Vanilla Bean Scones

 

My sister-in-law, Lisa, has to be Starbucks’ number one fan. Any time we go out to dinner with her and her husband, Don, we have to end the evening at our local shop enjoying lattes and tea. We call it “going for Earl Grey” since that is my husband’s favorite beverage. My drink choice varies from mocha lattes to the flavor of the month, with the occasional black tea thrown into the mix. Lisa always orders a tall mocha latte, non-fat, no whip, fireball (190 degrees.) In fact, the baristas know her so well they start making her drink when they see her walk in the door!

 

(This is a photo of Lisa and Don taken last Christmas. Aren't they cute together!)

Lisa also loves the petite vanilla bean scones. They are her dessert of choice. So last spring when I saw an episode of The Pioneer Woman when Ree Drummond made her own version of these tiny scones, I knew I had to make some for Lisa for her birthday, which was this week.

These little scones taste amazing! I only had one problem with the recipe…the vanilla beans. Yes, the beans are a wonderful way to impart vanilla flavor into the scones, and they look nice with all of the little black dots of vanilla. However, the recipe calls for three beans—two for the scones and one for the glaze. At my store they sell the beans two in a jar. So I would have to buy two jars to get the necessary beans. That’s $20, which seems like a lot for just one ingredient.

 

 

Still I wanted those little black dots. So I used two beans (one for the scones and one for the glaze) to get the look I wanted, and then I added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to the scone recipe to make up for the missing bean’s flavor.

Lisa loved them! And Don said they were better than the coffee shop kind.

I agree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanilla Bean Scones

Adapted from a recipe by Ree Drummond on The Pioneer Woman Cooks website
Makes 24 scones

For the scones:

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
1 large egg

For the glaze:

1/2 cup whole milk, plus more if needed
1 vanilla bean
5 cups powdered sugar
Dash of salt

Measure out the cream. Split the vanilla bean pod lengthwise and scrap out all of the seeds inside. Add the seeds and the bean pod to the cream. Add the vanilla extract to the cream. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into tiny cubes and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it becomes tiny sand-like crumbles.

Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream. Pour the cream into the flour mixture and stir gently with a fork until just moistened and it starts to come together. The mixture will be crumbly, but if you squeeze it together it should hold its shape. Add more cream if necessary.

Pour the scone mixture onto a floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to spread out the rectangle until the dough is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edged to even-out the sides of the dough rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 squares or rectangles (3 cuts across and 2 cuts lengthwise), and then cut each square in half on the diagonal to make triangles.

Place the scone triangles onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the scones just begin to turn golden in color. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the scones to cool on the sheets for 15 minutes. Remove the scones from the baking sheets onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

For the glaze, measure the milk into a measuring up. Slice the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise and scrap out the seeds. Put the seeds and pod into the milk and set aside.

Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Sprinkle in the salt. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the milk and pour into the sugar, whisking until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to get the desired consistency.  

 
Dip the cooled scones into the glaze until completely coated. Set the scones on a cooling rack with parchment paper or foil underneath to catch the drips. Allow the scones to sit until the glaze has completely dried. Store in an air tight container.

Harvest Bisque and Finding Romance

It is a cold and rainy day here in Topeka—perfect for this delicious Harvest Bisque!

However, before I share this recipe, I want to tell you a little story. November 11 is a special day for The Picky Eater (my husband, Michael) and me. Not only do we honor those veterans who have done so much for our country, but this is also the day when we met two years ago.

Michael and I connected on Match.com. I had only been living in Kansas for a few months after almost 20 years in New England. I signed up for the dating website to meet new people, discover more about my new state and city, and to have some fun. I wasn’t really looking for romance—honestly! But if something happened, well…

After exchanging emails and phone calls, we set up a date for Thursday, November 11. We met for the first time in the parking lot of a local grocery store. Seven months later, Michael proposed to me in the same parking lot.

Our first date was at Prairie Band Casino. I was excited to go there, not to gamble, but because I heard the food was great! :) We decided to go to the Longhouse Buffet. Since it was Veterans Day, they were offering free meals to all veterans, so the line was very long. As we approached the front of the line, a single middle-aged veteran asked, “Since it’s so busy, would you like to share a table with me?”

I thought Michael would say no since it was a first date. But instead, he accepted! So our first dinner together was shared by Floyd the Veteran, a very nice man who spent the entire meal telling us all about his wife and stepson, who was a handful.

At one point during dinner, as Floyd was talking about all of his stepson’s legal issues, I put my hand on Michael’s arm. It was like magic! We looked into each other’s eyes for just a moment, and a warmth and electricity filled my heart.

Love.

Now we celebrate this day each year. Even though we will celebrate our wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve, this day is our own special day when we remember meeting and falling in love.

So, what does this story have to do with Harvest Bisque? Nothing really, except for the fact that because of that first date I now am able to cook a wonderful, flavorful autumn soup on a cold November day in the warmth of our small apartment home in downtown Topeka.

I have never been more happy or more in love.

Now, for the bisque: I got this recipe from the chef of a New Hampshire restaurant that closed when he moved on to teach new chefs at a local college. I love the combination of corn and squash flavors in the soup. You can use any type of squash you wish (acorn, Hubbard, or butternut), but I use pumpkin puree since it is easy to find this time of year. Just be sure to not buy the pumpkin pie mix instead!

Harvest Bisque
Serves 8 to 10

6 slices of bacon (or substitute 4 tablespoons butter)

1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
2 cans (14 3/4 ounces each) creamed corn
1 12-ounce package frozen corn kernels
15 ounces winter squash puree (pumpkin, butternut, acorn, Hubbard, etc)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 cups half and half (or heavy cream, for more richness)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until the fat has rendered and it is crispy and browned. Remove the bacon and save as a garnish, if desired. If substituting butter, simply melt it until it begins to bubble.

To the bacon fat, add the onion and fry until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except for the half and half. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally until the potatoes are cooked. Add the half and half and adjust the seasonings. Serve as is, or puree with a hand blender for a smoother consistency. Top with bits, if desired.

This soup freezes well. Just be sure to not add the half and half or cream before you freeze it, but wait to add it when you are ready to serve.

Macadamia Nut and Lime Banana Bread

Sometimes I wonder why we keep buying bananas. More often than not, they sit around until becoming a long, black object that looks more like a science experiment than a fruit. The Picky Eater likes dark bananas, but sometimes they even become too dark for his tastes. And I know that dark bananas are best to use for baking, but they sure look disgusting.

When our latest banana bunch turned black, I said, “Well, I guess it’s time to make banana bread.”

The Picky Eater, who loves banana bread, asked, “You’re not going to do anything weird to it, are you?”

He knows me well.

 

So I made a simple banana bread just for him.

But I couldn’t stop there. I am a food blogger, after all. I wanted to create bread with a little more pizzazz. It just so happened that sitting next to the dark bananas were two neglected limes. Then I remembered the macadamia nuts I had in the freezer.

 

 

Ah ha! Macadamia Nut Lime Banana Bread was born!

I started with Mamaw’s basic banana bread recipe. I changed it up a bit by using half butter and half canola oil for a more tender crumb, and adding vanilla for more depth of flavor. Then, for the macadamia nut-lime version, I added a tablespoon of grated lime zest to the mix, plus the macadamia nuts. Then I poured a lime glaze on top while the bread was still warm.

Yummmmmm…

Macadamia Nut and Lime Banana Bread

Makes one loaf

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon lime zest

For glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Juice on 1 lime

Lime zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar, butter and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mash the bananas until fluffy and mix into the batter. Stir in the flour mixture until just blended. Mix in the nuts and lime zest until just blended.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the loaf pan and set on a rack to cool.

For the glaze, mix the ingredients together until smooth. If the mixture is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If too stiff, add more lime juice or water.

While the bread is still warm, brush on half of the glaze with a pastry brush. Allow the bread to cool for 30 minutes, and then brush (or pour) on the rest of the glaze.   

 

Slow-Cooker Meatloaf

 

 

In the world of comfort food, meatloaf has to rank in at least the top five. It is inexpensive, easy to prepare, popular with just about everyone, and makes great sandwich leftovers the next day. In our household meatloaf may be at the top of the list since I know The Picky Eater loves it. Plus I can make it healthier with the right ingredients, such as leaner ground sirloin, or even ground pork or turkey added to the mix.

Now I've discovered a way to make meatloaf weeknight-dinner heaven by using my slow cooker. Just mix up your favorite meatloaf recipe, put it in the cooker, turn it on low, and head out the door. You will return home to the wonderful aroma of meatloaf that is ready to serve. Just microwave some baking potatoes and cook-up a favorite vegetable (we like green beans) to complete the meal.

I adapted this recipe from the mini-meatloaf one I posted this past summer. It took about 6 hours to cook. There are a couple of tips to remember: Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or rub with oil before placing the meatloaf inside. Plus keep the meatloaf away from the sides of the slow cooker, which means you need to shape the loaf to conform with the shape of your cooker.

This recipe will be a regular addition to our weeknight meal plan.

Slow-Cooker Meatloaf

Serves 4, with leftovers

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

For topping:

1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or rub with oil.

Place the ground beef into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just blended. Shape into a loaf that will conform to the shape of the slow cooker without touching the sides. Place inside the slow cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk together the topping ingredients until well blended and spread over the top of the meatloaf.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it to the low temperature setting. Allow the meatloaf to cook for 6 to 8 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Blueberry-Corn Muffins

Good morning! How do you like to begin the day? I ease into my morning with a warm cup of cinnamon coffee and the daily paper. Peace. Quiet. No television and I don’t get my daily dose of NPR on the radio until I’m getting dressed and ready to head out the door.

I also like to cook in the morning. Often while the coffee is brewing I get dinner started in the slow cooker, or I mix-up a batch of cookies to chill in the refrigerator for later.

This morning I was in the mood for a quick bread or muffin for breakfast. I have a freezer bag full of summer blueberries from the farmer’s market, and when I went to look for a recipe, I spotted True Blueberry: Recipes for Soups, Salads, Desserts, and More by Linda Dannenberg tucked away on a cookbook shelf.

The first recipe in the book was this one for blueberry-corn muffins. I love blueberry muffins. I love corn muffins. So this is a perfect muffin combo: light, fluffy and sweet with blueberries with a bit of crunch and body from the cornmeal.

This recipe is a keeper!

Blueberry-Corn Muffins

Adapted from True Blueberry: Recipes for Soups, Salads, Desserts, and More by Linda Dannenberg
Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cornmeal, and sugar until well blended. Set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the egg and milk. Pour the milk-egg mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture and stir together until just blended. Do not overmix. Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar. Bake until the muffins are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin. Serve warm or set on a cooling rack to cool. Store in an air-tight container.

Schnitzel with Chunky Spiced Apple Sauce

My love affair with apples continues, this time paired with my love for schnitzel. Before you think this traditional German dish is too complicated to make, just realize that you probably already do! Have you ever breaded and skillet-fried a piece of meat? That’s schnitzel!

I got the inspiration for this recipe from Jamie Oliver’s cookbook, Cook with Jamie. I liked his idea of serving schnitzel with a spicy apple sauce. The sauce’s sweetness and seasoning matches nicely with the crispy meat.

Schnitzel can be made with pork, chicken or veal. I went with pork…two center-cut boneless pork chops, to be exact. I also used panko bread crumbs for extra crunch, mixed with some dried sage for extra flavor. (I love sage with pork.) Plus, since I knew The Picky Eater wouldn’t care for the apple sauce, I made some oven-roasted French fries seasoned with a little rosemary, inspired by the Highlands Ranch Foodie.

The Picky Eater cleaned his plate, and so did I! Next time I may add some red chili pepper flakes to the apple sauce for a bit of heat and savoriness.

Schnitzel with Chunky Spiced Apple Sauce

Adapted from Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver

For the apple sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Zest and juice of half an orange
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 all-purpose apples, pealed, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (I used Jonathans and Red Delicious)

For the schnitzel:

2 center-cut boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper, to taste
Flour
1 egg, beaten
Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried sage
Olive or canola oil for the pan
Lemon

To make the apple sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the orange zest and juice, plus the sugar and spices. Bring to a bubble, and then add the apples. Cover and simmer over low heat until the apples soften and begin to break down, about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep warm or allow to cool to room temperature, depending on how you like it.

To make the schnitzel, place the pork chops in a gallon-sized zipper bag, but do not close. Flatten the chops with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until they are 1/4-inch thick.

Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet between 1/8 and 1/4-inch deep over medium heat. Set up 3 shallow dishes: 1 with flour, 1 with the beaten egg, and 1 with the bread crumbs and sage. Salt and pepper the pork chops, and then dip into the flour. Shake off the excess. Dip the chops into the egg and then into the bread crumb mixture, pressing down in the bread crumbs to make sure the chops are well coated and the bread crumbs stick to the chop.

Test the oil in the skilled by dropping in a couple of bread crumbs. If they sizzle, you are ready to fry. Place the pork chops into the skilled and cook until the chops are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the chops over and continue to cook until golden brown. The internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Place the chops on a paper-towel-coverd plate, season with more salt and pepper if desired, and allow to rest for 3 minutes.

Just before serving, spritz the top of the pork chops with a little lemon juice. Serve with a spoonful of the apple sauce on the side.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

 

Busy? I don’t know about you, but this autumn has been a very busy one for us so far. After The Picky Eater’s week in the hospital, my days are full of writing deadlines, afternoons teaching my preschoolers, and evenings helping my love with his work. Plus doctor’s appointments, dietary changes, and keeping track of medicine schedules…whew! Before I know it, 24 hours has passed and a new day begins.

Thank goodness for slow cookers! It's so nice to just put ingredients into the pot, turn it on, and have dinner ready a few hours later. With the cooler weather, mine has been churning out a lot of soups and chili, and I plan to find other creative ways to turn out a meal with this slow cooking wonder.

One of our favorite recipes is this Vegetable Beef Soup. I make it with low-sodium broth (something I’ve always used) and without added salt for my sweetheart…and he likes it!!!  

This soup will be a regular meal to warm our autumn evenings and winter days.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew meat, depending on how “beefy” you want the soup
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) low-sodium beef broth
1 cup low sodium tomato juice, or more, to taste
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
6 to 12 ounces frozen vegetables, depending on how “veggie” you want the soup
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Turn on low and cook for approximately 8 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. If you like crispier vegetables, only add half of the frozen vegetables at the beginning, and then add the remainder 1 hour before serving. Also, just before serving, remove the bay leaf and the garlic clove. If there is a lot of fat from the beef on top of the soup, just skim it off before serving.

Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding

I have craved apples ever since the first hints of autumn began to change the leaves from green to russet, gold, and orange. So I was thrilled when W. W. Norton and Company sent me a copy of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook by Amy Traverso. All you could possibly want to know about apples can be found in this book, from the history and a primer on what apples work best in particular dishes, to cider tasting notes and where to buy mail-order apples.

Plus, Traverso has included a large recipe selection, both sweet and savory. You should see all of the Post-It flags sticking out of my copy. I’ll be making apple dishes well into winter!

My first selection was Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding, primarily because I was hungry for breakfast at the time. This recipe is similar to bread pudding, except old-fashioned oatmeal is used instead of bread. The flavor was wonderful. I tried it first served warm with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, as the recipe suggested. It was good, but I liked it even better the next day warm with a bit of half and half poured over the top. Just reheat a bowl full in the microwave and then pour on the half and half. Cream would also be lovely, whipped or not.

My only recipe adjustments were to increase the amount of cinnamon and add a little nutmeg. Plus I used walnuts instead of the called-for pecans, only because that’s what I had on-hand.

Yummm! Now I have a warm, delicious and satisfying breakfast for the entire week.

Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding

Adapted from The Apple Lover’s Cookbook by Amy Traverso

Serves 6

2 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oatmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup roughly chopped dried fruit (I used regular and golden raisins.)
1 3/4 cup diced firm-sweet apples (I used Red Delicious from the farmers market.)
2 cups milk (I used non-fat.)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, walnuts, dried fruit, and apples. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the oatmeal mixture to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Place into the oven and bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown, between 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Sometimes you just have to stop and celebrate autumn, even if just for a moment.

The Picky Eater and I are still adjusting to our new “normal” life after his hospital visit. I’m amazed at how much time is consumed with adjusting medications, follow-up doctors’ appointments, and shifting to a more heart-healthy diet, plus writing deadlines and teaching. Thank goodness I’ve written a number of articles in the past about nutritious eating, so I know what to look out for when cooking or eating at a restaurant. I would hate to think about how much more time-consuming this would be trying to learn it all from scratch!

Unfortunately, my blog has taken a backseat to the rest of life for now. However, I did have this recipe ready to post last week before our unscheduled hospital detour. Hopefully next week I’ll be able to return to blogging normal, this time featuring some recipes adjusted to fit The Picky Eater’s new plan.

 

To me, autumn means apples fresh from the tree (or in my case, farmers market.) I developed this coffee cake recipe eight years ago for a magazine that had a photo they wanted to use but needed a recipe to go with the image. This morning treat is like having apple pie in cake form, thanks to the delicious layer of apples that is found in the middle.

When it comes to baking, not all apples are the same. Some will turn to mush.  For this recipe, I used Golden Delicious, a sweet all-purpose apple. Other all-purpose varieties that would taste nice in this coffee cake include sweet Fuji apples, tart Granny Smiths, or Honey Crisps, with their combination of sweet and tart. Just keep in mind you may need to adjust the amount of sugar used in the filling depending on the sweetness of the apples.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Serves 9

Filling:

3 Golden Delicious or other baking apple, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Juice of half a lemon

Batter:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spay the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside

Place filling ingredients into a medium bowl and toss well until the apples are coated. Set aside.

For the batter, in a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, blend the softened butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread half of the batter in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the apple filling on top of the batter, and then drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the top. (You won’t think you have enough batter, but don’t worry. You do!)

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping, suing your fingers to break up the butter until the mixture is combined but crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake comes out fairly clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best served warm.

 

Wheat Bread and a Change of Plans

 

He changed his mind.

In the early morning hours on the day my husband, The Picky Eater, was to have quadruple bypass surgery, he pulled me close in the darkened hospital room and quietly said, “I don’t think surgery is the right thing for me. I want to try something else first. And I need you to stand by my decision.”

At first, I thought my sweetheart was just afraid, but it soon became clear he truly believed deep down inside that surgery wasn’t the right path for him to take. So we broke the news to nurses, doctors, family, and friends. After a lot of shocked reactions and serious discussions, everyone rallied around him and came up with a new plan. He hasn’t ruled out surgery completely, but for now, we are trying new medicines and diet changes to keep his heart as strong as possible.

So instead of spending Friday waiting for word from the operating room and giving comfort in the intensive care unit, we came home to begin adjusting to our new “normal” life. Our daily activities are the same as before this hospital stay, but now there is always that small realization in the back of my mind that something is different.

I’m trying very hard not to be a hovering, worrisome, nagging wife…but sometimes I can’t help it. As each day passes, my stress level lessens as I learn to turn my worries over to God, since He’s the one ultimately in charge.

Thank you to everyone who sent get-well wishes and support on this blog and also through Facebook and Twitter. I can’t tell you how much your thoughts meant to me.

On our first full day home from the hospital, I made wheat bread. There is something comforting in the process of mixing flour, yeast, and water together to create this basic dietary staple. Since I find kneading dough by hand stressful (I never seem to get it right!), I let my handy-dandy Kitchen Aid mixer do the work.

As the smell of baking bread filled our apartment, my anxiety was quietly replaced with a sense of home and well-being. And The Picky Eater liked it!

Everything will be okay.

Yield: 2 loaves

Author: Linda Ditch

Wheat Bread

A basic, delicious wheat bread adapted from a recipe that came with my Kitchen Aid mixer.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees, or just warm to the touch)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, honey, salt, and butter just until the butter has melted and the honey and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of the mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the whole wheat flour and 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. Add the milk-butter mixture. Mix with the dough hook on speed 2 for about 1 minute.
3. With the mixer still running, add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is cleaned from the sides of the mixing bowl and clings to the dough hook, about 2 minutes. Continue to mix for an additional 2 minutes to knead the dough. When finished, the dough should be smooth and slightly sticky to the touch.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, making sure to grease the top of the dough, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot free from drafts to let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (I preheat my oven at 400 degrees for just 1 minute, shut it off, and place the bowl with the dough inside to rise.)
5. After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it in half. Roll out each half on a lightly floured surface into a 9- x 14-inch rectangle. Starting from the 9-inch side, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to close and tuck under the sides. Place the dough, seam side down, into a greased loaf pan. Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise again until doubled in bulk, about one hour.
6. Place the loaf pans into a preheated 400-degree oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the baked loves immediately from the pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?

Oh how I wish I was posting a Friday Cookie Jar recipe today. Or any other recipe. Unfortunately I will be away from this blog for a little while. My husband, Michael, known to all of you as The Picky Eater, has a broken heart. So today I'm waiting while he has multiple bypass surgery to fix the problem.

Michael is a warm, caring Teddy Bear type of man who isn't afraid to love. He is also my strongest defender against Life's difficulties, and the biggest champion of my dreams. He will stop the car to give $20 to someone digging in a trash can. He thinks of our regular waitresses and bank tellers as friends. And he will wrap his strong arms around me whenever I'm in need of comfort and caring.

He is the love of my life. I thank God every day for bringing him to me, and I pray we will have many more loving years ahead.

See you again soon.

Leek, Apple and Gruyere Tarts for #SundaySupper

 

With the arrival of autumn comes an overwhelming craving for apples. I eat them more at this time of year than throughout any of the other seasons, perhaps because now is when they are available fresh from the tree. Whether I’m munching on them or cooking with them, I can’t seem to get enough!

 

I was thrilled that the #SundaySupper group of bloggers decided to celebrate this seasonal fruit in our quest to get people to gather around the table for a meal once a week. (Or more!) In fact, I’m using today’s post as the beginning of an entire week of apple-themed dishes here on There and Back Again. (See the links to the other posts below.)

Lately I’ve been intrigued by the idea of using apples in savory dishes. I remember Mom making fried apples as a side dish for dinner, and I’ve seen a number of recipes pairing apples with pork and in salads. So I decided to give this one a try.

 

 

I developed today’s recipe for a recent newspaper article. I found it on the Williams-Sonoma website. The original called for caramelized onions, but I’ve always liked leeks paired with Gruyere cheese and have made little tarts with both in the past.

 

The sautéed Granny Smith apples add a delicious depth of flavor to this dish. These tarts would make wonderful and easy holiday hors d’oeuvres, or a great snack while watching a movie or football game. For #SundaySupper, I would serve them with drinks as a starter to the meal.

Leek, Apple and Gruyere Tarts
Adapted from one found on www.williams-sonoma.com.

2 tablespoons canola oil

6 cups thinly sliced leeks, the white and light green parts only
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large Granny Smith apples (or other tart apples), peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sugar
2 ounces grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water

To clean the leeks, slice off the root and dark green ends. Thinly slice the white and light green parts, and then place the rings into a large bowl of cold water. Toss in the water to separate the layers of leeks and allow the dirt and sand to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Carefully lift the leeks out of the water and onto a clean dish towel. Roll the leeks up into the towel to dry.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and salt, and then saute until the leeks are softened and slightly browned. Scoop the leeks into a large bowl to cool.

In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the apples and sugar, and saute until the apples start to soften and brown slightly. Add them to the bowl with the leeks and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the Gruyere, thyme and black pepper to the bowl, and stir until combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spread the puff pastry dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-inch squares, 32 total. Place the squares onto the baking sheets about 1-inch apart, and then brush with the egg mixture. Spoon a tablespoon-full of the leek-apple mixture onto the center of each square.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Rotate the baking sheets half-way through the baking time. Remove from the oven and allow the tarts to cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature.

Be sure to check out my fellow #SundaySupper bloggers to see what they created with apples. And don’t forget to join us at 7:00 pm ET for our live chat on Twitter. Just use the hashtag #Sundaysupper or Tweetchat. We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Desserts

• Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
• Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
• Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)- Galactosemia in PDX
• Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
• Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
• Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
• Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
• French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
• Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
• Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
• #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
• Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Country Apple Dumplings- Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
• Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- Flour on my Face
• Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze- Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Apple and Pecans Cake- Basic N Delicious
• Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked

Beverages

• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Apple Chia Tea- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again

 

 

 

Make-Your-Own Pizza Night: Guest Post at Family Foodie

I'm thrilled Isabel of the Family Foodie blog asked me to create a guest post on her site. She works hard to promote the #SundaySupper movement, which is a group of bloggers from around the world who are dedicated to bringing families together at the dinner table at least once a week. I'm honored to be a part of the group, and this blog goes right along with the theme.

Make-Your-Own Pizza night is a fun way to get the family involved in the evening meal, be it on a Sunday or any other day of the week. I've loved watching kids make their own pizza creations, and seeing the pride on their faces as their very own pizza comes out of the oven. (Grown-ups have a lot of fun with it, too!)

Be sure to visit Isabel's blog for my pizza recipes, and while you're there, check out her other posts. She makes some yummy stuff! And stay tuned: Tomorrow is another #SundaySupper day. This week we are featuring apple recipes!

Vanilla Icebox Cookies in the Friday Cookie Jar

I just couldn’t let it happen!

My Friday pre-K class is learning about the theater today (what is an actor, director, props, off-stage, etc) and they will put what they learn to work by performing Little Red Riding Hood. The student who gets to play Little Red will need treats to take to Grandma’s house (and as snacks for her fellow students.) Last year we had the week’s student chef slice up some pre-packaged, store-bought cookie dough for the treats.

Well, I just couldn’t let that happen again. Not when there’s a delicious recipe like vanilla icebox cookies available. Since the dough needs to be rolled into a log and refrigerated, it’s a homemade slice-and-bake cookie!

What I like best about this cookie is its versatility. It tastes wonderful just as it is, baked into a delicate, crispy cookie full of vanilla flavor. But you can do many things with these tasty treats, such as sprinkling colored sugar over the top before baking, rolling the log in nuts before slicing, or icing the cookies with your favorite frosting recipe after they’ve cooled. It’s also easy to turn them into sandwich cookies with just a dollop of jelly, jam, Nutella, lemon curd…whatever! I liked strawberry jam between two cookies, but orange marmalade also tasted great.

Best of all, this recipe only takes a few minutes to mix-up. Then the log of dough can stay in the refrigerator for a day before baking, or hang out in the freezer for a month or two, ready to take out and bake when you need a fresh batch. (Just let it thaw in the refrigerator before slicing.)

Vanilla Icebox Cookies

Adapted from Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

(Do not preheat the oven since this dough needs to be refrigerated!)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Dump the cookie dough onto a piece of waxed paper and shape into a log about 11-inches long. Wrap the log in the waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice the dough into circles just a bit less 1/4-inch thick. Place them on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and let stand on the baking sheets for 1 or 2 minutes, and then place them on a rack to cool.

Kid-Friendly Corn Muffins

 

How do you get a child to eat something new that you are uncertain they will like? Have them make it with you!

I am a firm believer that kids who cook are also kids who like good, wholesome food. Not only do they feel a part of the process and take pride in their creations, but they also learn what’s in the food they eat and where it comes from.

For example, I teach part time at Discovery School Montessori School. Fridays are special because only our Pre-K kids attend. This special class not only helps ensure they are prepared for kindergarten the following year, but is also allows us to introduce them to fun topics like artists, the theater, countries around the world, and cooking.

Last Friday I gave our first cooking lesson of the year: corn muffins. I picked this recipe because the corn harvest is finishing up here in Kansas and many of the kids have seen the large combines going through the dried stalks to pick the corn. (Okay, this picture is actually from my parent’s farm in Missouri, but you get the idea.)

 

How many of your kids like corn muffins? Or would even try them? I wasn’t sure how they would go over with my group of 4 and 5 year-old students either.

When they came into the classroom and saw me setting up, they were immediately excited at the idea of making their snack for the day. Later in the morning, we gathered around a large table and each of my 13 students took turns scooping, measuring, sifting and stirring the ingredients.

 

 

 

Was their technique perfect? Of course not, but they took their work very seriously and tried very hard to get everything right. My job was to show them how, let them try, and then fix their shortcomings to make sure the muffins would come out good enough to eat.

They did! The kids were excited when I brought them from the oven into the classroom—so excited, in fact, that they interrupted a special guest who had come to read them a story. (Sorry!)

 

When it came time to eat the muffins, all 13 kids dug in. Only one child stopped eating after a couple of bites, but he had been out sick with a stomach virus the previous few days and said his stomach didn’t feel right. One other child, who ate half of his muffin, told me later he didn’t like it, but he still wanted to take an extra one home for his mom!

All the rest of the class ate their entire muffin! Eleven kids ate a plain corn muffin with only a little butter smeared on the top. Nothing else. And they liked it!

 

 

What I like about this recipe is it contains honey for sweetness instead of sugar, and it calls for more cornmeal than flour, giving the muffins a wonderful corn taste. You could also add a few corn kernels to the mix if you want additional flavor.

These muffins would make a great addition to a soup, stew or chili meal. They also taste great for breakfast, warm with butter and honey. (I know from personal experience.)

Cooking with kids is such a rewarding adventure. Go ahead. Give it a try. You may be surprised by what you can get them to eat!

Cornmeal Muffins

Make 12 muffins

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and honey until frothy. Sift the remaining ingredients over the top of the egg mixture, and then whisk in just until smooth.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, dividing the batter evenly between each space. (The muffin spaces will be pretty full, but don’t worry. The muffins don’t rise too much.)

Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to rest for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, and then remove. Serve warm.