Can you say… HEAT WAVE?
It’s been too hot to cook or bake these days, which has resulted in a bit of a hiatus for Will’s Kitchen… The fun thing is that when the weather happens to break, we have all these fresh ingredients from our gardens to work with! Here are our “Best Blueberry Muffins Ever” with one cup of Blueberries replaced with one cup of freshly picked raspberries… we were able to whip these up during a thunderstorm. Check back when the summer turns to fall — we have tons of awesome recipes to try!
Categories: Baking.
Tags: Baking and Confections, Baking powder, Bread, Cooking, Flour, Home, Muffin, Quick Breads
By admin
—
July 16, 2010 at 6:52 pm
He LIKES them, he REALLY REALLY LIKES THEM!
Canola Oil – 2 Cups
Flour – 1 Cup
Salt – 1/2 Tablespoon
Baking Powder – 1/2 Teaspoon
Sparkling Apple Cider – 1 Cup
Fish — Flounder, Cod or other White Fish – 1 pound
Lemon – 1/2 to squeeze
You will need – Mixing Bowl; Measuring tools; Whisk; Knife for Cutting – watch little fingers!; Rubber Spatula; Deep Pot for Frying; Slotted Spoon
Start by pouring the oil into your pot and heat it over medium/low heat and then whisk together the Flour, Salt and Baking Powder in your mixing bowl. Pat down the fish with a paper towel and then trim while looking for any bones to remove and then cut into strips. Slowly pour the Sparkling Apple Cider into the flour mixture and stir with the spatula until smooth.
Once the batter is combined, use your fingers and dip the fish into the batter piece by piece and add to the hot oil. Only add in a few at a time making sure that they aren’t touching — otherwise they will stick together. Let one side cook for approximately 4 minutes and then use the slotted (or holed in our case) spoon to turn each piece over. Cook both sides until the color is golden brown and then remove to drain. Repeat until all the fish is cooked, give a good lemon squeeze over the whole lot and then GO FOR IT!
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? We are happy to announce that YES, Will ate them! He actually tried a bite of each one to see which was the yummiest! It was only a few months ago that he did an about-face rejecting the frozen fish sticks — needless to say, we are really happy to see fish back in his diet again! Just goes to show how important it is to TRY TRY AGAIN!
Categories: Fish, RECIPES.
Tags: Baking and Confections, Baking powder, Cider, Cook, Fish, Flounder, Flour, Heat, Home
By admin
—
June 4, 2010 at 5:51 pm
We try a lot of things here in Will’s Kitchen.
Many of our attempts fail, unfortunately. But sometimes we come across a recipe that turns into something completely different, which is OKAY because it then becomes something else… Something new… Something we were not expecting, but enjoyed nonetheless.
We started off to make quesadillas using a recipe for Tortillas from the May 2010 Food Network Magazine. And to say we started off — we did everything that the recipe called for… We even tried to flatten our tortillas with a coffee can , which they recommended should you not have a tortilla press… we ended up finally using one of Will’s plastic plates instead… Note to self – get a tortilla press.
But that wasn’t the only hitch. When we started cooking, the tortillas became stiff – like little pie crusts — not soft at all. We were, however, half way through combining the filling for the quesadillas from a leftover Chicken Fajitas, so we continued on to make these fun little chicken sandwiches…
Here is the link for the Tortillas — please note, again, that ours turned out like crusts.
For our filing, we used Vegan Monterey Jack as well as leftover
Chicken Fajitas and then baked the sandwiches for 15 minutes at 350°.
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? He actually really liked the mini corn pie crusts and he liked the vegan cheese, but once everything was all put together he lost interest and cared more about cleaning up and riding his bike. Maybe it was the time it took to make the tortillas? Regardless, the rest of us ate them and agreed that we had created something yummy!
Categories: Chicken, RECIPES, Retries and Leftovers.
Tags: Cheese, Chicken, Cook, Home, Monterey Jack, Quesadilla, Sandwiches, Tortilla
By admin
—
May 28, 2010 at 6:33 pm
When Cousin Anders sent us his recipe for Thai Stir Fry, we knew we were in for a challenge.
First of all, his recipe is all about peanuts and spice — clearly both traits not in-tune with Will’s current allergies and tastes.. But we were certainly up for the task — and Anders’ recipe sounded so delicious, that we started searching for ways to modify the dish. It was in April’s 2010 issue of Body+ Soul (a Martha Stewart Publication) that we found Cold Peanut Noodles… Here is what what we started with:
Anders’ Thai Tofu Stir-Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Extra Firm Tofu – 1 Block
Chunky Peanut Butter – 1/2 Cup
Water – 1/2 Cup
Soy or Tamari Sauce – 2 Tablespoons
Sherry – 1 Tablespoon
Lemon Juice – 1 Teaspoon
Brown Sugar – 1 Tablespoon
Peanut or Coconut or Vegetable Oil – 2 Tablespoons
Garlic – 2-4 Cloves, minced
Crushed Red Pepper – 1-3 Tablespoons
Stir Fry Veggies – 3-4 Cups — Anders uses broccoli, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, bok choy, red peppers and carrots
Chili Thai Sauce – 1-2 Tablespoons
Martha’s Cold Peanut Noodles
Whole Wheat Spaghetti – 1/2 lb.
Natural Creamy Peanut Butter – 1/2 Cup
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce – 2 Teaspoons
Toasted Sesame Oil – 1 Teaspoon
Chile Garlic Paste – 1 1/2 Teaspoons
Garlic – 1 Teaspoon, grated or minced
Sugar -1/2 Teaspoon
Water – 1/2 Cup
Served with shredded Bok Choy and Carrots dressed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a little toasted sesame oil. Season with salt.
Here is what we did to make this dish kid friendly and peanut free:
Anders & Martha Inspired Soy Nut Noodles
Whole Wheat Linguine – 1 package
Creamy Soy Nut Butter – 1/2 Cup
Chunky Soy Nut Butter – 1/2 Cup
Water – 1/2 Cup
Light Soy Sauce – 2 Tablespoons
Lemon Juice – 1 Teaspoon
Canola Oil – 1 Tablespoon
Garlic – 3 Cloves Crushed
Gomasio – 1 Tablespoon
Sugar – 1/2 Teaspoon
Served with Shaved Carrots, Daikon Radish and Snow Peas
First, we cooked our pasta according to the package directions and then let it drain and cool. Then we combined all the ingredients and until smooth and then mixed it in with the noodles. We decided to keep all Chili ingredients out of the recipe as well as the Tofu — Will is very specific about how he likes his Tofu, and we didn’t want to scare him off. To compensate for the lack of heat in the dish, we added some shaved Diakon Radish, which has a bit of a bite to it.
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? Well, he ate pieces of the dish on it’s own… the carrot shaving, soy nut butter, snow peas, pasta… but once we threw it all in a bowl together he wouldn’t have anything to do with it… We did, however, serve it to guests for dinner and it was a huge hit! Thanks Anders (and Martha)!
Categories: Pasta, RECIPES.
Tags: Brown sugar, Cook, Fruit and Vegetable, Home, Salt, Sesame oil, Soy sauce, Stir Fry, Vinegar
By admin
—
May 11, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Gee is one of Will’s Grandmothers — pronounced like Glee, but without the ‘l’, although we were filled with Glee once we completed this easy and quick recipe!
Bread is not an easy food to accomplish. Most of our attempts have not only taken too long, trying the 2-year-old’s patience, but in many cases the dough never rose to the occasion — making for hard bricks of flour. This recipe was simple AND we were done with the actual preparation in less than 20 minutes — just enough time to make the experience fun!
Adapted from The Complete Book of Breads by Bernard Clayton, Jr.
For One Loaf:
Whole Wheat Flour – 3 Cups
Sugar – 1/4 Cup
Salt – 1/2 Tablespoon
Dry Wheat Yeast – 2 Packages
Hot Water – 1 1/2 Cups
You will need – Mixing Bowl; Measuring tools; Whisk; Rubber Spatula; 9×5″ Bread Pan, greased; wax paper
In your mixing bowl, whisk together the Wheat Flour, Sugar, Salt and Yeast. Pour in the water and stir 50 Strokes to blend with the spatula and add to the bread pan. Wet your fingers so that the dough doesn’t stick to you and push the batter into the corners and smooth it out. Cover with wax paper and put in a warm place to rise — approximately 30 minutes until the batter has doubled in volume.
Preheat your oven to 400°.
Bake the dough for about 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350° for an additional 20 minutes. Let the bread cool — we added a little Agave to our slices for some sweetness…
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? Sigh… No. But he was very excited about making it!
Categories: Baking, RECIPES.
Tags: Baking and Confections, Bread, Cook, Dough, Flour, Food, Home, Water
By admin
—
May 7, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Have waffle recipe, Will will travel!
Traveling is not an easy task for those allergic to such common ingredients as dairy and eggs. Peanuts and tree nuts are easier to avoid, but can still pop up as ingredients of the strangest things… When we go away, which is once every few weeks, we try to stay with friends and family or in accommodations that come with kitchens/kitchenettes. This past weekend we had a breakfast extravaganza with our Blueberry Waffles… We aren’t without fun though… Fast food — as bad as it is for you, is always a crowd pleaser while driving the long road home..For example, Will can have the Chicken Select Strips but not the McNuggets… Check out McDonald’s Nutrition and Ingredients guides — they even highlight what menu items contain the more popular allergens. Other chains also have info on their websites as well — it’s always good to know before hitting the road, or even just going out to eat…
Categories: Baking, RECIPES.
Tags: Dairy, Egg, Fast food, Food, Home, Peanuts, Potato waffle, Shopping
By admin
—
May 3, 2010 at 6:30 pm
We feel like we haven’t had this much success since man set foot on the MOON!
Who knew that a few blueberry muffins would push us over the edge!
Flour – 2 Cups
Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon
Baking Powder – 3 Tablespoons
Sugar – 1/2 Cup
Applesauce – 1/2 Cup (good idea to have more on hand for snacking)
Canola Oil – 1/4 Cup
Soy Milk – 3/4 Cup
Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 Teaspoon
Frozen Blueberries – 2 Cups
You will need – 2 Mixing Bowls; Spoon; Rubber Spatula; Muffin Tin
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and combine the Flour, Salt, Baking Powder and Sugar in a mixing bowl. Before combining the rest of the ingredients, you might want to offer your son or daughter some applesauce… you know, just to see what happens… Then mix together the Applesauce, Canola Oil, Soy Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar in the 2nd bowl. Pour the liquid mixture into the dried and stir with your spatula until fluffy — almost marshmellow-like. Please note that we don’t use a mixer to stir this all together because you don’t want to over-mix it. If it becomes to creamy.. the results could be rather heavy.
Carefully fold the Frozen Blueberries into the mix and spoon into the muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Light, sweet and — while we pat ourselves on the back — DELICIOUS!
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? YES YES YES!!! Not only did he eat the muffins, but he commented that he liked them. BUT THAT’s NOT ALL… Midway through the mixing process he was playing with the applesauce when he asked for a spoon, started eating it and then ASKED FOR MORE! He hasn’t eaten anything with a creamy texture since he was teenie tiny! We are over the top here people… Like spaceship over the top!
Categories: Baking, RECIPES.
Tags: Baking powder, Bread, Canola, Cooking, Flour, Home, Muffin, Quick bread
By admin
—
April 28, 2010 at 12:18 am
Turkey Meatballs round three…
After we made our Turkey Meatballs a few days ago, we took a turkey break and waited until the day after next to cook up a nice homemade red sauce to serve over fresh pasta. The red sauce soaked into the meatballs, and when we still had a few leftover, we saved them one more night to make these yummy little sliders. Served with fries, this is a great way to wrap up the day.
One note: Make sure to read the bread ingredients for the slider rolls as most in the typical bread aisle will contain milk or eggs. Try the freshly baked section.
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? He ate the fries, which we can’t take credit for… as for the meatballs, sadly, no. But we know he will someday… we just know it!
Categories: RECIPES, Retries and Leftovers, Turkey.
By admin
—
April 26, 2010 at 12:05 am
Color.
Honey – 2 Tablespoons
Dijon Mustard (egg free) 1 Tablespoon
Soy Milk – 1/4 Cup
Worcestershire Sauce – 1/2 Tablespoon
Panko – 1/4 Cup
Gomasio – 1 1/2 Tablespoons
Black Pepper – 2 Teaspoons
Dried Basil – 1 Teaspoon
Garlic Salt – 1 Teaspoon
Low-fat Ground Turkey – 1 package
You will need: Mixing bowl, Whisk, Spoon, Baking Sheet
Preheat your oven to 375° and whisk together the Honey, Dijon Mustard, Soy Milk and Worcestershire Sauce. Add the Panko and allow the crumb to sink into the mixture and then add the rest of the ingredients. The best way to incorporate the Ground Turkey is with your hands — wetting them first will make it easier to clean them off after the meatballs are formed. Mash the Turkey in with the rest of the ingredients and knead until mixed through. Measuring with your eyes, dish out a little more than a tablespoon and roll the turkey mix into balls… Try to keep them all relatively the same size.
Once your meatballs are ready, wash your hands and then pop them in the oven for 20 minutes, turning them at the ten minute mark. We like to add more color to the turkey meatballs by adding in colorful pasta, diced tomatoes and chopped basil — I’m sure that you can think of a million other yummy toppings too! Please note that there will be leftovers… We recommend adding the meatballs to a sauce for the second round as they tend to get a little dry after they’ve been refrigerated. Mangia. Mangia.
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? He ate the pasta… loved that. He was a little sketch on the Meatballs which is strange because he used to eat them when he was younger…. tastes change I suppose…
Categories: RECIPES, Turkey.
Tags: Black pepper, Cook, Egg, Home, Mustard, Salad, Tomato, Worcestershire sauce
By admin
—
April 21, 2010 at 5:11 pm
There is a slim chance that we might be going to a Food Blogger taping of The Martha Show, so we are breaking out the big guns with a little shameless self promotion…
Will’s Aunt Katie is about as organic and unique as you can get… And she manages green houses, which makes us all green with envy — She’s also somewhat of an expert when it comes to vegan and holistic cooking… We think her Cheezy Sauce is like nothing else we’ve ever tasted.
Nutritional Yeast – 1 Cup
Flour – 3 Tablespoons
Arrow Root Powder – 4 Teaspoons
Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon
Water – 1 Cup
Olive Oil – 1 Tablespoon
Dijon Mustard (egg free) – 2 Teaspoons
You will need: Mixing Bowl; Whisk; Sauce Pan; Spoon for stirring
Whisk together the Nutritional Yeast, Flour, Arrow Root Powder, Salt and Water in the mixing bowl and then transfer to your saucepan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until it starts to become thick — this will happen rather quickly. Stir in the Dijon Mustard… There really isn’t anything to compare the taste of this sauce with — it is completely unique and very tasty… we had some breadsticks on hand for dippage — you can, of course, use whatever you’d like…
And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? Unfortunately, creamy is not a texture that Will is liking very much these days… so, although he enjoyed playing with the sauce, he didn’t taste it — we’ll get there someday!
Categories: RECIPES, Snacks, Vegan.
Tags: Business, Condiments, Cooking, Egg, Food and Related Products, Home, Mustard, Olive oil
By admin
—
April 17, 2010 at 4:47 pm
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=3d1dd5bf-2067-43ec-b553-db53aea66e66)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=cda7df01-f38d-4fd8-9664-6392bc4433cf)
Recent Comments