Five Mountains Tea from Colleen

If you like tea at all, check out Five Mountains tea (I’m into the Pacific Peppermint).  One of my kiddos at school  gave me  a little box and I cracked it open and MY MIND WAS BLOWN.  Step aside, Bigelow!  I ordered some in bulk so it works out to about 65 cents per cup, which seems like a reasonable indulgence to getting one’s morning off to a good start.  

---Colleen

Note from B:

It's available at Amazon if you aren't on the West Coast or aren't near a Whole Foods.  https://www.amazon.com/Five-Mountains-Organic-Peppermint-Caffeine-Free/dp/B00MATGFGM/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1564492272&s=gateway&sr=8-4&srs=8896440011

Or order directly:  https://www.fivemountainstea.com/
Examples of other flavors are:  
Jasmine Petal
Spring Jade Green
Nile Valley Chamomile
Cedarberg Rooibos 
Heirloom White
Genmaicha
Bergamot Black
Grand Crimson
Detox Pu'erh

Glazed Chocolate Tart by Colleen

"Whenever I make this, people immediately ask for the recipe."

I’ve made this tart twice in the past two weeks - it is still a big hit, but I have modified it (the crust and the glaze) over the years*.  The filling is still the same. See updated recipe below.  

I found it originally at Epicurious - the changes aren’t really enough to consider it a “new” recipe - just an improved version. 

Whenever I make a chocolate cookie crust, I always use the Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies because they aren’t overly sweet. 

The glaze in the original recipe was never enough to cover the tart completely. By bumping up the ingredients a little, you have enough to easily cover the whole tart. The recipe says not to glaze the tart if you make the recipe a day ahead, but I don’t think it really matters. I would glaze it the day it’s made. If you chill the tart, it makes glazes very tricky, as the glaze will firm up before you can get it to cover the whole tart. But if you do decide to glaze the tart on a different day, you really have to make sure the tart is at room temp before you glaze.

It’s really quite easy and people love it. It just has three distinct steps so it’s a little time consuming. Sometimes I make the crust the night before and then do the filling and glaze the next morning. It’s nice because it’s not overly sweet. The filling has no added sugar. But it’s rich and a little goes a long way. I usually serve with whipped cream. Creme anglaise works too.

---Colleen

Glazed Chocolate Tart
(adapted from epicurious.com)


Ingredients
For crust:
1.5 cups Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies, ground in a food processor
6  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
For filling:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
For glaze:
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
4 teaspoons warm water

Equipment:
a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)

Preparation
Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Blend together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes.

Make filling: Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze:

Make glaze: Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water.

Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks' note:

Tart is best the day it is made but can be made, without glaze, 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

     ---Colleen

* originally posted Dec 2011

Sarah's Mud Cake from Gretchen

A Good Use of Leftover Coffee

I had fun making this cake.  Super easy to make.  It starts on the stove top then you mix in the rest of the ingredients with a hand mixer.

I was cleaning out the pantry--- where I found 4 ounces of bitter chocolate --- plus I had leftover coffee.  What can I make?  Then I remembered this recipe.

It's one of my sister-in-law's which I copied down a long time but never made.  When I asked Gretchen about it, she said it is a very good recipe, that it freezes well, and it came from a gal in Amherst who is a great cook.   

Disguised the imperfections on top by drizzling the dregs of a jar of Tom's hot fudge sundae topping over the top.  A spider-web of sorts.  Probably got ruined when I wrapped up the cake, but I had fun drizzling, nonetheless.  

I am going to freeze it and serve it to guests when they visit us later this summer.

---Barbara

Sarah's Mud Cake
(from Gretchen, who got it from a gal in Amherst)

2 cups extra strong coffee
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares*
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
pinch of cinnamon
2 eggs
Chocolate Sauce for drizzling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Prepare a 10 inch springform pan.  (I lined mine with parchment paper and buttered the sides.)

In a saucepan large enough to hold all of the ingredients, bring the coffee to a boil.

Add chocolate squares, and bring to a rolling boil.  Stir until it melts.

Off the heat, add the butter, and stir until it melts.

Add 2 cups of sugar and stir together until combined.

With a hand mixer, stir in the 2 cups of flour, 1 t. salt, 1 t. baking soda, and pinch of cinnamon.
(With a spatula scrape down the sides, and mix again to be sure it is all combined.)

Add 2 eggs, combine well.

(I whisked my eggs and tempered them with the chocolate before adding.)

Bake 1 hour 40 minutes (up to 2 hours) at 300 degrees.

Cool 10-15 minutes.

Take out of pan, and immediately cover.

Refrigerate.

Let sit in refrigerator a couple of days before serving.

---B

Notes:  Glad I used the parchment.  The cake slide easily off the springform pan base, once I loosened it.  I wrapped it in foil, then plastic.   Will let it sit in the fridge for a few days then put it in a plastic bag in the freezer.

*I used Sharffenberger bittersweet which is 70% cocao versus unsweetened which is 100% cocoa.  Also I used Starbuck's Pike Place drip coffee.

Refrigerator Pickles Thousand Islands

Fresh Dill Head from the Farmer's Market

Made these refrigerator pickles (i.e., ones that aren't canned and must be refrigerated) two summers ago as I was closing Tom's family cottage at Thousand Islands Park, after everyone was gone.

Sarah, her family, and I spent a week there. Tom joined us for the weekend.

I was on my own for several days, cleaning and closing, and enjoyed using up what was in the fridge and in the pantry.  These are the last things I made, as you will see from how empty the refrigerator is when I am done.

I saved the pickle juice from jars we had while we were staying there. One was sweet and one was dill. And then bought a few cucumbers and a head of dill at the farmer's market.  Still had a onion, and garlic, and then I used what I could find in the pantry:  vinegar, sugar, celery seed, black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes.

Turns out it would be the last night I stayed there.  His family has now sold it.

So, I am feeling sentimental about making these refrigerator pickles.

I plan to try to replicate them this summer.   Planted a couple cucumber plants and they are starting to develop cukes.  Finger-crossed, in a few weeks, I will have enough to make pickles.

---Barbara

Refrigerator Pickles Thousand Islands

Makes 2 small jars

1 large onion,  or 2 small, chopped
4 large firm cucumbers or 8 small
fresh dill head (i.e., it includes the seeds)
12 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise
black peppercorns, about 2 t.
crushed red pepper flakes, about 1 T.
celery seed, about 1 T.
leftover pickle juice from 2 jars, one sweet, one dill (save the jars)
1 T. salt  (use sea salt if you have it)
1 cup distilled vinegar  (white or red wine or apple cider)
1 cup water (use purified if you have it)
1/4 cup sugar, use 1/2 cup if you want sweeter pickles

Note:  Save the pickle jars and lids.  You will be reusing them.

Chop the onions.  Wash and dry the cucumbers.

Slice them thinly.  And put them in a bowl large enough for all of the ingredients including the pickling liquid.

Add the chopped onions on top of the cucumbers.

In a saucepan, add the leftover pickle juices, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, the cloves of garlic, black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, celery seed, salt and the head of dill.  Note: if you think you need more liquid, then add more vinegar and water in a 1 to 1 ratio.

Bring to rapid boil.  And boil for 1 -2 minutes.  You want don't want to reduce the liquid, just boil it to eliminate any potential bacteria.

Immediately pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers and onions.

There will be lots of goodies in the bottom of the pan.

Add them to the bowl, too.

Cover and refrigerate.

If your cucumbers are not submerged, then add a plate to hold them down into the liquid.

Once completely cooled, then divide them evenly into the pickle jars you saved.

If you have excess, then you can put them in glass or plastic containers with tightly fitting lids.

Refrigerate.

These pickles must be kept refrigerated.

---Barbara

Judy's Kale Salad

Judy brings this delicious salad to parties and I enjoy it every time, so I asked her to share her recipe with us.  Thanks, Judy!

When I made it, I used tangerines instead of oranges and used only half the dressing.  I added the hot farro to the kale and onions, coated them with the dressing and put a cover on the bowl until it cooled to room temperature, so the kale would wilt.  Then added the tangerines, and toasted, crunchy walnuts, just before tossing.  Served the extra dressing at the table.  

---Barbara

Citrus, Kale and Farro Salad

Serves 6

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 t. honey
1/4 t. salt
pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
2 cups cooked semi-pearled farro* (made from 1 cup dry), warm or chilled
2 cups thinly sliced kale
1 cup chopped orange segments (about 2 oranges)
1 small shallot, sliced thinly
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
a few whole walnuts for garnish (optional)

Whisk the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Add olive oil, whisking until emulsified.  Set aside.

Combine salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.   Toss with prepared dressing and serve warm or chilled.

Can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

*Farro is an hulled wheat, and can be found now in the rice aisle because it has become popular.  Or organic section.  It's not gluten free.  There different kinds, requiring different times to cook.  This one is pearled, which does not have any bran, and is the fastest to cook.  But all them are good!

Upon reflection, I think semi-pearled would be better than pearled.  I will have to ask Judy which type of farro she uses.

Seafood Stock

Seafood stock is sometimes tough to find at the grocery store, but it is easy to make when you have leftover shellfish, like we did after the 4th of July.

Basically, you put all of your leftover shells in a big pot, cover them with water and add flavoring ingredients, like onion and bay leaf.

I don't stress about having all of the right ingredients.  I use what I have on hand at the time.

You can freeze the shells and do this another day, if you don't feel like doing it after the meal.

---Barbara

Seafood Stock

leftover lobster shells and shrimp shells
water to cover
1 bay leaf
1 onion, cut into quarters, papers left on
2 T. Old Bay seasoning
handful of black peppercorns, about 20
a carrot, if you have it, scraped and cut into large chunks

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn it down to very low, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours.

Cool for about 1/2 hour.

Then, put a large mesh strainer on top of a stock pot large enough to hold the liquid.

Pour the shells mixture into the strainer, and press the solids to release the flavors.

Remove the strainer and discard the shellfish and onion, etc.

Taste the stock.  It shouldn't be too salty, but it should taste fishy.

If it seems too thin and watery, you can put it back on the stovetop and simmer again, uncovered, for another hour or two.  Skim off any foam that comes to the top.

Cool.

Then, strain again as you pour into containers for freezing.

Label or you'll wonder what the heck it is.

---Barbara

Cheesy Cornbread

UPDATED 2020
This is the cornbread from Etta's Cornbread Pudding ---with extra cheese added. It is good on its own.  Goes well with mussels, and hearty stews.  It isn't a sweet cornbread.
---Barbara

Cheesy Cornbread
(adapted from Tom Douglas's Seattle Kitchen cookbook)

Makes 16 squares

1 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3/4 cup shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup milk 
3 T. honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Grease a 8" x 8" pan with butter.

Mix the dry ingredients together:  flour, cornmeal, baking soda, salt and shredded cheese.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk or milk, and honey.   Whisk until all of the honey is fully incorporated.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix with a spatula until just combined.

Melt the butter in the microwave, until it just melts.

If it is too hot, wait until it cools.

Then, add the butter to the batter, and stir gently with the spatula until the butter is incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top, if necessary.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  (Will brown around the edges, not on top.)

If desired, brush the top with a little butter.

Cool on a rack.

Flip it over on to a cutting board, remove from pan,  and cut into 16 equal squares.

Can be made ahead of time, then put it in the toaster oven on the "bake" setting at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes to warm up before serving.

Freezes well.

---Barbara

Mussels with White Wine, Garlic and French Basil

Steamed and Sweet

Mussels are usually made with fresh parsley, which Tom doesn't like, so I make them with basil.  I prefer to use dried French basil, from Penzsey's, which is sweet and has a slight anise flavor, and is not pungent as some fresh basil can be.  I also add seafood stock to pump up the brininess.  

---Barbara

Mussels with White Wine, Garlic and French Basil

Serves 4 

2 lbs. pounds fresh mussels
1 cup white wine
2 cups seafood stock
2 T. dried French basil or 1/2 cup fresh, chopped
1 T. fresh minced garlic, or 1 T. dehydrated
olive oil

Plan enough time to clean the mussels and have them ready to go in a bowl.  Keep them cool.

Discard any open mussels.  Under cold running water, use a brush to remove any barnacles on the mussels (this won't be necessary if they are farmed) and remove the beard, if there is one, by pulling it towards the hinge and discarding.  If it doesn't come off easily, use a paring knife and run it along the edge until you get it off.  Not all mussels will have a beard.

In the bottom of a large saute pan with lid, add olive oil, about 1 - 2 T.  and start to heat up the pan.

Add a few glugs of wine (about 1 cup), garlic, basil and seafood stock.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to med-low and reduce the liquid in half. 

Pour yourself a glass of wine while you wait for it to reduce.  Takes about 10 minutes.

Add the mussels, cover with the lid, and cook for 5 minutes.

Check to see if they are opening.  If not, cook longer, and check after each minute, until they are all open.

Scoop out the mussels with a wire spider, and divide evenly among 4 deep dishes or bowls.

Pour the sauce equally over the top of each portion.

Serve with a small fork for picking out the mussels, and a large spoon for sauce. 

Cheesy cornbread goes well.

Place a large bowl in the middle of the table for the shells.

---Barbara

Barbara's Everyday Salad

My go-to salad

I have made this salad more times than I can count.  And believe it or not, it is my most frequently requested recipe.

It's not really a recipe.  It's more the ingredients that matter.  And how you put them together. 

You need 7 ingredients:

• cherry tomatoes
• pine nuts
• a shaved hard cheese
• salad greens
• Dijon mustard
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• plus salt and pepper

Cherry Tomatoes:
The ripeness of the tomatoes is paramount.  So use the ripest tomatoes you can get.  In summer, we use fresh, but that's not possible for us 10 months out of the year, so I have learned how to make the most of what we can get.

I keep a line-up of store-bought cherry tomatoes on the windowsill, adding a new container each week.  I use them on a first in, first out basis, and try to keep ahead of Tom eating them.  He likes to eat them raw, dipped in a little salt, then popping them into his mouth.

Don't buy grape tomatoes. For some reason, they don't have any flavor. Look for cherry tomatoes.  At Wegman's they are called Super Sweet.

Doesn't matter how long you let them hang out on the windowsill.  They will shrivel and become even sweeter, like a raisin.  They will last as long as a month.  Pick out any that begin to brown.

Just don't put the tomatoes in the refrigerator or serve them cold.  A room temperature tomato is the best.

Pine Nuts: 
The pine nuts should be from Italy, not China, and must be toasted.  You can toast them yourself, or buy them already toasted as they are now available at stores like Trader Joe's or Wegman's.

Salad Greens: 
I vary the greens --- arugula works very well.  Also, a mix of spinach, and Italian greens.  Sometimes I like to use the Spring Mix with Herbs.  Use the best greens you can find.  I often use pre-washed greens in a tub but the quality varies, so I change the greens based on what's freshest.

Cheese:
A hard Italian cheese works best:  Shaved Grana Padano, shaved Parmesan, or a mix of shaved Asiago, Parmesan and Grana Padano.  Grated works just as well as shaved.  

Dijon Mustard:
My favorite Dijon mustard to use is Maille, from France.  Grey Poupon will also do. 

Olive Oil: 
Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.  A good grocery store brand is California Olive Ranch.  

---Barbara 

Salad with Tomatoes, Pine Nuts and Italian Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

5 ounce of greens, washed and dried
12- 15 cherry tomatoes, super sweet variety, at room temperature
3 T. toasted pine nuts
2 T. shaved firm Italian cheese, like Grana Padano or Parmesan
3 T. high quality extra virgin olive oil
1.5 T. high quality balsamic vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard, like Maille
salt
pepper

In the bottom of the salad bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard.  Add a little salt and pepper.

Then, using a small whisk, beat the vinaigrette together until the mixture is emulsified, i.e., all the ingredients are mixed together well, and are not separated.

Add the greens.  Sprinkle a little salt over them.  And a few grinds of pepper.

Next step is to slice the tomatoes in half.  Then, season them well with salt.  Add to the salad.

Don't skip salting the tomatoes directly.  The tomatoes need salt.

Add the pine nuts.

Add the shaved cheese.

Toss the salad just before serving. 

---Barbara

Lemon Poppyseed Squares (Gluten Free)

When a Soggy Bottom is a Good Thing

This dessert, one of my Sunday afternoon experiments, is hard to describe.  When I left a sample at a friend's office as a treat, she texted me with "This is delicious!" then later,  "It was fabulous! What was it?"

A confectionery concoction was my response.  

I'd been thinking about the idea of combining poppy seeds with traditional lemon bars for some time.  Poppyseeds and lemon go well together in muffins so why not in lemon squares? 

After doing some research, I decided to put the poppy seeds in a shortbread crust and to make a tart lemon-lime top.  I was all set to go, and opened the baking drawer to find that I was out of flour!  But I did have almond meal to substitute, so they became gluten free.  

Normally you don't want a soggy bottom, but the lemon-lime filling melded with the almond meal poppy seed base and created a thick, rich tangy bite. 

Made them again for the 4th of July, and they really sparkled.  

--Barbara

Lemon Lime Poppyseed Squares

Makes approximately 15  2-inch squares

1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 generous cups almond meal (or all purpose flour)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1 t. salt, divided: 1/2 t. for crust, and 1/2 t. for filling
parchment paper
4 eggs
2 cups regular sugar
1/4 t. salt
grated zest from 2 lemons and  2 limes
1/2 cup lemon lime juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 7 x 11" x 3" pan with parchment paper.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, poppy seeds, confectioner's sugar.  Cut in the cubes of butter until the size of peas.  (Use a pastry cutter, or your hands to do this.It will come together into a rough dough eventually.)

Press evenly and up the sides of the pan.

Blind bake the crust for 30 minutes or until browned.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

Zest the lemons and limes.

Squeeze them until you have 1/2 cup of juice.  Mix in the cornstarch until smooth and combined.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar until frothy.  Add the remaining 1/2 t. salt.  Then, the zest.  Add the juice cornstarch mixture, and mix together until well combined.

Pour on top of the cooled blind baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until not jiggly.  If jiggly, put it back in for another 5 minutes.  The top might puff and brown a little but when it cools it will become smooth.

Let it cool completely.  The bottom of the pan should be completely cool  Don't be tempted to do it early.

Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Use the flaps of parchment paper to remove from pan and cut into squares.  Use a firm flat metal spatula.  They will be so gooey that they are impossible to cut cleanly.  Do the best you can.

Serve with a fork or spoon.

Store in the refrigerator, and cut off sections as desired.

---Barbara