I'm on a roll!

This is a repeat effort that turned out much better this go round. I was so excited to hear that we would be making Challah and that I would have an opportunity to make it the right way. We have made so many different types of bread that the process has become pretty familiar. However, learning how to braid the dough was very exciting. Once you get the hang of it, its fairly simple. The loaves turned out golden brown, light and airy. It also feels good to know were doing our part for the community, after learning that much of the baked goods made here goes to local food banks and shelters. If I were homeless, I think I'd move to Charlotte!

Non-Bananay Banana Bread

I have to start off by saying that I have never been a big fan banana bread. I usually only like bananas in there natural state. However this was on a whole other level. The process was fairly uncomplicated, just more practice in weighing out ingredients as apposed to the norm of using measuring cups and spoons. The only thing that I had never done before was to make an indention along the center of the loaf to "control the burst". This basically means making sure the air comes out in a pretty, attractive way. When I tasted this bread I was really surprised. the banana flavor was very mild. It was faintly sweet with crunchy walnuts. My opinion has definitely changed and I can see this becoming a breakfast favorite.

Magnifique Croissant

I am officially a student studying the art of food. My first lab is An Introduction to Baking and Pastry. The last couple of days we made croissants, something I had previously thought a near impossible feat. We worked on them for two days. The first day we made the dough. The typical bready ingredients got mixed in a mixer with a dough hook. Then we pounded out about six or seven ounces of butter until it was about a quarter of an inch thick and an eight by eight inch square. Next we encased the butter in the dough and through a series of roll-outs and folds we layered the butter in between the dough. After a final roll-out we used a special cutter to create the croissant shape. Next we rolled them up and brushed on an egg wash. They baked into buttery flaky goodness and became that night's dinner. Yum!

Lemon Whip

I rarely make fruity desserts, but when I found the recipe for this lemony creation I couldn't resist. For Poppa's birthday we had a family dinner and Grandma said this would be perfect for dessert. I began by making a lemon curd with egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. This mixture was cooked over the stove for about 5 minutes, which was really much longer than needed. Since I over-cooked it, I had a hard time forcing it through a sieve. I put the mixture in a bowl, then chilled it over night. The next morning I put heavy cream in a large bowl and whipped it until soft peaks formed. Then I folded the cream into the lemon curd and spooned the mixture into small custard dishes. After several hours in the freezer I inverted each "whip" onto a plate. Then I garnished with strawberry sauce, a few strawberry slices, and a lemon slice. It was summer on a plate!

I'm Coocoo for Couscous!

Couscous is something I have been wanting to try out forever. It is a coarse wheat product that is used all over Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Traditionally it is used as a vehicle for stew or meat. However, more modern takes include cooking it as a side dish, much like any rice, and stirring in dried fruits, nuts, and herbs. With some slightly picky-eaters on my hands I had to be careful what I put into my dish. Despite my limitations it had lots of flavor. Instead of water, I cooked it in chicken broth, with dried chives, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Then after it had soaked up the spicy broth, I finished it with a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley. I paired it with a simply marinated chicken breast and a salad. Turns out healthy CAN be flavorful.

I'm Going Banannas!

For years the overripe bananas have been piling up inside the freezer. Every now and then Mom will get around to making banana bread. Well, I decided to help her out and get rid of a few of the brown freezer rejects. I found a mix-and-match recipe in one of my latest Food Net. Magazines. First you picked your fruit, then your"mix-ins", and next you made the batter. I chose banana with chocolate chips and pecans. Then you mix your wet and dry separately, then stir together until just combined. Next pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 350 for an hour. The loaf came out nice and moist. I wasn't a fan of banana bread before, but I sure am now. Chocolate can make anything tasty!

Keesh Komponents!

Quiche is a French word, that now refers to a savory egg pie. However, the dish got its roots in Germany, and was known there as a kuche, or cake. A kuche is one of those dishes that you can add just about anything you like. So this is my version. I first made my pie crust. Then I sauteed a zucchini, that Mom and I bought at an organic farmer's market. While it cooked, I sliced a couple of potatoes and some of my home-grown cherry tomatoes. Then I chopped some of my garden's herbs and grated the Parmesan cheese we bought in Florence. The finale was some chopped garlic. I layered it all in my crust and then drowned it in an egg-cream mixture, with some salt and pepper. It got a topping of cheese and then into the oven she went. Not bad for my first attempt!