 20 minutes.

Source: http://happyolks.com/fig-anise-pull-apart-bread/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Homemade pita chips – in the air fryer or oven!

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Homemade pita chips are so easy to make in the air fryer or oven. In just minutes, you can have crispy chips – perfect for dunking into hummus or baba ganoush.

I also like to add homemade pita chips to salads, as a crunchy alternative to vegan croutons. They go especially well in a Fattoush-style salad.

Homemade pita chips

To make homemade pita chips, I use store-bought pita bread.

It’s very handy, because you can use some of the bread for warm pita chips. And you can use the rest for making gyros, pita pizzas, and pita pockets. So many different options from one bag of pita bread!

Pita bread tends to be vegan. But obviously it’s best to read the ingredient label to know for sure. The ingredients are usually things like whole wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt.

Before I got an air fryer, I always made homemade pita chips in the oven. Today I’m sharing directions to make homemade pita chips either in the air fryer or the oven.

How to make homemade pita chips in the air fryer or oven

Cut two slices of pita bread into wedges – like a real life Trivial Pursuit game piece. You can cut the pita bread with a knife or kitchen shears (my preferred way).

If you’d prefer oil free chips, you can stop right there. And just throw them in the air fryer or onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet to cook in the oven.

But if you don’t mind a little oil, continue on.

Toss the pita chips in a mixing bowl with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of granulated onion, dried basil, and dried oregano.

Feel free to omit or change the spices to suit your preferences with alternatives like za’atar, salt, pepper, dried parsley, granulated garlic…

To air fry the pita chips, put the seasoned pita wedges into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes, stopping occasionally to shake the basket.

To bake the pita chips, bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, stopping once halfway through to flip the pita wedges over.

How to get lighter pita chips

If you’d prefer a lighter chip, simply peel the pita wedges in half before air frying or baking. So instead of a pocket, each pita would be one single layer. It means that you get twice the dipping for the same amount of pita.

I make homemade pita chips both ways, depending on my mood. Sometimes I feel like something really hearty and super dunkable, so I go with a double layered chip. Other times, I prefer a lighter chip with a single layer, which gives more of the focus to the dip.

What to serve with pita chips:

Homemade pita chips in the air fryer or oven

Get your hummus at the ready. It's time to start dipping! These homemade pita chips are so simple to make in the air fryer or oven.

Print Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer, mezze, party food

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 86kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Instructions

If you are going to bake the pita chips in the oven, preheat it to 400 degrees. If you are going to cook them in the air fryer, skip this step.

Put pita wedges in a big mixing bowl. Top them with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, and granulated onion. Use your hands to toss the pita wedges, and get them evenly coated.

TO MAKE IN THE AIR FRYER: Put the pita into an air fryer. Air fry at 400 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes, stopping occasionally to shake the basket.

TO MAKE IN THE OVEN: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Evenly space the pita wedges across the baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, stopping once halfway through to turn the pita chips over. You want them to be evenly browned on both sides.

Once the pita chips are nicely browned, remove them from the air fryer basket or oven, and serve.

Notes

For a half batch of pita chips (with 1 pita): They will need less time in the air fryer. Since the air will have more room to get around all of the bread, it will cook in about half the time - 3 to 4 minutes. (If you're cooking in the oven, the time will stay the same, regardless of batch size.) For crispier chips: Once the pita are cut into wedges, gently pull the front flap from the back, making two chips out of one triangle. The pita chips will get crunchier, and you'll get twice the amount of dipping for the same amount of bread. For oil-free pita chips: These chips can be made out of one ingredient - pita bread. Just throw the wedges into the air fryer and jump to the cooking instructions.

Nutrition

Source: https://cadryskitchen.com/homemade-pita-chips/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Cherry tomato clafoutis

A savoury version of a classic French dessert, this cherry tomato clafoutis is a lovely cheesy dish that’s perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner!

Have you ever had clafoutis before? If you haven’t, you’re probably wondering what on earth it is. And if you have, you’re probably wondering why on earth I’ve put tomatoes in it. But either way, all you need to know is that this cherry tomato clafoutis is a brilliant lunch or dinner option for occasions when you want something a little bit different, or a little bit special. Let me tell you more about it.

What is clafoutis?

Clafoutis (cla-foo-tee) is a French dessert that’s based around a fluffy batter with plenty of fruit, usually cherries. Sometimes it’s a soft mixture that’s spooned out like a pudding, and other times it’s firmer, and sliced like a cake. Either way, it’s simple and delicious.

But since I don’t have much of a sweet tooth (let’s jut ignore posts like this one for a moment), and I’m always looking for ways to put my own spin on things, I thought I’d make a savoury version using cherry tomatoes instead!

Savoury clafoutis

It might sound strange to make a savoury version of a dessert, but this cherry tomato clafoutis actually works really well. It’s somewhere between a frittata and a pancake – a light and fluffy batter that’s perfectly moist (sorry, I really hate the word moist but I can’t think of an alternative, and thesaurus.com is being really unhelpful. I have literally never seen such a revolting collection of words).

The parsley and spring onions do a great job of infusing their flavours into the batter, and making sure it’s really tasty. Then you get little pockets of juicy roasted tomato, and of course plenty of cheese (including a crispy cheese topping!).

It feels quite sophisticated, but you still get to eat lots of crispy cheese. Win-win.

How to serve savoury clafoutis

Since this cherry tomato clafoutis is a little different to the kinds of things I usually cook, it might not be immediately obvious when you’d serve it – but I think it’s actually pretty versatile.

It would make a great brunch with some asparagus, and a fruit salad on the side. Serve it for lunch, with a bit of bread and butter to mop up the juices from those gorgeous roasted tomatoes. Or add some salad or some extra veggies for an elegant dinner – perfect for guests.

It’s also good eaten from the pan with a spoon, but that perhaps negates the ‘elegant’ aspect a little.

Cherry tomato clafoutis

A savoury version of the classic French dessert, with juicy roasted tomatoes and a cheesy topping! Perfect for brunch, lunch or a dinner party.

Recipe Type: Light lunch

Cuisine: French

Keyword: savoury clafoutis, tomato clafoutis

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 353 kcal

Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

250 g (~ 9 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved (~ 1 1/2 cups when halved)

Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

150 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/2 cups when grated)

100 g (~ 2/3 cup) plain flour

4 eggs

250 ml (~ 1 cup) milk

Salt

Black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).

Scatter the spring onions, cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley over the bottom of a baking dish (mine measured around 8 x 8 inches), along with about a third of the cheese.

Add the flour to a mixing bowl, and add the eggs. Whisk until well combined and fairly smooth. Add the milk and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk again to combine.

Pour the batter over the tomatoes, and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the mixture is fairly firm, and the cheese is golden brown and crispy. If the cheese is browning too quickly, you can cover the dish lightly with foil partway through cooking. Be aware that the clafoutis will probably rise as it cooks, so don't put it too close to the top of the oven!

Leave the clafoutis to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Cherry tomato clafoutis

Amount Per Serving (1 portion)

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 167

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18.5g 28%

Saturated Fat 10.1g 51%

Cholesterol 208mg 69%

Sodium 370mg 15%

Potassium 350mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 26.5g 9%

Dietary Fiber 1.8g 7%

Sugars 5.4g

Protein 20.4g 41%

Calcium 30%

Iron 15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/4 of the recipe.

Want an elegant French-inspired potato dish to serve alongside your cherry tomato clafoutis? Try these buttery chateau potatoes!

Source: https://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/cherry-tomato-clafoutis/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Aubergenius: Eggplant Caponata & Halloumi!

This eggplant or aubergine caponata with halloumi and flatbread has got to be one of the tastiest vegetarian dishes to have up your sleeve. Buttery soft eggplant, tomatoes and garlic cook down to become a silky stew while the moreishness of salty halloumi and warm, toasted flatbread make this a complete dinner. And this is a pushy recipe Dear Reader!

I confess that I made a double batch of this because I love it so much. I put half of it in single portions in the freezer because I love something tasty after I've been travelling and sometimes all the effort I can make is to pull something out of the freezer.

The other half was destined for dinner with Nina and Garth. They're currently on a big saving spree as they're saving up for a house and at the moment they're really limiting how much they're going out. They have two outings out for food: ramen and brunch at a cafe. I was happy to cook for us because Nina loathes it.

The menu for that evening was a whole salt baked fish for Garth, Mr NQN and I and the eggplant caponata with halloumi for Nina. There were also dips, cheeses, dessert and Aperol spritzes. It was at Garth's brother's house as they were house sitting so we also had their dog Marley as well as Ebony, his brother's dog as company.

It's a gorgeous house but house sitting someone else's home means that setting the table and cooking takes more time because you spend a lot of time opening drawers and cupboards trying to find items. I don't know if Garth's brother's family cook much because there weren't a lot of tools but the biggest mystery was how they managed to do the washing up.

"I can't find a scrubber or anything to wash up with," said Nina. "I've been cleaning dishes using my fingers with detergent!" and she demonstrated her new unusual dishwashing skills.

"Do you think use the dishwasher for everything?" I asked. "Did they throw their scrubber out just before they went away?" I guessed. Or did they use their hands like Nina? I once cooked in a woman's amazing kitchen who had no tea towels, she just used paper towels and she must have gone through a roll every 2-3 days.

Anyway, apart from that, dinner was easy. I made the caponata and pan fried the halloumi ahead of time and although I worried whether the halloumi would be ok, we just heated it up and it was still delicious. Dinner was easy and the dogs well behaved. However, we never did figure out the mystery of the dish scrubber!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you not hand wash? What do you think is the most likely explanation for the scrubber mystery?

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

1/4 cup salt

500g/1.1lbs eggplant

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced

250g/8.8ozs tomatoes

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed

1/4 cup currants

100g/3.5ozs. pitted black olives

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Chilli (optional)

Salt and pepper to season

250g/8.8ozs halloumi, sliced

Step 1 - Cut the eggplant up into small cubes and generously sprinkle with 1/4 cup of salt and toss with hands and allow to drain while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Rinse the eggplant under running water and drain.

Step 2 - Take a large cast iron pot and heat some oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant, then add the eggplant, tomatoes, water, tomato paste, capers and currants. Bring to a simmer and then place the lid on and simmer stirring to make sure all the eggplant is cooked. I use water as eggplant can really soak up oil a lot.

Step 3 - After 20 minutes add the olives, red wine vinegar and chilli and season to taste. It may need another 10-15 minutes simmering until it becomes soft and luscious.

Step 4 - Meanwhile add some oil to a frying pan and pan fry the halloumi slices. Drizzle with chilli oil. Place the eggplant on a serving plate and then top with halloumi.

Source: https://www.notquitenigella.com/2019/05/24/eggplant-caponate-halloumi/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Opened-Faced Sandwich with Creamy Coconut Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Mushrooms. I just can't seem to get enough of them — dried, fresh, of any variety — as I am wont to say, I've never met an edible mushroom I did not like. This time they served as an accompaniment to dinner over toasted crusty bread, but these open-faced sandwiches would also make for a nice satisfying lunch or appetizer. Because these are really easier and most pleasant when eaten with a knife and fork, they are best served over small slices of bread, such as from a baguette, if serving as hors d'oeuvres. You can be certain they will be a crowd-pleaser.

I enjoy smaller and lighter meals when the weather gets warmer. Depending on how hot it is, one does not necessarily feel like hovering over a hot stove. Filling, with plenty of taste from the earthy seared mushrooms, tart sun-dried tomatoes, spices and herbs, all simmered with creamy coconut milk and than spooned over nicely toasted crusty bread — this is just the sort of light meal I enjoy. Serve along with some lightly dressed greens, a scattering of olives and other favorite little bites for a light meal that could actually result in a craving for another serving.

Opened-Faced Sandwich with Creamy Coconut Mushrooms and Sun-Dried TomatoesRecipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 24, 2018

Fresh and dried mushrooms cooked with sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and creamy coconut milk and served over toast — a delicious and easy light meal

Print this recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 oz (14 g) dried shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon coconut oil

16 oz (450 g) button mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

4 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 30 to 40 minutes, then drain and finely chop. Set aside.

Meanwhile, soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and chop. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the fresh and dried mushrooms and garlic and fry for 6 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to lose their juices and brown slightly. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, paprika, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Add a bit of water or more coconut milk if the sauce is too dry. I made mine fairly thick.

Toast the bread until nicely browned and load up each slice with the mushroom mixture. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley and a bit of cracked black pepper and serve right away. Best eaten with a knife and fork.

Makes 4 servings

Other wraps, burgers and sandwiches to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen: Toasted Ciabatta Sandwich with Brie, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pesto Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos Chickpea Quinoa Vegetable Wraps Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Cilantro Salad

On the top of the reading stack: 660 Curries

Source: https://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2018/05/opened-faced-sandwich-with-creamy.html

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly in the Instant Pot

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If you’ve ever wondered how to cook quinoa in the Instant Pot, prepare for your life to be changed! Perfect, fluffy, tender quinoa in minutes – this is the only way I cook quinoa anymore, and it is easy as can be!

Cooking fluffy, perfect quinoa in the Instant Pot has pretty much made that indispensable machine worth it in my opinion. I’ve had a 6-quart Instant Pot for several years now and I easily use it at least 3X a week just for rice or quinoa. Making quinoa on the stovetop isn’t exactly rocket science-y hard, but the hands off approach in the Instant Pot and resulting fluffier-than-fluffy quinoa has been revolutionary for me.

How We Eat Quinoa

I serve quinoa almost anytime I make any meal with a gravy or topping. You know, stroganoffs and stir fry recipes and stuff like that. It’s high in protein and honestly just really nutty and wholesome and delicious. Here are a few favorite meals that always see quinoa served alongside around here:

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Easy Korean Beef Asian Style Meatballs with Sweet Chili Sauce

Also, I make quinoa weekly just for this whole wheat quinoa bread (the most amazingly soft whole wheat bread you’ll ever have and our go-to sandwich, toast, and everything bread). And these little quinoa patties happen almost anytime I have leftover quinoa. And we cannot, absolutely cannot, forget about this amazing gluten-free chocolate cake that uses cooked quinoa as the base.

Because quinoa can seem intimidating (and even a little weird) if you aren’t used to it, I wanted to show you how I make quinoa perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. I think it’ll make quinoa believers out of just about anyone.

Even though many quinoas nowadays come prerinsed, I always give the quinoa another rinse in a fine mesh strainer under cool water just to be safe to get rid of the natural coating on quinoa which has a bitter flavor. Dump the rinsed and lightly drained quinoa into the insert of an Instant Pot that’s been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

For every cup of quinoa, I add 1 1/4 cups water and about 1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt. I like this ratio of quinoa to water for a perfectly fluffy cooked quinoa. Feel free to experiment with different water/broth amounts if you like softer (or crunchier) quinoa.

Give the quinoa a quick stir and then cook on high pressure for three minutes. A lot of Instant Pot quinoa recipes call for cooking it for zero or one minutes, but I like a slightly softer quinoa without a lot of crunch. Three minutes is perfect! It’s not mushy or watery…just perfectly soft with a very slight al dente bite to it.

At the end of cooking time, quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Don’t worry, many, many (many!) times I’ve walked away and let the quinoa naturally release and even stay warm for a long time in the Instant Pot and it is still perfect.

Of course it’s a bit softer that way, but still wonderful. I always let it naturally release when I’m using it in bread but prefer to quick release if serving it with a main dish.

Most, if not all, of the water should be absorbed. If it hasn’t, you might want to cook it for another minute (but I’ve never had that happen). Fluff the quinoa with a spoon and use as desired!

There are a million ways to enjoy quinoa, but in my opinion, there’s only one way to cook it. And that’s in the Instant Pot! It is fluffy, soft, quinoa perfection, and I can’t bring myself to make it any other way now.

Because I reference cooked quinoa in lots of recipes, this little “how to cook quinoa in the Instant Pot” is a perfect placeholder recipe for those kinds of recipes. If you haven’t given quinoa a go in the Instant Pot, I urge you to try it! I don’t know that it necessarily saves time from the stovetop method, but being able to set it and forget it is straight up heaven sent.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled depending on the size of your Instant Pot (rule of thumb is not to exceed the halfway mark with liquid/quinoa).

One Year Ago: Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Muffins Two Years Ago: The Best Ground Beef or Turkey Tacos 20-Minute Meal Three Years Ago: Pressure Cooker or Stovetop Chicken Coconut Curry Four Years Ago: Quinoa Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Granola Cookies Five Years Ago: Grilled Asian Chicken with Peanut Noodles and Cucumber Sambal

Yield: About 3 cups cooked quinoa

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Additional Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/4 cup water or broth

1/2 teaspoon salt (use less if adding broth instead of water)

Instructions

Lightly grease the insert of a 6-quart Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray.

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer with cool water and drain. Dump the quinoa into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the water and salt and give the quinoa a quick stir.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes (select the manual or pressure cook button and dial up or down to 3).

When the cooking time has finished, quick release the pressure. Fluff the quinoa with a spoon and use immediately or refrigerate to serve later.

Notes

If you aren't around to quick release the pressure, it doesn't hurt the quinoa to let the pressure naturally release (and it can even hang out for a while on the warm setting). The quinoa will be softer this way, so if you like a hint of an al dente bite to your quinoa, you'll want to quick release the pressure.

You can easily double or triple this recipe (increase all ingredients) depending on the size of your Instant Pot. Cooking time should stay the same.

Recommended Products

6-quart Instant Pot

Serving Spoon

Liquid Measuring Cup

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Follow @melskitchencafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!

Category: Grains/Rice/Quinoa

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Mel

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Source: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-in-the-instant-pot/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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You can get 10 spicy chicken nuggets from Burger King for basically 15 cents a piece right now

Burger King’s spicy chicken nuggets have returned, and you can get 10 of them right now for the amount of change in your cup holder. The spicy-seasoned doppelgangers of BK’s regular chicken nuggets are currently being sold as an order of 10 for $1.49. That’s about 15 cents per fiery nugget.

Discontinued Fast Food Items We Miss the Most

The all-white-meat nuggets originally launched in 2017. America’s fastest drive-thru chain marketed the snack as a drag against fast-food competitor Wendy’s (much as BK did recently with KFC), which launched its own spicy chicken nuggets but pulled the item from the menu in 2016 due to low demand.

To celebrate the launch then, BK offered a 10-piece spicy nugget meal to anyone named Wendy in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City for the day. Now the menu item is back and available to anyone for practically free — aka $1.49 — for a limited time only.

The spicy nugs come with your choice of two dipping sauces. Also, if spicy isn’t your thing, you can order Burger King’s original chicken nuggets for the same price while the deal lasts. We recommend jumping on it soon, because you probably haven’t seen prices this low since you were in high school.

Source: https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/burger-king-spicy-chicken-nuggets-return/022519

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Buffalo Tofu Bites

These crispy Buffalo Tofu Bites make a fun appetizer or snack, perfect for sharing with friends or to scarf on game day while you watch your favorite football team!

My love for all things Buffalo knows no bounds!

I’ve Buffalo sauced everything from chickpeas to spaghetti squash to veggie burgers! I even have some pretty rockin’ buffalo zucchini chips on the blog too with no signs of stopping.

Buffalo sauce is so crazy versatile it can be used on beans, shrimp, chicken, veggies, and now… TOFU!

Cue cayenne pepper shaped confetti.

MAN this recipe was fun to create!

While testing this recipe I had quite a few batches of Buffalo Tofu to eat! I wound up snacking on quite a bit while photographing the recipe (def a perk of the job!) and saved the rest for later.

I was excited to find that they actually reheated pretty well! The following day, I spread leftover Buffalo Bites on a parchment paper line baking sheet and baked at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until nice and hot. Before serving, I tossed them in a little more buffalo sauce (when you cook them with the sauce they soak quite a bit up) and dove in face-first.

At some point during recipe testing I even tried dipping the plain crispy salt and pepper pan-fried tofu in buffalo sauce and called it a day. It’s really quite a fun recipe to snack on both ways!

BUFFALO TOFU BITES

Serve these baller buffalo tofu bites with crunchy celery sticks and your favorite Ranch for dipping! You can use your go-to homemade ranch or simply grab a store-bought brand that rocks your socks.

Looking for a homemade dairy-free Ranch dressing? This speedy Ranch Dressing is one of my favorites!

Buffalo Tofu Bites

Prep 5 mins

Cook 20 mins

Inactive 30 mins

Total 55 mins

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Yield 4-6 servings

These crispy Buffalo Tofu Bites make a fun appetizer or snack, perfect for sharing with friends or to scarf on game day while you watch your favorite football team!

Ingredients

14 oz package extra firm tofu

3 TBSP cornstarch

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper

salt and pepper, to taste (I added a pinch of each)

2 TBSP coconut oil

3 TBSP butter, melted

4-5 TBSP "Frank's Red Hot" sauce

Instructions

Advance prep: Drain and remove tofu from package. Slice the block of tofu into two 1/2 inch thin planks and place on a stack of 4-5 folded paper towels, placing an additional stack of paper towels on top. Set something heavyish on top (I use a cast iron skillet) to make a make-shift tofu press for water removal. Allow to sit. I usually start my tofu about 30 minutes before I want to start cooking.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each tofu plank into 8 bite-sized cubes, for 16 pieces total.

Mix cornstarch with garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the tofu and gently toss until evenly coated and no powdery spots remain.

Bring a pan or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat, then add 2 TBSP oil once hot. Tilt and swirl pan so oil is evenly distributed.

Once the oil has evenly heated, add your tofu, spaced, so that no sides touch. Let the first side sear for about 6 minutes so a nice even crust forms. You can shake the pan occasionally so they don't stick but keep them on the first side. Once perfectly golden, flip each tofu nugget to the other side and sear for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.

While the tofu is cooking, mix together melted butter and hot sauce (I always use Frank's - my favorite!) and whisk well.

In a medium bowl combine crispy tofu with 3/4 of the buffalo sauce and toss gently to coat.

Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake the tofu for 15-20 minutes, flipping tofu halfway to crisp both sides.

Toss tofu in remaining buffalo sauce and dive in right away! Serve with celery sticks and homemade or store-bought ranch dressing for dunking.

Notes

Vegan? Replace the butter with a little melted coconut oil, to taste, and use a vegan ranch for dunking. Easy peasy!

Arrowroot starch makes a great swap for cornstarch if needed. If skipping the arrowroot or cornstarch and pan-frying your tofu, you'll need to use a non-stick skillet to prevent sticking. The starch also helps make the tofu crispy.

Courses Appetizer

Cuisine American

Buffalo Sauce FTW! If you get a chance to try these tasty buffalo tofu bites, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!

hungry for more?

Source: https://peasandcrayons.com/2018/09/buffalo-tofu-bites.html

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Fresh vs. frozen fruit in baking: Does it make a difference in your recipes?

Fresh fruit is a beautiful thing. It brightens the fridge and counter with cheery colors and sweet scents. Frozen fruit allows for some flexibility by extending a typically short shelf life. Both have their place in the kitchen.

But when it’s time to whip up muffins, pies, or pancakes, is it OK to use frozen fruit? Does fresh fruit really make that big of a difference? Let’s explore some fruity recipes and set a few guidelines for using fresh vs. frozen fruit in baking.

Is frozen fruit really that different from fresh?

Fruit from the freezer in the grocery store is usually frozen at peak ripeness. Most fruits are about 90% water. When they’re frozen, the water in them becomes ice and expands, consequently breaking down the cell structure. When you thaw them out, that lack of structure results in a softer texture.

Trying to decide if you can use frozen fruit in your recipe instead of fresh? We have tips to ensure your fruity baked treats are as tasty and beautiful as can be. Click To Tweet

If you’ve ever eaten a blueberry or strawberry after it’s been frozen and thawed, you’ll know they’re soft, a little mushy, and have definitely lost the crispness found in fresh berries.

So yes, when it comes to fruit, frozen really is different from fresh. But that doesn’t have to hinder your favorite recipes.

Where frozen fruit works well

If a recipe is going to be baked or cooked after fruit’s been added, it’s safe to say you can use frozen fruit.

Cakes, muffins, baked fruit pies, quick breads, etc. may require a few small tweaks, but are overall easily adaptable to use whatever fruit you have on hand, be it fresh or frozen.

Tips when using frozen fruit

If you’re using frozen fruit in a pie, tart, or as a compote, take a tip from our Pie Filling Thickeners chart and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon (per cup of fruit) of whatever thickener you’re using. This will help absorb some of the excess juice that frozen fruit tends to release.

Rinse your fruit if you don’t want colors to bleed. Have you ever made blueberry muffins and wound up with the entire muffin turning purple? Or found that the area around each berry appeared to be green? Rinsing the berries in cool water until it runs clear will greatly help with this.

Add extra baking time. Often recipes will include a note recommending an extra few minutes in the oven if you’re adding any frozen ingredients.

When thawing frozen fruit first helps

If whatever you’re making doesn’t bake or cook for very long, it will help to thaw the fruit first.

For example, making pancakes with still-frozen berries could leave gummy bits of batter around the fruit. The coldness prevents the batter from cooking (without extending the stove time), and the outside of the pancake will likely burn before the inside has finished cooking.

At a minimum, let the fruit thaw. Rinsing and patting it dry will lessen any color bleeding.

These fresh fruit tarts are a summer staple in our café.

When fresh fruit really is necessary

If a recipe specifically calls for fresh fruit, it’s safe to say that’s the ideal way to go — especially if the word “fresh” is in the recipe’s title.

Our Berries and Creme Tart or any of the beautiful fresh fruit tarts in our bakery are examples of recipes that need fresh fruit. Using frozen fruit in these, thawed or not, will produce a lot of juice. The juice will make your crust soggy, and the soft, mushy fruit won’t be nearly as attractive.

If you just can’t wait to make a fruit tart and only have frozen fruit on hand, try a baked recipe like a galette or our Rustic Peach Tart.

Testing the limits

Our Fresh Raspberry Pie recipe calls for 1 1/2 quarts of fresh raspberries. I had to know if the berries being fresh really made a difference because it called for such a large amount.

The verdict? BIG difference.

The pie made with frozen berries was noticeably darker in color and lacked texture. Eating this felt like eating a slice of raspberry jam. It also had a hint of that notorious “freezer flavor.”

Lesson learned! If “fresh” is in a recipe’s name, I recommend following it and saving your frozen fruit for something else.

Sliced, you can really see how the fresh berries (left) set up better, had a brighter color, and didn’t leak any juices into the crust as the frozen ones did (right).

What about fruit toppings and fillings?

Some of our most popular and well-loved recipes include fruit as a topping. One delicious example is Strawberry Shortcake. While using thawed, frozen strawberries to top shortcake wouldn’t be the end of the world, the texture would be lost.

Because this recipe only has a few simple components — shortcake, whipped cream, and berries — the texture of each component plays a huge role in the overall success of the dish.

If you use thawed, frozen raspberries for the filling in a cake, such as our Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberries, the juices will bleed into the frosting and filling, making them watery. Juice can also potentially cause some of the frosting to slide off. While still flavorful, the cake won’t have the intended clean, attractive look.

Using thawed, frozen fruit in an unbaked dessert will yield mushy texture, making the dessert less enjoyable. If you can find fresh, use it.

Key takeaways

Frozen fruit should work fine in anything baked or cooked. Keep in mind that some recipes may require additional thickener to balance the extra juice.

Rinse frozen fruit to prevent colors from bleeding.

Thaw frozen fruit first if what you’re making has a short baking or cooking time.

You may potentially need to extend baking time to make up for cold ingredients.

For best results, if a recipe calls for fresh fruit — use it.

Fresh fruit added to recipes that won’t be baked or cooked further offers better appearance and texture.

The next time there’s a muffin emergency and you only have frozen blueberries on hand, there’s no need to fret. Frozen fruits will suffice in most fruity recipes.

If you’re still unsure, give the Baker’s Hotline a call to double check if using frozen fruit would be a problem in your recipe.

What are some of your favorite fruit-centric, year-round treats? Let us know in comments, below.

Thank you to Anne Mientka for taking the photos for this post.

Source: https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2018/08/13/fresh-vs-frozen-fruit/

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Caesar Croissant Rolls

One thing I always have in my refrigerator is a tin of refrigerated Croissant Roll Dough. Over here the leading brand is Easy Roll and I know in North America it is Pillsbury. A bit of a cheat, but when you have a tin of those in the fridge a fresh and delicious bread to serve on the side with your meals is never far away!

They are very convenient and easy to use, taste great, and you can do so much with them! I just love trying out new ways to use them. This is my latest experiment.

Caesar Croissant Rolls. Delicious and quick and easy!

The tin makes six rolls here in the UK, and I know it is more in North America. Is it 8? I can't remember. It's been about 19 years since I have lived there!

I think the ones we have over here are a little bit more like real croissants, but no worries, they will be delicious no matter which ones you use!

You only need a few ingredients, the main one being Caesar Salad Dressing. I used Pizza Kitchen Caesar Salad Dressing because that is what I had to hand. I do not recommend using a low fat dressing . . .

The regular dressing will give you a much better result and flavour. I find that when they take the fat out of things, they put sugar in, so go for the full fat version. I think sugar is much more worse for you than fat.

It also used Garlic Italian Herb Seasoning . . . .

This is the one I always buy and no . . . I haven't been given any or paid to tell you so. Its just what I like and what I use, and I use it a lot. Sometimes I like to brush crackers with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some of this on and bake. Very moreish!

So anyways, you unroll the croissants and you brush them all over with some Caesar salad dressing and give them a sprinkle of the herb seasoning . . . you don't need a lot.

The other thing you will need is Parmesan cheese.

This is the one I buy. I use it for cooking and things like this, but for everything else I like to grate my cheese fresh. This works beautifully in things like these rolls however.

So you sprinkle that over the unrolled croissants also and then roll them up, from the wide end to the narrow tip. I like to tuck in the ends a bit so nothing leaks out. (Yes that is boxed macaroni and cheese . . . with tomatoes in it.)

Sometimes you just crave what you crave . . . and that is one of my favourite things. Boxed mac and cheese with a tin of chopped tomatoes mixed into it.

Once you get them rolled up, just place them onto a baking paper lined baking sheet, brush with a bit more salad dressing, sprinkle on some of that garlic seasoning, and a bit of cheese and bake. Bazinga! Delicious hot rolls with hardly any work and served up pronto! Yum!

Caesar Croissant Rolls

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Yield: 6 - 8 (depending on where you live)

Author: Marie Rayner

A snappy little roll filled with flavour that goes well with salads, soups, etc. Quick and easy to make and oh so tasty!

ingredients:

1 tin of refrigerated Croissant dough

about 6 TBS of good quality Caesar salad dressing

6 to 8 TBS grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for dusting

Garlic Italian seasoning spice mix

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Crack open the croissant tin and separate the croissants. Brush some Caesar Salad Dressing onto each croissant to cover. Sprinkle with a bit of garlic seasoning and 1 TBS of the grated Parmesan cheese. Roll up tightly from the wide end to the narrow end, tucking in the ends to seal. Place onto the prepared baking sheet in a crescent shape. Brush some salad dressing over top and lightly sprinkle with more Italian seasoning and cheese.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, or according to the package directions. Serve warm.

You can see how flaky the rolls over here are. Really yummy. So . . . tell me, what naughty nasty thing do you crave when it comes to eating? Do you secretly munch on Velveeta cheese? Do you tuck into a tin of Beefaroni every now and then? Do you binge on iced Pop Tarts (with or without sprinkles)? Do tell! I really want to know!

Source: https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2019/05/caesar-croissant-rolls.html

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pestheart6-blog · 5 years ago

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Asian Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

Oh, how I love an easy sheet pan dinner! Not only is preparation easy, but so is clean up. The best part is that you can modify these dinners in so many ways. Don’t like chicken thighs? No problem, substitute chicken breasts. Don’t like carrots? No problem, substitute sweet potatoes. Actually, sweet potatoes might be really good in this dish (haha). I’ll have to try that one next time! :)

To make this easy recipe a complete meal, I like to serve it over whole-grain ramen noodles or brown rice. Yes, ramen noodles don’t have to be highly processed or bad for you! The ones from Lotus Foods are great. They are made with brown rice and millet flours and are 100% whole grain (I found them in the International section at Whole Foods and Earth Fare). I either toss the seasoning packet in the trash or buy the four pack that doesn’t even come with the seasonings. It only takes 3 to 4 minutes to boil, so I just pop them in the boiling water at the same time that I turn up the oven to broil to finish this dish. Couldn’t be any easier! Plus, there’s nothing like patting yourself on the back when the timing of your different dishes line up so perfectly. :)

I had the opportunity to share this recipe and these tips on our local Charlotte Today show. Here’s the clip below if you’d like to view it!

And here’s the recipe if you’re ready to give this meal a go. I’d love to hear what subs you try (or plan to try) in the comments below!

Asian Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies

This is a quick and flavorful recipe packed with veggies.

Instructions

Combine the soy sauce, balsamic, honey, olive oil, and garlic in a container (with a lid) or a zip-top bag. Add the chicken and marinate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment (if desired for easy clean up) and arrange the chicken on top. Nestle the veggies around the chicken and drizzle with the remaining marinade (tossing to coat).

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes on top, and bake until the chicken is done (no longer pink in the middle) and the veggies are soft when pierced with a fork, about 22 to 25 minutes.

Turn the broiler up to high, move sheet pan to top rack, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the glaze is set. Serve warm over brown rice or Asian noodles, if desired.

Recipe Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

Use gluten-free tamari/soy sauce and GF ramen noodles/brown rice to make this recipe gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts

Asian Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 659 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 16g 25%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 161mg 54%

Sodium 1097mg 46%

Potassium 1182mg 34%

Total Carbohydrates 86g 29%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 19g

Protein 43g 86%

Vitamin A 395.3%

Vitamin C 131.3%

Calcium 12%

Iron 16.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Category: Dinner

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