Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies And A Few Other Subjects....

In an attempt to not gross anyone out, this blog entry will be divided into sections. Each section is separate and has it's own song and quote.

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Now playing: Alice In Chains - Nutshell
via FoxyTunes

The next entry in the British baking cookbook is for shortbread flavoured with peanut butter and with a caramel filling. I switched it up a bit by tweaking the cookie recipe and making the caramel out of local honey. Mine are lightly rolled in ground nuts.

1/2 c. peanut butter (crunchy, or smooth, depending your desire)
1/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour

Cream the peanut butter, butter and sugar together. Combine all the remaining ingredients into a smooth dough. Form into a disk and place on a flour surface in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Roll out onto a floured board and cut desired shapes. Place on Silpat, or parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Let cook slightly on the cookie sheet so they can set up. Place on a cooling rack.

For the caramel:

150 g. granulated sugar
1/2 c. honey
5 tbsp. cold water
100 g. ml cream
100 g. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Caramelise the sugar in the water. Add honey and continue to desired caramelisation. Carefully add cream slightly warmed and the butter that has been diced. This will bubble and fuss. Stir it down. Simmer the sauce into a nice spreading caramel. Add sea salt and stir in. Let cool.

When the cookies and the caramel have cooled join them into little sandwiches. Roll in chopped peanuts. You will need about a 1/2 c. for this job.




I used crunchy peanut butter.







“Warning: the Internet may contain traces of nuts”

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Now playing: The Flaming Lips - I Can Be a Frog
via FoxyTunes

I just wanted to show off Ryan's catch. He was trying to catch crayfish in a net for fishing. He blindly swiped the net into the stream and came up with this fellow. I think he should have worn a Prince t-shirt to finish the theme. He says he doesn't care for Prince's music, however. Ah, well nevermind.



“Where there are no swamps there are no frogs” -German Proverb

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Now playing: Pink Floyd - Waiting For The Worms
via FoxyTunes

I have started to vermicompost. For me this project isn't anything to do with Umami. Red worms are supposed to be very good at helping break down scraps into lovely compost for the garden. We had a broken camping cooler, the type you plug into a car. I had the bright idea to recycle it by making it into a worm hotel. A few vent holes were drilled in. To add the worms, first they need bedding material, here shredded newspaper is used. Then some scraps, misting with water along the way. This is repeated a few times and then a topping of dirt. Now is the time to add the worms. I had a few worms trying to climb up the sides. They have stopped that now and hopefully they will begin working. Follow me along as I try this experiment.



“Worm theology is too high for me” -Jack Miller

Arugula Flowers

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Now playing: Meiko Kaji - The Flower of Carnage
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As promised we are going to use arugula flowers!



I used about a cup of a mixture of Extra Virgin Olive oil and Canola oil. I lightly heated this to about 90 deg. F. Then I added a large handful of cleaned arugula flowers and pods. I am keeping mine in the refrigerator and using within 2 months. Olive oil goes more solid in the cold, but don't worry it comes back around when used at room temp.





I also used the flowers in homemade tortillas.


Basic tortila recipe:

3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lard or oil
lukewarm water

Place all of the ingredients in a mixer and slowly add lukewarm water until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue to mix until the dough is smooth, but don't over mix either.

To transform them into arugula flower tortillas, Just add approximately 25 clean flowers in the dough as shown. I used arugula flower oil in the dough, as well.



Divide the dough into equal sized balls. I got 16 smallish size tortillas out of the recipe. Roll them out and grill, or place on a griddle.





We had some really nice beef tacos for supper with the tortillas. There were left-overs and they were good for quesadillas for lunch today.




The wildflower garden is really starting to get underway! Also pictured is tomatillas, I love how they look like little balloons hanging off the plant.



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“Love is like wildflowers; It's often found in the most unlikely places.”

Cool As A....

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Now playing: Robert Plant - Tall Cool Onechrome://foxytunes-public/content/signatures/signature-button.png
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I'm on my tod this week. I'm free to enjoy all the garden bounty as I see fit. The first thing I see as fit is a Cucumber Tom Collins.



1/2 a large cucumber, peeled and seeded
3 large leaves of Shiso, or mint
1 1/2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. honey, or more to your taste.
1/2 oz. lemon juice
ice

Make a loose puree of cucumber and Shiso and honey. Place in a shaker with the remaining ingredients. Shake and strain into a glass.



Refresh yourself!




There were some broad beans that filled out, they are tender and just enough for me. The plants promise more soon though. I made a few cold salads, in the "keeping cool" theme. The first one is, you guessed it, broad beans. They are also known as Fava beans.




I planted two kinds of the beans. One is a green variety and the other is red. I brought the seeds back with me from England.





To start blanche and shock the beans. Remove the outer casing of the bean.



Cold Broad Bean Salad

1 lb. broad beans
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 c. chopped tomato
1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
a couple of handfuls of parmesan shards.
2 tbsp. capers

The pods of the beans are very good to feed back to the soil. Compost them!



I also have peas coming from the garden. These were used in a chicken salad



Cold Chicken and Pea Salad

1 prepared chicken, meat removed and lightly shredded
1 c. peas
1/2 c. mayo
2 tbsp. dijon
1/2 c. chopped peanuts
squeeze of lemon
several sprigs of basil, chopped
4 scallions chopped
1 small clove of garlic

Blend ingredients together and chill.






The salads shown on my plate are garnished with arugula flowers. I will be doing more with those soon.




Stroll through the garden. It is alright to take your time.







Here is my last bag of onion sets. I am planting those tomorrow, hoping to get lots more scallions from them. Also on the planting list is kale and broccoli. The lettuce is bolting now and I already planted more and they are sprouting already.



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Summer bachelors, like summer breezes, are never as cool as they pretend to be. -- Nora Ephron



Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

Blueberry Thai Cucumber Salad

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Now playing: The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
via FoxyTunes


It is a great time for blueberries right now, the height of summer! I notice the prices for blueberries going down at the store this time of year too. So many of the blueberries I have bought recently are big and plump with a pop in the mouth. I love that texture on a nice bowl of lightly honey sweetened yogurt. There are plenty of creative and different things to do with blueberries, as well....And why not? They are extreme food.



Here is an idea for a Thai cucumber salad. There are bluberries in the dressing!



Blueberry Thai Cucumber Salad

1 pint blueberries - juiced
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. mirin
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 English cucumbers - peel, seed and slice thin
1 bunch scallions - sliced on the bias
1/2 c. roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Make the dressing with the blueberry juice, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, mirin, hot sauce and fish sauce. In a large bowl marinade the cucumbers for a few hours in the dressing. Before serving fold in scallions, pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Serve on a bed of lettuce.






Here is a little garden update, I wish the cucumber was ready to use in the above salad. Well, there is always next time in a few days.



The potatoes are doing ok, even though they were planted a few weeks late. We are getting plenty of snow peas now.


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“the attempt to make the consumption of beer criminal is as silly and as futile as if you passed a law to send a man to jail for eating cucumber salad” - Stephen Leacock

Pigs - Three Different Ones

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Now playing: Pink Floyd - Pigs (Three Different Ones)
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Three different blueberry sauces for pork skewers that is.


*Blueberry Sweet and Sour Sauce*
*Blueberry Hot Sauce*
*Blueberry BBQ Sauce*





Pork Skewers With Three Blueberry Sauces

4 lean, boneless, thin-cut pork chops (cut each into 3 strips) and place on water soaked skewers
1 pint blueberries Pureed and strained
1/2 c. ground pistachios
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. tamarind
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. Siracha
1 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp. mirin
3 tbsp. honey
lime wedges cut from 1 lime
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch scallions sliced on the bias
Salt and pepper

First measure out 3/4 c. of the blueberry puree. Set aside. Marinade the pork skewers in the rest of the blueberry puree and salt and pepper for at least 4 hours. Continue in the meantime by making the sauces:

*Blueberry Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 c. blueberry puree
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. mirin

Season with salt and pepper. Dissolve the honey into the mixture and refrigerate.

*Blueberry Hot Sauce

1/4 c. blueberry puree
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. Siracha
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. fish sauce

Season with salt and pepper. Combine until sugar dissolve and refrigerate.

*Blueberry BBQ Sauce

1/4 c. blueberry puree
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. tamarind
1 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. brown sugar
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika

Place all ingredients into a small pot and heat gently until bubbling. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.



Grill pork skewers for approximately 10 minutes each side. Remove from grill and immediately roll in ground pistachios. Serve on a bed of cilantro with lime wedges and scallions and sauces.





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Now playing: Pink Floyd - Pigs On The Wing (Part One)
via FoxyTunes

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Now playing: Pink Floyd - Pigs On The Wing (Part Two)
via FoxyTunes

Blueberry English Madeleines

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Now playing: Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
via FoxyTunes

A lovely sponge cake served at English tea - English Madeleines are baked in a dariole mold and coated with raspberry jam and coconut traditionally. They are quite different from the French version that have that seashell look. Here you will find a nice twist to the raspberry jam, they are made into blueberry gems!



Blueberry English Madeleines

4 oz. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1/2 a pod worth of beans)
2 eggs
2/3 c. self-rising flour (or make your own self-raising flour- the formula is: 1 c. flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and a dash of salt)
1/2 c. blueberry jam - heated and strained - recipe follows
1 c. desiccated coconut
12 whole blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

Prepare 12 dariole tins with butter and flour.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add one egg and incorporate evenly. Add half of the flour and incorporate evenly. Repeat until ingredients used. Fill tins as shown, and bake for 20 minutes.






Don't over-fill the dariole tins with batter, or there will be a big mess. They will fill out in the oven.




When the cakes are done, cool them on a rack. Then, insert a skewer into the cake as shown. Roll the cake in the heated jam. Then, roll in coconut. Decorate with a big, beautiful blueberry on top. Hopefully those blueberries will be as big as the end of your thumb!



Easy Blueberry Freezer Jam

3 cups blueberries, cleaned
5 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
3/4 cup water

Crush berries in a large bowl; add lemon juice. Stir in sugar and let stand for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, add cinnamon stick, mix pectin and water; bring to a full boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Mix pectin mixture into fruit; stir for 3 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Pour into freezer containers about an inch from the top. Makes 6 cups.



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"You ought to have seen what I saw on my way
To the village, through Mortenson's pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!"

-Excerpt from 'Blueberries' by Robert Frost

Blueberry Is King Semifreddo

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Now playing: The Moody Blues - Blue World
via FoxyTunes






This is a mixed berry Semifreddo, but in this recipe blueberry is king. Anyone can see that loading up on blueberries can be a smart thing to do. Blueberries are known for enhancing mental sharpness and eyesight. Blueberries are one of a few naturally blue colored foods. The blue of blueberries were once used in dyes and paints, but back to food....Here is the recipe:

Blueberry is King Semifreddo

1/2 pint strawberry
1/2 pint blackberry
2 pints blueberry
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c. powdered sugar
4 egg whites
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. stiffly whipped cream

In a medium size pot add all clean berries 1 c. sugar and lemon juice. Gently heat the berries until the sugar dissolves. Process in a blender (cover with a towel for added protection, it is still hot.) Strain. Refrigerate until very cold. Bring out of refrigerator and reserve 1 1/2 c. of berry mixture. This will be nice as a sauce to serve with the Semifreddo.

To make the mixture for freezing:

Whip the egg whites until they start to foam, add sugar slowly as the whip runs. Whip until firm peaks form. Fold the cream, berry mixture and egg white mixture together. Pour into a loaf pan. Freeze until firm. To release the Semifreddo fill a sink with hot water and dunk the pan in. This should release the dessert so you can invert onto a serving plate. Dip your knife into the hot water and make thin slices. Serve with the sauce and fresh blueberries. You should be able to get 2 dozen thin slices from a large. loaf pan. Semifreddo is best served slightly thawed with a melty outer edge.




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"It happens every time, they all become blueberries!" -Willy Wonka

English Madeleines

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Now playing: Richard Harris - MacArthur Park
via FoxyTunes

......Someone left the cake out in the rain.....I don't think I can take it, it took so long to bake it........I'll never have that recipe again....Oh, Noooooooooo.....

Like the song says, we have been getting our fair share of rain and thunderstorms. Stuck inside away from the garden I made cakes, but they were safely inside away from the rain. I did have to brave the rain to harvest some snow peas, lettuce, chard and courgettes for tea.

Did you know the British have a version of the sponge-like entity called Madeleines? They do and what a treat they are! Here is my version of it:

English Madeleines

4 oz. butter
1/2 c. light muscavado sugar (brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1/2 a pod worth of beans)
2 eggs
2/3 c. self-rising flour (or make your own self-raising flour- the formula is: 1 c. flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and a dash of salt)
1/2 c. raspberry jam - heated and strained of seeds
1 c. desiccated coconut
6 glace cherries- halved

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

Prepare 12 dariole tins with butter and flour.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add one egg and incorporate evenly. Add half of the flour and incorporate evenly. Repeat until ingredients used. Fill tins as shown, and bake for 20 minutes.

Don't fill the dariole tins too full with batter, or there will be a big mess. The oven magic will fill them to the top of the tin. I ran out of pastry bags for this, if you use one it will be much easier to fill and less messy. Today everything turned out fine.

When the cakes are done, cool them on a rack. Then, insert a skewer into the cake as shown. Roll the cake in the heated jam. Then, roll in coconut. Decorate with a glace cherry half.



A whole basketful!




....And then there was one!



The plate was given to me by my friend Cathy. It is a Spode plate, she knows how much of an Anglophile I am.
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A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece. -Ludwig Erhard