Fried Corn

Posted by Michele at 3:21 PM 0 comments

This is a southern treat that I grew up on and love to make it (unhealthy though it is!) for my family, especially with our delicious PA white corn in season.  Like my mom and grandmother and great-grandmother before me, I make this dish and then freeze it to have when fresh corn isnt available.

You will need a cast iron pan for this.  This recipe is for 1 dozen ears of corn, which requires either a huge pan or a large pan plus a medium pan.  If you are using 2 pans, you'll need to use 1/3 of the ingredients in the smaller pan and 2/3 in the large one.

Shuck 12 ears of white corn. Using a sharp knife, shear the corn kernals from the cob.  Melt 1 stick of butter. Scoop the kernals into the pan, over medium heat, and pour in one pint of heavy cream. When the corn begins to boil, lower the heat to low.  Stir in 1tsp salt and 1tbsp pepper. Stir frequently to avoid scorching or burning.  Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours. 

When you bite into the corn, it should be al dente and should 'pop' in your mouth.

Irish Apple Bread Pudding

Posted by Michele at 1:54 PM 0 comments

Fall is wonderful for so many reasons, but fall in Pennsylvania is especially wonderful because of the access to so much delicious, harvest produce.  From squash to (my favorite!) apples, it's a bountiful autumn.  Our local farmer's market is in full swing until November, and this recipe is dedicated to the farmers we have had the pleasure of meeting in our little part of paradise (i.e. southeastern PA).  Primarily, the food I made this with was sourced (very) locally (sometimes coming from right down the street!).

apples freshly picked from Tabora Farms in Chalfont this morning!

Note: this is not an overly sweet bread pudding.  It is a savory, fall treat that gets a hint of sweetness by adding the Whiskey Cider Glaze.

Irish Apple Bread Pudding

In a large bowl, combine:
325g cinnamon raisin bread (about 2/3 of a standard loaf)*
25g raisins
287g (red delicious) apples (about 3 medium, peeled/cored)*

Over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter~. Switch to low heat and whisk in 1/2 cup apple cider*, 1/2 cup buttermilk~, 1 cup half and half (or light cream)~. Cook over low heat for 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Whisk in 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, then one at a time, whisk in 3 eggs+, making sure to whisk until completely combined after each addition.  Slice open and scrape 1 vanilla bean, whisking to combine.  Add 1 cinnamon stick and stir well.  Cook on low heat for 3 minutes.  Whisk.  Up heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes.  Whisk.  Cook for 3 more minutes on medium-low.  Whisk.  Up heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. 

Pour your pudding mixture over the bread mixture and stir, mixing well.  Pour the finished product into an 8x8 or 7x11 baking disk that you have greased with either cooking spray or some left over butter.  Allow it to sit while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook for 45 minutes (give or take 5 minutes depending on your oven). The pudding is done when the pan is completely set, a caramel brown, and bubbling.  Optional: sprinkle over a handful of white sugar and/or a handful of brown sugar if you want a sweeter bread pudding.

Remove the bread pudding and allow it to rest while you prepare the Whisky Cider Glaze.

Prepare your ingredients in advance:
1/4 cup butter~
1tbsp vanilla (I make my own with Bulleit Bourbon and whole vanilla beans)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup apple cider*
1/4 cup Irish whiskey (I use Redbreast for cooking and for drinking, although Midleton is my favorite for a drink! A shoutout to my kickass (step)Dad for encouraging my love of fine food and cooking, and teaching me what a good drink is all about!)
1 egg yolk+

Although you can cook this straight to heat, I highly recommend using a double-boiler to avoid scorching.

In the top of a double boiler (over boiling water), melt the butter.  Whisk in the vanilla until well combined then slowly pour in the sugars, which you can mix together prior to adding.  Continue to whisk as you drizzle in the cider.  Whisk until the sugars are completely dissolved; do NOT add the whiskey prior to this step, as you will cook out all of the alcohol and some of the taste.  Whisk in the whiskey then add the egg yolk, whisking vigorously for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.

NOTE: This recipe is best served warm and the sauce will thicken as it cools.  If you are making this in advance, cover the pan with foil and heat for 15 minutes at 275 degrees (or 10 minutes at 300 degrees). Return the sauce to the top of a double boiler and heat, slowly adding 1/8 cup of cider and 1/8 cup whiskey (depending on how thick the sauce has gotten, you may need the full 1/4 cup of liquid; otherwise, just eyeball and add, a tablespoon at a time, the cider and whiskey until the sauce is the correct consistency).

Ingredients marked with "*" were sourced from Tabora Farms (Lansdale and Chalfont); the apples were actually picked from the tree TODAY in Chalfont by my family- doesn't get better than that!
Ingredients marked with "~" were sourced from Natural by Nature of West Grove.
Ingredients marked with "+" were sourced from Alderfer Farms in Telford.

Crock Pot Roast

Posted by Michele at 3:08 PM 0 comments

One of the easiest recipes in the world (and tastiest on a cool night) is my mom's pot roast in the crock pot.  It makes the house smell divine and warms you up no matter the temperature outside.

Toss the following into your crock pot, in this order:
2-3 pound roast, 1 bag of baby carrots, 1 white onion-diced, 4 red potatoes-diced.

Add your favorite spices.  I like to throw in 1tsp oregano, 1tsp rosemary, 1tsp basil, and 1tsp pepper.

Pour over 4 cups vegetable broth.  Cook on low for 6 hours. 

Remove 1 cup of the broth from the crockpot and whisk with 1/4 cup corn starch until there are no lumps.  Return to the pot and stir, shredding the beef as you go.

Serve with crusty bread or potato rolls.  This recipe freezes well; when you heat it up, add in 1/4 cup broth or water for every cup of stew.

Butternut Squash Soup

Posted by Michele at 2:19 PM 0 comments

I've made this both vegan and non-vegan, with equally delicious results.  So, pick your dairy (or non-dairy) poison and dig in!

Butternut Squash Soup

Peel one medium-large butternut squash and dice it into 1 inch pieces.  Toss them with 2tbsp olive oil and roast them at 400 degrees for an hour.

Place the cooked squash in a crock pot on low with 2 cups vegetable stock.  Mash the squash well, then add 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and 1 stick of cinnamon, and stir.  Cook for 2 hours over low heat, stirring every 30-45 minutes.

Puree the finished soup with 1 cup light cream (or 1 cup nut milk for a vegan alternative; I prefer unsweetened coconut milk for its thickness). 

Serve immediately or freeze.  If freezing, defrost overnight in the fridge, then mix with 1/2 cup light cream/milk/nutmilk before heating.

Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Posted by Michele at 12:25 PM 0 comments

If I could bake only one thing that sums of "autumn", it would be this cake.  Moist and delicious, it doesnt even need the glaze, but if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, then drizzle some on!

Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

In a mixing bowl, combine 15oz canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup white sugar.  Mix until 'creamed'. 

While your pumpkin mixture is mixing, combine 1 and 1/2 cups A.P. flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2tsp baking powder, 1tsp baking soda, 1/2tsp salt, and 1tbsp pumpkin pie seasoning.  Stir to combine. 

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the pumpkin, followed by 1/4 cup apple cider.  Repeat twice more, at the end adding an additional 1/8 cup apple cider.  (All together, you need 3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup of cider).

Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes in a bundt pan.  When done, cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.  Glaze the entire cake or individual slices, as desired.  Serve warm or room temperature.

(Vegan) Apple Cider Glaze
In a jar, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 1/4 cup apple cider.  Shake well to combine.  Store at room temp. 

End of Summer Waffles

Posted by Michele at 6:53 PM 0 comments

As summer winds down and we welcome fall, treat your family to this warm breakfast with a hint of summer sweetness!

For the waffles... (makes 8)
Blend 2 cups of malted flour, 1/4 plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup applesauce until no lumps remain.  Pour into a pancake iron on "3" (medium) and cook until done.  You can keep these warm in a low heated oven.

For the peaches...
Peel one peach and slice it.  Preferably in cast iron, melt 1tbsp of butter and saute the peach.  Add 1/4 cup of sweet/dessert white wine (you could use apple or white grape juice) and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Top the waffles with the peaches and drizzle real maple syrup (grade B!) to your heart's content!

Vanilla Bean Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream and Figs

Posted by Michele at 6:47 PM 0 comments

This embodies the warm flavors of fall with the final summer harvest of figs.  We picked up the dozen I used from the local farmers market yesterday and yummy oh yummy... My mother-in-law says this is her new favorite dessert.

For your convenience, you can have the homemade recipe and my thoughts on a cheat (for the dry cake ingredients!)

The homemade... (It's my basic butter cake with added vanilla)
Basic Butter Cake:
Mix & Set Aside: 2c A.P. flour, 1tbsp baking powder, 1tsp salt
Cream: 1/2c softened butter, 4oz. applesauce (a snack size cup)
Slowly beat in: 2/3c white sugar, 1/2c brown sugar
Add in, one at a time, and mix well: 6oz plain Greek yogurt, 1tbsp vanilla, 2 eggs + 1 egg white, 1/6c
almond milk, and 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped.
Add in the flour mixture slowly then beat on medium-high for 2 minutes
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (however your oven works) until done. Makes three, 8" squares.

If you dont want to mix your own, take a box of Duncan Hines French Vanilla and add 1/4c oil, 1/4c Greek yogurt, 1 1/3c water, 2 eggs + 1 egg white, 1tbsp vanilla, and 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped.
Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (however your oven works) until done. Makes three, 8" squares.

For the frosting...
Beat 1 cup of softened butter, 2tbsp raw honey, 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, and 1tbsp vanilla until light and fluffy.  A quarter cup at a time, add in 3 cups of powdered sugar, beating well between additions.  After you last addition, drizzle in up to 1/6 cup almond milk (add only as much as you need to make the consistency correct for frosting).

For the fig filling...
In a food processor, process on high: 12 small green and ripe peeled figs with 1tbsp raw honey.  Pour into a bowl and whisk in 1tbsp cornstarch.  Sit aside for half an hour while you cook and cool your cakes.

When the cake is compelely cooled, ice your first layer with the frosting then spoon over a thin layer of the fig filling.  Cover with a cake and repeat.  Cover with the top layer of cake.  Frost the outside of the cake.  When you serve each piece, drizzle over some of the fig mixture.

Enjoy this combo of summer and fall as the season changes!