Strawberries are Here!

Well not here exactly, because apparently the spring in Arizona is too short for strawberries, but California is pretty close by, and they churn out some yummy berries. I've been eating at least a pint a day, it just doesn't make sense not to when they're $1/pint. I've thought about making a strawberry tart or cake, but that's just too much work when they're so good plain. Buttermilk scones, biscuits, shortbreads, whatever you want to call them are pretty easy though, and make delicious strawberry shortcakes, or are great plain with butter and jam for breakfast.

Buttermilk Biscuits

makes 6

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 Tbsp sugar (depending on your tastes)

5 Tbsp cold butter, cut into bits

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. With your fingers, combine butter with dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir until a soft sticky dough forms. Drop dough into 6 mounds on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.

BBA #3: Bagels

My father-in-law turns 88 next week. His favorite joke goes something like, "What's a yiddish word that starts with A? A bagel!" He retired from the City of New York Sanitation Department after 32 years, 31 years of which he played saxophone in the NYC Sanitation Department Marching Band. In the early 70's Mayor Lindsay trimmed the fat and disbanded said band, depriving future generations of the joys of civil servant music and prompting a bunch of ol' fellas to retire grumpily. Lousy bagels are just one of the things my father-in-law is still grumpy about, so Frankie, this one's for you! A bagel!

The bagels were not too difficult to make, and did come out wonderfully, with a soft chewy middle and a slightly crunchy exterior skin. I kneaded the dough by hand, giving props all the way to past village bagel makers and their invincible arm muscles. Geez! 17 minutes and I'm sore as hell today. In hindsight though, it was cool to feel the dough change in my hands, and finally reach that satiny texture. After 15 minutes of struggling, I think I developed a kneading rhythm, so maybe it will be easier next time. Another fun and delicious bread baking experience, thanks to the BBA Challenge. I know it sounds rote, but I really never would've thought to make bagels myself. I think I might trot this recipe out a few times a year, if it's a three day weekend, or if I happen to get my hands on some good lox.

Or maybe it can be an annual birthday treat for Frank, of which I hope to celebrate many more.

BBA #1: Anadama, part 2

While the first loaf of Anadama was gobbled up in one sitting, the second loaf made it through the week. This bread really held up well! It didn't get stale, moldy, or lose any of its flavor. I finished off the last of it for lunch today, topped with canadian bacon, egg and tomatoes, YUM.

I made bread!

I made bread! It is delicious, and the house smells great. I used the Cinnamon-Rasin Milk Bread recipe from Joy of Cooking and I couldn't be more pleased. Or maybe I'm just glad it's finally done. I didn't read the recipe thoroughly so started baking at 8 PM, so after a double rise, it's past midnight and I'm just pulling it out of the oven now.

Breakfast To Go

These last for about a week in the fridge, and are a great way to use up tiny bits of leftovers, and prepare make-ahead breakfasts. Put the kettle on, pop one or two of these in the toaster oven, and by the time you've found matching shoes and your car keys, breakfast is served. Also easy to eat while driving, applying mascara and talking on the phone.

Quiche Muffins

makes 6 jumbo muffins

5 eggs

1/2 cup milk (unsweetened soy would work)

1/4 cup cheese

1/4 cup cottage cheese (omit if you don't have it, or substitute plain yogurt)

1/2 cup veggies, meat, herbs, more cheese, potatoes, whatever you have!

Preheat oven to 375. Butter or spray a 6 cup jumbo muffin tin. Do not use paper liners, they get too greasy. Dice your filling - you can use whatever you have in your fridge. I've used roasted veggies, salami, lentils, chicken, drained pico de gallo, or just herbs and more cheese, anything that sounds good with eggs works! Beat eggs, combine milk, cheese, cottage cheese if using, and filling. Pour into muffin cups, but do not fill more than halfway, as these rise a bit. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops are browned and golden and middles don't jiggle, or check with a toothpick.

Greek Muff

Usually I prefer fruity (fruited?) muffins but now that berry season is over, these are my new favorite winter ones. This is my kind of baking recipe, no electric mixer or goddamn creaming of butter or Frankenstein yeast involved, just buttermilk, which I swear is magic, and I hear is low fat. From Nigella Lawson, hence the weird quantities, they're converted from metric.

Baklava Muffins
makes 12

Mix together for the filling:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts, pecans, almonds)
3 T melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon cinammon
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400, and line a 12-er muffin pan with paper liners

Whisk together the wet:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 egg

3 tablespoon melted butter

Sift together the dry:
1 cup plus 7 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar

Combine mojados y secos gently until just barely combined. Fill each muffin cup 1/3 way full with batter, then scoop in 1 teaspoon of the nut filling, then top with more batter. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Good Morning!

Croque Madames are my favorite breakfast at my favorite breakfast place LGO, but why go out when a financial meltdown is looming? Here is my version of their version. The process is key, because the hardest part about breakfast is timing. You must have coffee with this, preferably a dark roast. (Borrowed this picture from Google, I can't find the camera charger again.)

Croque Madame
for 1

1 slice bread, preferably from a big fat crusty french loaf
butter
dijon mustard (or whole grain, but must be spicy)
1 egg
olive oil
1 slice ham
1 slice cheese (gruyere, cheddar, asiago, parmesean, pretty much any cheese is good on this)
good tomatoes, diced
parsley, chopped finely
salt and pepper
2 small frying pans

1. Simple directions:
Toast bread with cheese, top with fried egg and everything else.

2. Obsessively thought out and timed directions:

• 0:00 Butter the bread lightly on both sides. Chop your cheese, tomatoes and parsley.
• 0:02 Heat olive oil in one pan on medium high. Heat other pan on medium high.
• 0:04 When both are hot, crack the egg in the oil pan and place the bread in the dry pan.
• 0:05 Swirl the egg pan so the egg white spreads out and the oil gets all up in eveything.
• 0:06 Flip the bread over. Place cheese on bread. Place ham on cheese.
• 0:08 When the egg white turns opaque, season with S&P, cover pan and turn off heat.
• 0:08 Spread dijon mustard on top of ham. Put away stuff and finish making your cup of coffee.
• 0:10 Put bread-cheese-ham-mustard stack on a plate, then slide the egg on top. Sprinkle with parsley, tomatoes and more pepper. Eat.

Next month- how to time making two at the same time.

I also made a new recipe I found online, Crustless Quiche Squares, and divided them into foil wrapped 1 portion sizes to we could grab one every morning on the way out the door for a good protein packed breakfast. Except we ate most of them for second breakfast, and dinner, and then accidentally left the rest out, unrefrigerated all night. I think my cat nibbled on them at some point while we were sleeping, she likes ham. They were good, I might try again next weekend.

Mom's Famous Baked Egg Puff

If you have met my mom, or visited her home, she's probably fed you this, and you've probably wanted the recipe. So here you go!

10 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 red bell pepper
Butter

Beat eggs until light with electric mixer. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, jack cheese, and 1/2 cup butter and beat until smooth. Put red bell pepper into food processor (for best results) or if you don't have one, mince super finely and smash with mortar and pestle. Drain the liquid from the pepper puree and add the puree to the eggs. Bake in a well buttered 9x13 dish for 35 minutes, uncovered at 350 or until center is firm. Serves 8 landscapers or 12 normal people.