Blueberry Peach Crumb Pie

The farmers markets have been filled with delicious peaches and blueberries this summer! I have enjoyed eating and baking with both of them! I did a variation on the blueberry crumb pie and added peaches and used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for the crumb topping. The picture above is before I put the crumb topping on. Delicious! I think next time I might experiment and add some rum to the peach mixture! I've been reading a lot of recipes with that combination and I think it might add some jazz to this pie! I can't wait!

Chocolate Fallen Cake

In celebration of a close friends new job opportunity I decided to make a cake to share with her over a bottle of my favorite moscato, Santero Moscato d'Asti. It is very sweet and bubbly, perfect for desserts! This recipe for chocolate fallen cake is very easy to make, doesn't require a lot of ingredients and can be served with vanilla ice cream. I would recommend making this as a quick dessert that would please any chocolate lover! The texture is meant to be oozing out of the center when the cake is cut. If this does not happen then the cake is too dry for this recipe. Enjoy!

Chocolate Fallen Cake

8 T unsalted butter

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

4 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 t vanilla

1/4 t salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 T flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Generously butter and dust an eight inch springform pan with cocoa powder. 

Melt butter and semisweet chocolate together in the microwave or a double boiler. Once smooth, 

remove from heat. 

In a stand mixer, combine eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla. Beat on the highest speed until thick and pale and the volume has tripled. The mixture is done when it falls away from attachment in a smooth stream. Scape the egg mixture over the melted chocolate and fold to combine. 

Pour into your pan and bake for 27-30 minutes. The cake will look puffed with a thin top crust. Carefully remove from oven and run a knife around the outside of the cake to separate it from the pan. Cool cake for 15 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Crumb Pie

I would like to sincerely apologize for my lack of presence on Together Cooking recently. After returning from Colorado I was extremely busy with moving back to school and returning to the the life of being a student. My basic day is breakfast, work, lunch, class, class, class, dinner, class, work out, homework, sleep. I promise that now that I am back to my regular routine I will be back blogging and sharing my culinary adventures with my friends and readers. I am planning on putting up some Colorado leftover posts and some new posts as well. To start this off I would like to share with you a recipe for Blueberry Crumble Pie. I decided to make this after dinner one night for dessert. If you would like to make this pie I would recommend making it ahead of serving it so that it cools to room temperature which allows the pie to set up. Otherwise you will have a liquidy mess of blueberry all over your plate. Enjoy!

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Pie Dough:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
5 T cold water
dash salt

Cut the butter into chunks and combine with the flour and salt. Add cold water until the dough forms a ball. Roll out and place in pie dish. Place the rolled out dough in the freezer for 20 minutes before adding the filling and the crumb topping.

Filling:
4 cups blueberries
1 T lemon juice
3/4 cups sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/2 t lemon zest
1/4 t salt

Place the blueberries in a large bowl with lemon juice. In a separate bowl combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt. Add to berries mixture and stir. Set aside.

Crumb Topping:
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine the dry ingredients then stir in melted butter. Remove crust from freezer. Add blueberries. Add crumb mixture. Place in 375F oven for 45 minutes. Until the berries start to bubble. Remove and let sit until room temperature before serving. Enjoy!

Almond Milk

~Dedicated to Mollie and her brood!

The RQ began making almond milk when CP, CC, & LB were very young. Now they are older, and so are the RQ and P<. Making almond milk from scratch is a treat we ALL enjoy and it promotes good health. It is easy to prepare and can be tweaked to preference. We like to add a tablespoon or two of local maple syrup and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Almond Milk
1 cup almonds
4 cups water
1-2 Tblsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

To remove almond skins
Place almonds in a heat tolerant glass/ceramic bowl.  Bring enough water to boil to cover an inch above almonds. Poor boiling water over almonds and allow to soak till cool enough to handle. Drain, rinse, and peel, using your fingertips skins pop easily off nuts. Rinse skinned nuts.

To make milk
Measure 4 cups of cold water. Place almonds in blender adding enough water to create a smooth paste that blends easily (about 1 cup of water). After about a minute or two slowly add the remaining water to the paste. I do this in two batches as my blender will not hold the full 4 cups of liquid plus almond meat. Thus, poor the first batch thru a fine mesh strainer sitting over a pot/bowl large enough to hold liquid and without strainer sitting in liquid. Use a rubber spatula press & fold any remaining water from meat of nuts. The more you press, the meatier your milk will be, or as P< says, grainy. The milk can be strained a second time if a less grainy liquid is desired. Add maple syrup and vanilla to awaiting carafe. Poor in a bit of milk and swirl to mix. Then add remaining milk, and stir. Refrigerate and enjoy!

To make banana shake
Freeze a banana (peel & wrap in plastic). Mix frozen banana with 8-10 oz of almond milk for a delicious shake!

Aside

The almond meat can be refrigerated and used as a nice body scrub in the shower! OR Dehydrated on low for 2-3 hours for a nice almond meal to be added to baked goods!

Dinner in "a snap" - Grilled Chicken Salad

~Dedicated to our LOCAL FARMERS

Dinner in "a snap," code for 30-minute meal, easy as pie, duck soup, or effortless! When you want a quick easy meal any night of the week simply search for Dinner in "a snap!"

In western New York our local Farmer's Market opened last week. The connection to local farmers and produce is a magnificent way for the RQ to revive her relationship to the source of the food, the earth, as well as to the farmers who grow the crops and the family and friends for whom she is preparing the food. Our local farmer's market is open from June thru October. Available are fresh produce, all natural meets, granola, organic pasta, and much more. But the ultimate jewel is bringing home fresh local vegetables and fruits from the market. The unfolding of tonight's meal started with a vibrant head of Romaine from one farmer and a bunch of asparagus from another. It's too early for home grown tomatoes in New York so tonight the RQ used flavorful Campari tomatoes, greenhouse vine ripened and herbicide free. While the oven heats to broil for the asparagus, salad preparations begin. For blue cheese lovers the RQ tosses the lettuce with a scant amount of blue cheese dressing and then gives the pepper grinder a few turns. The tomatoes are cut in half and tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette (below). The asparagus as featured in the Roasted Asparagus with Lentils post is simply tossed with a bit of veggie oil, salt & pepper and broiled in the oven for a few minutes. Chicken breasts are grilled stovetop in a few tablespoons of oil in a HOT iron skillet for about six minutes each side; a quick and tasty compliment to the salad makes this a meal. Dress it all with any remaining vinaigrette from the tomatoes and blue cheese crumble. To satisfy our appetite for something sweet to follow, we simply munched on fresh local strawberries.

Shopping List-
Chicken Breasts
Asparagus
Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Blue Cheese Crumble
Blue Cheese Dressing
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette- 3:1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Balsamic Vinegar, salt & pepper to taste

Homemade Italian Pimientos

Just have to share this simple roasted red pepper recipe from The RQ's Italian grandmother. These have been a staple since Gram first shared how easy they are to prepare. Italian seasoned pimientos are great as a side to many a meal. Roasted pimientos are also great chopped up and/or added to many a salad, sandwich, veggie or baked casserole. Pimientos can include the basic red bell pepper, cherry pepper, & of course, the chili pepper.

Pimientos
3-4 red peppers (bell, cherry. chili)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
13/4 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper
olive oil just to almost cover

Bake (500 degrees) or broil, or char peppers over a gas burner (personal preference). I prefer baking or broiling as it is the least messy. Place foil on bottom of oven or lower rack if want to avoid leaking juices while the skins blacken. Don't forget to turn peppers to blacken all sides, about every 10-15 min.. Once blackened place in glass bowl and place lid on top to allow the skins to peel away from flesh. Once cool. Peel and slice. Add to oil & spices, refrigerate...ENJOY!

Coleslaw

This Memorial Day weekend felt like July here in western New York! So for a casual outdoor meal P< fried up some beer battered catfish, oven baked fries, and cole slaw. LB prepared our standard oven fries while DD prepared the slaw. The slaw recipe came from a very dear friend, AS.  As I've always said, a recipe that can be adapted is an excellent one for the home cook.

Old-Fashioned Cabbage Salad


4 cups shredded cabbage (half a med head)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
half a med-large onion, chopped or shredded
1/8-1/4 cup chopped pimiento

Dressing


1/3 cup white vinegar (white balsamic or apple cider are also nice)
3 Tblsp salad oil (sunflower is lovely) *
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tblsp. sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt or celery salt


*if you desire a thicker dressing simply add a bit more oil till you get the desired thickness

Stewed Beef Chunks

After a couple of weeks of sweltering heat, the rains cooled the temperatures and DD couldn't resist making a favorite Italian dinner of tender beef, stewed in red wine. Mashed potatoes, sauteed portabella mushrooms with fresh herbs and fresh plum tomatoes completed this hearty meal.

Stewed Beef


Pre-heat oven 375 degrees. In a dutch oven (med-hi stovetop) saute diced onions, carrots, and celery till golden. Add beef cheeks or any lean cut of meat traditionally used for braising or slow cooking meat (meat is packaged cut in chunks). Brown meat on all sides. Add to the pot 2-3 Tblsp of whole peppercorns, 1-2 bay leaves, and 1 cup of favorite red wine per 1 pound of beef. Cover and place in the oven for 20 min.. Reduce heat to 275 degrees for up to an hour, till meat is tender to fork. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Roasted Asparagus with Lentils

DD found this recipe from Delicious Living. What more is there to say. Surprisingly delicious~and totally good-for-you-eating! I will say this. Until this recipe I'd never broiled asparagus. I was pleased to find the asparagus cooked to perfection, maintaining a nice edible firmness.

Broiled Asparagus-Place coated asparagus (cooking spay, salt & pepper) directly under the broiler on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil 3 to 5 minutes. Done;-)

Shrimp Etouffee

A rich mahogany roux provides the foundation for a mouthwatering sauce for this New Orleans specialty. Cajun cooking at its best and shrimp lovers will agree, this stew is heavenly. Etouffee literally means, to smother. The oil based roux, vegetables, and spices create an amazing sauce which ultimately smothers the rice. Yes, there is rice beneath that pile of succulent shrimp and sauce. For this dish DD uses Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisianna Kitchen recipe for basic cooked rice. I use half each clam juice & water to bake the rice, as I am making a shrimp (fish) dish. Just a hint of onions, celery, green peppers and cajun spices added to the rice for baking yields amazing flavors. The rice is covered snugly and baked for about an hour at 350 degrees. The Etouffee comes from an unknown source, and is simply delicious.

Shrimp Etouffee


Roux Base:
1/4 cup veggie oil
6 Tblsp all-purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 cups clam juice (I use less for thicker sauce)
1 tsp basil, dried
1 tsp thyme, dried
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt

Shrimp saute:
6 Tblsp butter
8 green onion, sliced
2 lbs shrimp, large, deveined & peeled
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce (vital ingredient)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp hot sauce

Roux: Heat oil in heavy bottomed saucepan over med-hi heat a couple of minutes, careful not to burn. Add flour and stir constantly, cooking until the color reaches a rich mahogany. Add onion, pepper celery, & garlic until veggies begin to soften and flavors are released. Next stir in calm juice & bring to boil. Stir in spices and reduce to simmer covered an additional 10 min..

Shrimp Saute: 
Cook shrimp in a few Tblsp of butter over med heat. After a few min when shrimp begins to turn pink 2/3 up the side, add green onions and turn shrimp to cook on other side. After a couple of minutes add Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Add shrimp mixture to roux with the parsley and hot sauce...and ENJOY!

Shepherd's Pie with Lamb

Shepherd's Pie is an excellent choice for leftovers anytime of year for vegan and meat lovers alike. For this occasion, the little bit of lamb left over from our night grilling provided just enough meat to add to our basic Shepherd's Pie. This is what DD LOVES about spending time in the kitchen. It's knowing just enough about how a recipe comes together to really get creative with you meals and frugal with the ingredients you have on hand. A roux will nicely bind your veggies and meat. You can top with mashed potatoes or a simple fine bread crumb (with a couple Tblsp butter to combine). Bake in a hearty crust and ENJOY!

Wholesome Crust
3/4 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unbleached white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or Vegan Buttery Sticks
3 Tblsp water (COLD)

Cut butter into combined flour & salt mixture till pea-sized lumps. Sprinkle with water pressing with the back side of a dessert fork against the bowl till dough comes together (don't overwork). To finish, bring tog with hand pressing gently against the bowl. Flatten to 4" disk and refrigerate for 30 min.. When filling is ready, roll out resting dough for desired pan size. Place in pan. Filling, roux, and topping are added next, and the pie is baked at 375 for about 35 minutes.

Lazy Loaf

I found this yummy and very healthy bread recipe in Nigella Lawson's book, Nigella Express. Her book was filled with many quick recipes that I have yet to try but I made this one as soon as I stumbled across it because it was so easy and required few ingredients! I have to admit that it is quite a dense and hearty loaf. I ended up freezing it and then defrosting and toasting a piece at a time for breakfast. It reminded me of an English muffin! And despite its dense qualities I will make it again soon!

Lazy Loaf

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups muesli
2 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup water

1. Mix flour, muesli, yeast and salt in a bowl then pour in the milk and water and stir. It should be runny and thick.
2. Transfer this mixture to a greased loaf pan.
3. Put into a cold oven and turn to 225F and leave for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven up to 350F for 1 hour.
4. Enjoy with butter and jam.

Praises for CHEF GREG

Chef Greg Barnhill of Charles Court restaurant of THE Broadmoor was awarded Best in Show for the second year in a row, as well as best entrée for this year's April 2012 Chefs' Gala in Colorado Springs. GB's avant-gard approach provided a surprising and succulent main dish! Readers can read all about the event in the Colorado Springs Independent. With a few tips from AM, ones of chef's trusted apprentices, DD couldn't resist trying the unexpected pairings of spices with a favorite of hers, pan-seared scallops. In honor of GB's entree, DD prepared the pan-seared scallops with vanilla bean, mashed potatoes with saffron, and spring-asparagus with pancetta for an unexpected and elegant weeknight indulgence.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I used to not like pancakes. Then I had a change of heart! And now I love pancakes. I love that you can add just about anything to simple pancake batter and have an amazing pancake! This week I made Sweet Potato Pancakes! Delicious! I made a simple pancake recipe and added half a mushed up roasted sweet potato. Mushed is technical term for roasted vegetables that have been crushed to a creamy consistency. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 Sweet Potato Roasted & Mushed

1. Sift the dry ingredients together.
2. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the mushed sweet potato. Bake on a skillet with butter!
3. Serve with maple syrup!

Another variation that I concocted when I was camping once was with a store bought pancake mix that only needed water added to it. I then added bananas, cinnamon and wheat germ! The addition of those three things made a to die for camping pancake recipe that was easy to whip up in the morning on the gasoline powered camping stove.

Bubble Tea

In Buffalo....I used to drink a lot of Bubble Tea. Bubble Tea can be found at most Japanese and Chinese restaurants and seemed to be a big fad in Buffalo about a year ago. In between work and class I used to stop at the Japanese restaurant and grab a bubble tea and slowly sip on it during class enjoying the occasional bubble that used to slip through the fat straws that they give you to drink it with. When I went to the Asia Pacific store last week...they had bubble tea supplies...so I bought some. I decided on a watermelon mix and multi-colored tapioca balls. The drink is a powdered mix that you combine with simple syrup in milk. The tapioca balls just need to be boiled and then you are good to go. Pour over ice and enjoy! Currently I am out of bubbles...I need to get some more!