Challenge: Coffee Cake

For whatever reason I woke up the other day wanting coffee cake.  I'm not even really sure what the coffee cake I had in mind tastes like anymore.  But I do remember my mom having a recipe for coffee cake, and at least a couple of times when I was a kid she made it for breakfast.  I knew it had a crumbly top and a cakey bottom, but beyond that I had no idea what this would look like.  Luckily, Google knows everything if you just know how to ask.  Or so I thought.

Turns out Google might know too much sometimes, while still no knowing the exact thing I'm looking for.  The recipe my mom used might be out there somewhere, or it might be something that was tweaked and handed down.  If I asked my mom she could probably tell me, but calling your mom who is 4 time zones away while she is at work and can't answer the phone and wanting coffee cake NOW is not conducive to getting said coffee cake.  In addition to wanting coffee cake, I am also on pantry restriction.  I can't buy anything new for the pantry because I'm in the middle of packing up my entire apartment.  So I had to find a recipe that would work with what I had on hand.

Of course I found nothing, and my want was growing stronger so I was either going to have to give up the search or make up my own thing.  I went with the latter.  I figured I had nothing to lose, so if it was gross we could just throw it out.  Not like you can donate open used boxes of things anyway.

What I ended up with turned out pretty good.  Not sure how soon I'll make it again, as the cake was Bisquick based and that is not something typically found in my kitchen.

*UPDATE*
Of course now we've actually moved, and before I finished this entry. The basics of the cake were a simple cake like concoction made from Bisquick mix. The topping was a simple Apple Crisp crumble topping. In the event that I find my handwritten note about this recipe or make something like it again I'll update this post again.

Until then, just enjoy the picture of cake.

In Limbo

So, lots has been going on since my last post.  I started working full-time, which cut into my desire to cook.  Then I got pregnant and a combination of tiredness and morning sickness took away all my cooking mojo.  Now that I'm feeling up to cooking again we are inbetween homes.  We've been lucky enough to have friends with space for us to stay, but it just isn't the same as having your own kitchen.  All my spices have been given away and my tools are in storage.  But I have been cooking again, so there might be something to share soon.

Homemade Chili Seasoning

Last time I went on a big grocery trip, I planned a menu and made a shopping list.  Chili was not on it.  At some point yesterday though I decided that we must have chili for dinner, and I would use the TVP to keep it vegetarian.  I thought to myself "surely I have beans and tomatoes on hand, and I can figure out chili seasoning..."

The recipe I found that most closely resembled what I thought I was looking for still needed some tweaking to fit personal preferences.  Mostly because I am too wimpy to handle any kind of heat.  And I dislike black pepper in just about EVERYTHING.  I think it tastes like dirt.  Yes, I know what dirt tastes like (thank you, Basic Training).

Here is what I came up with for the best chili seasoning:
(adapted from mybakingaddiction)

4 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
dash of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt

Mix together all ingredients.  Makes about 1/2 cup.

 

Mmmm, chili seasoning with no hidden ingredients.  Store in an air tight container.

Now for the Vegetarian (actually Vegan) Chili:

Start with Onions.  I used 6, but they were small.  They came from the Farmer's Market in Haleiwa. Don't be fooled by their tiny size.  Half way through I had to take a break for onion tears.  Chop them up and saute them in olive oil. 

TVP = Textured Vegetable Protein.  This ingredient is best not thought about.  When I think about it too much, I end up thinking of the scene in The Matrix where everyone is eating the slop that gives them all the nutrients they need.  So you can pretend to be sci-fi about it, or you can use ground meat. (Note: there will be no Vegan Super Powers gained by eating meat)  I used 1 cup of TVP and 2 cups of water.  Throw it in with the onions once they cooked as much as you like them.

Beans.  I used what I had on hand.  Which was 2 cans of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans.  Make sure you rinse those things.  Bean sludge is disgusting.  Add to the onion/TVP mixture.

 Throw in a can of diced tomatoes, including the juice in the can.  2 (8oz) cans of tomato sauce should be added too.  Unless you like dry chili.  Then add 2 tablespoons of the chili seasoning mixture.  Or more if you want.  This would also be a good time to add more heat if you can handle it.

Yum, finished chili.  The TVP looks like ground turkey.  Because of the chili seasoning it tastes like chili.  However, TVP all alone is gross.  Like tofu all alone.  You just shouldn't do it.

Limoncello Sorbet

A recipe for Limoncello popsicles got me all excited for a lemony treat. Of course, popsicles sounded silly given the fact my kitchen is equipped with an ice cream/sorbet maker. Doug always seems interested in Limoncello gelato when it can be found. That option didn't seem likely though; all the recipes were too high in rich dairy products for his consumption. So... sorbet!

Finding a recipe is easy. Unless you are me. Then you notice that about half the recipes you are finding suggest doing things one way, while the other half suggest another way. Many have ingredients you don't want to use or omit ingredients you do want. Solution? Take some notes about the things you like and head to the kitchen without a recipe.

Turns out the basic idea for sorbet is all you need. Some type of fruit juice and/or fruit puree and simple syrup will do the trick. The amounts of each depend on personal preference for flavor and consistency. Your simple syrup can be made with lots of sugar or a little, but it is important to cook the sugar into simple syrup. Otherwise your sorbet will be gritty instead of smooth.  Flavored liquors can be added to help boost the flavor and to help keep the sorbet from turning into a giant ice cube. Or in the case of Limoncello sorbet, to give the treat the nice bright lemon flavor of Limoncello.

So enough about my method and onto my recipe (makes about ten 1/2 cup servings):
2 cups water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup Limoncello
Zest of two lemons
1 cup lemon juice (preferably fresh squeezed)

1. Mix water and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
2. Mix Lemoncello, lemon juice, and lemon zest. When sugar mixture has cooled to room temperature, add to Limoncello mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Follow ice cream maker directions with mixture.

(just so you know, I ate this scoop after taking its picture)

Ta da! Limoncello sorbet. If you want, you can pour a shot of Limoncello over each serving. We ate it without, and it was wonderful. No sharing from this batch, though I may make some for the next potluck get-together. And I'm already having ideas about other fruit/Limoncello combinations.

Millet Salad

As mentioned yesterday, I was planning on Tabbouleh for dinner last night. But the recipe looked rather bland, so the only part I followed were the directions for cooking millet.

I started by toasting 1 cup of whole millet in a tiny amount of oil.  After a few minutes of toasting, I filled the pan with water, brought it to a boil, then simmered the millet for about 15 minutes.  When it was finished simmering, I drained, rinsed, and drained again.  Had to get it cold before mixing with veggies.

Meanwhile, I chopped veggies.  Lots of veggies: tomato, cucumber, onion, garlic, and bell pepper.  I had about 1 1/2 cups of chopped tomato, 1 1/2 cups of chopped cucumber, 1 cup of chopped green onion, and 1 1/2 cups chopped pepper.  Plus a few cloves of garlic.

Add about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, and 1 tsp dried cilantro.  Give it all a stir and store in the fridge until the millet is done.  None of these measurements are accurate.  I poured olive oil and lemon juice straight from the bottle.  Same with the cilantro.  And the cheese was the end of a container.  I also added salt.  Before putting in the fridge I tried a bite and it tasted great so I left it alone.

Add the millet and eat.  Turned out pretty good.  Doug thought the onion was a little heavy.  I really liked the sweetness of the bell pepper.  We both agreed less olive oil and more cheese would be an improvement.

Veggie Fare

Doug mentioned while we were on the mainland this summer that he would like to try eating vegetarian more often.  Maybe even more often than not.  As someone who ate primarily vegetarian (because it was easy and I was lazy) in college, I have no problem with this.  We're not doing it because we feel bad for animals.  In fact, bacon is my primary reason for not being vegetarian.  If I could make the entire pig into bacon and waste none of it on pork chops, I would.  Then there are the lambs.  If it weren't for needing fiber for my knitting habit, I would eat ALL of them.

But, back to the vegetarian thing.  It won't be 100%.  Some meals will be planned with meat.  Many will not.  And I'm using the term lightly.  Eggs and dairy are just fine.  Fish is a grey area.  I might call bacon seasoning and pretend it isn't meat.  Doug said he'd like to try to be about 90% meatless.

My last post was on the veggie pasta with homemade cheese.  Last night we had Rice Noodle Salad; eggs were the only animal product.  The recipe was fun because I used rice noodles for the first time.  At first I was a little concerned about the lime juice.  I could smell it in the sauce and worried it would be over powering.  It wasn't though, and Doug ended up eating 3 bowls of the stuff before he could stop himself.  He would have had more for lunch today, but he forgot his lunch at home.

Half way through his first bowl.

Tonight I'll be trying to make Tabbouleh with millet.  I've never used the grain before, but have a small amount on hand.  A recipe in the current issue of Vegetarian Times was my inspiration for what I plan on making.  The recipe itself looks rather bland, but I think I can fix it up with garlic, bell peppers, and cheese.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I Made Cheese!

I've always thought making cheese seemed like a fun idea. The dinner I made last night had a quick, 3 ingredient version of ricotta. It was super easy. I'll be making it again. The recipe it was in is called Linguine with Quick Lemon Ricotta.  The lemon flavor was different from anything I've made for dinner before, but not bad.  Next time I'll put in garlic instead.  We like that much better around here.

The actual cheese part was 2 cups 2% milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, and 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar.  Microwave for 4 minutes on high in a quart-sized measuring cup, stir gently, and drain.

First, you need cheese cloth to make the recipe.  Having none on hand, I decided a coffee filter in a strainer would work just as well.  I was right.

The cheese as the whey drains out.

Finished cheese.  Ready for seasonings.  In this particular recipe that was salt and grated lemon rind.  I have a feeling that the smoked garlic salt we acquired in New Zealand will make a much better addition.

And next: pictures from the rest of the recipe...

Golden grape tomatoes, grown locally in Hawaii.  The recipe called for plain grape tomatoes, but I brought these home instead.

The joys of a teeny tiny kitchen - the pans are teeny tiny too.  You CAN cook a 12oz box of noodles in a 1.5qt pan, but it's kinda messy.  Now I remember why most pasta in the last few months has been shaped pasta instead of long noodles.  They cook easier in small pans.

The other veggies of the meal: summer squash, zucchini, and bell peppers.  Garlic was also added.

Ta Da! Dinner.