Recipe
Happy 2017!
So it’s a new year! I know I’ve been MIA for more than a while now and I did promise (if you’ve been following me of the Facebook) that I’d post something before the new year. But I thought I’d wait until today, you know new year / new start and all. And this ain’t even food-related, just a little reintroduction of sorts.
Anyhoo, I’ll do better about posting and hopefully y’all haven’t forgotten about me. Any questions, just ask. Here’s to 2017 and y’all leave Mariah Carey alone! Team Mariah for life!
Ciderhouse Whiskey
Alright, here is the first of the recipes and of course I start with booze! This recipe I found on Saveur’s website. I thought it sounded amazing and it was! How can you go wrong with bourbon and cider? I make a similar version that involves bourbon, cider, and sparkling wine — very festive. Anyhoo, here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 oz. bourbon
- 1 oz. cider syrup
- strip of lemon zest
- ice
Combine bourbon and cider syrup over ice and stir. Twist the lemon zest to release the lemon oil and drop into the drink. Stir again and serve!
Notes — Cider syrup is essentially some cider that has been really boiled down. I started out with about 6 – 7 cups of cider and boiled it down to about a cup or a cup and a half. It maybe filled the syrup dispenser shown in the pics to about 80%. According to the recipe, you’ll need to boil it down gently for about 2 hours; mine took about 3. . . The bourbon that I used is from the Grand Traverse Distillery in Traverse City. I had gone up there for a vacation just before the summer tourist season started. I was absolutely floored by it! This was one of the places that I had definitely wanted to visit while up north and I was not disappointed. They only make some small batches and they only had a few bottles left when I was there. Luckily I had picked up a bottle for me and one as a gift. What’s nice is that they do their very best to use locally produced grains to make their spirits. I believe that everything is Michigan made, except for the bourbon — I think they need to get the barley from out-of-state. If I remember correctly, it is 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% barley. I was familiar with their high quality vodkas and now they are working on making a gin and rum as well. I can’t wait to go back and see what else they’ve got and luckily they are building a tasting room in Novi, MI so I won’t have to drive up to Traverse City to get myself a taste!. . .
Happy Chocolate Day!
I completely forgot it was Chocolate Day! I need to eat some right now!
Today is one of my favorite holidays.
What? October 28 doesn’t ring any bells for you? You didn’t see the greeting cards?
Well, let me tell you that today is National Chocolate Day!
I admit I’m a choco-holic. My family will tell you that I’ve always had a sweet tooth and that my sweet of choice has always been the melt-in-your-mouth variety. When someone says “kisses,” my first thoughts are of the foil wrapped variety not the smooching type. My husband has grown accustomed to seeing bags of chocolate chips in the vegetable crisper and has long since given up asking if I knew they were there. My favorite sweatshirt has always been the one that proclaims “Give me chocolate and no one gets hurt.” (Sadly, it wore out about 10 years ago. But it’s still my favorite.)
In the summer, chocolate shakes are a must. Hot chocolate is a…
View original post 175 more words
Pumpkin Carving 2013
Hey everybody! Happy Halloween! I just had my annual Pumpkin Carving this past weekend. Sure it was cold and it did rain a little bit, but I think everyone had fun. We even did it up a little bit and put some bales of hay around the fire pit so folks could carve and still stay warm. And we did have a fire extinguisher on hand because having a bunch of dry straw next to an open flame isn’t exactly the safest thing to do.
Folks brought some stuff to share like a nice rice salad and a yummy warm spinach dip. We provided the pumpkins and made a big batch of chili. I baked a whole bunch of stuff as well:
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Pepita Lavender Brittle
Savory Pumpkin Rugelach
Ciderhouse Whiskey (Saveur)
I also made a Harvest Spread, but that was from a mix (I know). I’ll get the recipes up as soon as I can. Well, maybe not the Brittle recipe because I have done a Lavender Pepita Croquant before and the recipe is very similar. On a weird side note, apparently I am the country’s leading expert on Pepita Croquant. I did a Google search to do some research and there I was — I took up the top three spots. Weird and unexpected, but still kewl. Anyhoo, keep an eye out for the recipes and be safe during the holiday!
Jereme’s Kitchen, revisited — Gluten-Free Coconut Pie
Hi everybody! I just wanted to take a look back at some of my old posts and see if anything needed to be addressed. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 2 1/2 years since I started this blog! As an aside, I wanted to thank all my readers for allowing me into your culinary lives. Y’all are the best!
Anyhoo, this Coconut Pie was the first recipe I had posted ever. And weirdly, I did not include any pictures of any kind. So this post hopefully fixes that. Of course I made some changes, just to switch things up a little bit. It has been a while since I’ve made this, but from what I remember, the pie still didn’t quite set up correctly. I made some tweaks and I like the final product. And this time I made it Gluten Free, so yay! Now these changes, in addition to some boozy cranberries, seems to work. The original recipe that I found from Penzey’s did not have a picture so I just kinda had to guess what it was supposed to look like. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1/2 c. bourbon
- 1/4 c. dried cranberries
- 1 stick of butter, melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 c. coconut flour
- 1/4 c. cornstarch
- 2 c. milk
- 14 oz. shredded coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring the bourbon up to a boil over medium heat. Add the cranberries and turn off the heat. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients (including the cooled cranberries and bourbon) and mix well. Pour into an ungreased 10-in. pie plate. Bake for about 45 minutes until browned and the middle is set. Let cool. Run a thin knife around the rim of the pie plate to help release before cutting.
Notes — I think this would be good with some pistachios. . . This probably could have stayed in the over for another 5 or 10 minutes. . . Might try baking this in the lower half of the oven and see if that can help develop the crust. . . I have tried grating the nutmeg on top of the pie instead of putting it in the batter. I actually liked the results, especially if the pie is still warm!. . .
Hazelnut Pesto
Alright, I know that I’ve posted a pesto recipe before. But this one is different because I used hazelnuts! Plus I fiddled with the ratios on this one to get a more standardized version. If you’ve made a pesto before, you understand how easy making this can be. But you also understand how important it is to use high quality ingredients. If anything you use is of a lesser quality, you will definitely notice it.
Now using hazelnuts in this recipe can be slightly problematic, since they do have those pesky husks on them (I am not sure that terminology is right). It does take some effort to get those things off, but I think it’s worth it. This recipe makes a big batch. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3/4 c. hazelnuts
- 5 c. fresh basil leaves, packed tight
- 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 c. olive oil
- juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 c. grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper, to taste
1. Roast the hazelnuts in either a preheated 350 degree F oven or in a pan over medium heat. Roast them until they become fragrant and slightly browned. Transfer them to a plate and cover with a light towel and allow them to cool. While they are covered they can steam which helps release them from the husks. Now rub the nuts with the towel to clean off husks and set aside.
2. In a food processor, place hazelnuts and pulse to chop for a few seconds. Add the basil and pulse again. Do the same when you add the garlic.
3. With the food processor running. drizzle in the olive oil to combine. Add the lemon and pulse for a few seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl or storage container. Stir in the Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes — I made a batch of Garlic Confit and added a little bit of the infused oil into the pesto. I didn’t put too much because I just wanted a hint of the flavor. Maybe I used a couple of tablespoons. . . I like putting lemon in my pestos which most people don’t. Maybe it makes it too much like a gremolata for folks. I just like the brightness it adds, plus it helps keep everything green. . . Roasting hazelnuts is made more idiot-proof because of their husks. The husks help protect the nuts from burning so even if you get a little charring on the husk, the nut may actually be just fine.
New look and fun with the Beekmans!
Hey everybody! Sure it’s been awhile since I’ve here, but it’s another injury-filled couple of weeks for me. Maybe I should actually rest instead of still playing volleyball for once. Humbug on that! Anyhoo, I just have a couple of announcements.
First of all, Jereme’s Kitchen has a whole new look! It took me awhile to decide on one and I will probably be tweaking it over the next few weeks. Of course, I could just change it altogether. I’d appreciate any feedback and thoughts!
Secondly, I got a chance to spend the afternoon with the Fabulous Beekman Boys earlier this month! And this time they were both here (well, not here exactly, but close enough in Lansing, MI)! If y’all remember, I was able to attend a reading by Josh Kilmer-Purcell back in April of 2011 when he came back for a visit of his old alma mater (Go Spartans!). This go around, he came back and he brought his partner Brent Ridge MD with him! The focus for this talk and book signing was for their new Heirloom Dessert Cookbook. The recipes they have assembled are a collection of time-honored gems that have been a part of their own family traditions and histories. Like the previous cookbook, they do leave a space for you personalize the recipes with your own special twist or just leave some notes on what to do. There is also a space for you to add any family recipes and include it in this heirloom collection. It’s a nice touch that other cookbooks don’t offer! And one lucky Jereme’s Kitchen reader might just get their own signed copy to cherish (hint, hint — stay tuned)
At the book signing, Brent had told me about a blog project that the Boys and Kenn the Biscuit Guy were planning. So I got to talking with Kenn the Biscuit Guy (there is a very entertaining story about how his name came about, and it involves Martha Stewart!) and he gave me some of the details about it. The blog is called Bake Like a Beekman over at Blogspot. What is so great about this is that they will look at one of the recipes in the book, participants will then attempt to create them, and then everyone gets to share their experiences with the recipe. You can talk about any changes you made, serving suggestions, concerns that you may have, or just share your results.
Now the project did already start this past Sunday, with the first recipe being the Walnut Cake. There are already some results from the participants posted. A new recipe will be selected every Sunday, and there will be a deadline for submissions. That way we can all learn everything we can from each other and then all move on to the next recipe! I think it’s a wonderful project — it’s like we all are taking an online class together. I look forward to participating and I encourage y’all to join in too! If you do decide to partake, tell Ken-with-two-“N”s that Jeremy-with-an-“E” sent ya!
Boycott Barilla
Just passing this post along from fellow local blogger at Last One Eating. This story has been making the rounds for a bit and I see that the company is trying to do some damage control now. People are free to believe whatever they want, but people are also free to express their displeasure with a boycott. There are many alternatives to Barilla products out there, some of them are even local! Personally, I like what the Beekman Boys have put out since 25% of their profits will go back to help small farmers. Sure it’s not local (at least not in SE Michigan), but Josh Kilmer-Purcell is a Michigan State grad. Go Spartans!
Yet again there is another food related foot in mouth incident of bigotry. The food world had just been through the Paula Deen drama.
Now Guido Barilla, of Barilla Pasta has jumped on the anti-gay bandwagon .
You probably have a box of Barilla pasta in your home right now. I did.
From the Independent by Michael Day
Guido Barilla, whose firm has almost half the Italian pasta market and a quarter of that in the US, told Italy’s La Zanzara radio show last night: “I would never do an advert with a homosexual family…if the gays don’t like it they can go an eat another brand.
“For us the concept of the sacred family remains one of the fundamental values of the company.”
He added: “Everyone has the right to do what they want without disturbing those around them”. But then the pasta magnate upped the ante by attacking…
View original post 635 more words
Friday Foodie Funnies, ep. 4
Now it’s probably too late in the season for corn, but getting some fresh corn is absolutely amazing. If you’re still in season, head down to your farmer’s/farmers market and get yourself some. Here’s an old post of mine with a recipe for some corn on the grill.
And just a reminder for folks, these are just some images that I either find on the Interwebs or that have been sent to me. So I do not own them and will gladly take them down if it becomes problematic. Just don’t be jerks about it. You know who you are.
I’m on Facebook, too! Happy Friday, y’all!
Lemon Macarons
Now I’ve done a lot of research on macaroons. Alright, it’s not like I’ve done a dissertation on the topic but I’ve done comparisons on lots of different recipes. And what I’ve found is that all the recipes are pretty much exactly the same. Well, not exactly — they do differ on different flavorings and whatnot. But since the base recipe is pretty simple and standard, you can get a little creative with flavorings.
Of course, “lemon” isn’t exactly creative, but I had some lemons in the fridge already so that was an easy choice for me. Plus, the zest won’t really change the moisture content of the ingredients.
But let me backtrack a little bit. If you don’t know what macarons are, they are those really colorful, round, meringue-based, French cookies that looks so intimidating to make but really aren’t. They have some specific requirements though. Anyhoo, here’s what you’ll need. . .
For the cookies:
- 3/4 c. almond flour
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 1/4 c. superfine sugar
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- yellow food coloring (optional)
- lemon oil (optional)
1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar together twice. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, start to whip until foamy. Then add the cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks.
3. Once you get soft peaks, start gradually adding the superfine sugar with the mixer on low. Then continue to whip on high after all the sugar has been incorporated until you get stiff peaks. Add the food coloring and lemon oil (if using) and whip until combined.
4. Add the zest and flour mixture in three batches, folding well each time. Continue folding until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
5. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe into small circles, about 3/4 inches across. Rap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles (I don’t think I did that hard enough this time). Now let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 10 – 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly browned. Cool for about 10 minutes on the pan, then peel off parchment and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Set aside whilst you make the filling.
For the filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 c. superfine sugar
- 1 t. vanilla
In the bowl of a mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Assemble the cookies by matching up similarly sized cookies. Spread a small amount of the filling on one of the matching pair and sandwich them together. Serve immediately.
Notes — I could not find the piping tip that I needed so these didn’t exactly look the way I wanted. . . Try not to diddle with them too much after you pipe them. . . Now I made a lot of filling for this (again, I had a brick of cream cheese available) — just cut it in half, or just make a double batch of cookies, or just use it to make a cheesecake, or schmear it on a bagel. . . I have read that you should age your egg whites. Not sure why. Haven’t done it before. Maybe I’ll try that out just to see what differences there are. . . I’m also not sure you’ll need the cream of tartar, but whenever I make a meringue I always throw some in there. . .
