no kitchen...

... which relates to not quite as much cooking and baking.... but, when I post so seldom, it kind of looks like I'm not doing baking anyway doesn't it?

We have been renovating for a few months already... and I did manage to bake a few little batches of muffins and scones in a teensy toaster oven.   You can see why it needed to be on for a long time.... it could only bake a few at a time.

My neighbour gave it to me several years ago to bake my polymer clay dolls and heads... but, hey...it has come in handy all of a sudden to actually bake food things!  Cuz I reeeellly miss baking.

But, then... I burned it out.  Yep.  It struggled through two batches of muffins...at a full 400F .... and then... smelled very strange and .. well, it just quit.  Awww.... poor little guy!  I felt guilty for forcing him to perform beyond his capacity.  After all he was old and very tiny...and well, I felt guilty.

However, I missed him right away and had to replace him.  Had to go shopping.  I looked at several places and settled on a Black & Decker... the same brand.  They do say they are the top in toaster ovens.  I looked at various brands and prices and this one fits the bill perfectly.  Only $49 on sale too...down from $79... such a deal.

The elements are covered with protectors too.  I like that.  Only one other had that ...and it was a $200 toaster oven... forget it.  I will most likely only use it 'til we move back into the newly renovated house with my new kitchen and oven.... and then... it won't be in use much.  Although, I do have to say...these little ovens do the best job I've ever seen on cookies.  The bottoms are so uniform and just perfectly baked.

The other day I did strawberry lemony muffins.... and the next day....a blueberry lemon batch.... YUM>....  I'm giving it a good test run.

... and....it can fit 9 small/medium muffins.  I found some foil reusable pans for a bargain too.   It was a good shopping day.   They only really hold 6..but, cut one in half to get in 3 more.  Fits perfectly.

The centre row gets slightly browner than the rest even if I turn them...but, that's fine.  "Somebunny" loves the browner ones!

Another one bites the dust...

I've been testing granola bar type recipes.... does anybody have one that is very tasty and that actually stays in bars when sliced?

Look at this mess.  By the time I finished it was just a pile of crumbs... and tasteless crumbs at that.  I didn't even bother licking my fingers to pick them up.....

This was supposed to be a tasty recipe ...with chocolate covered coffee beans and cranberries. Touted by a well known magazine.  Who the heck baked it, tasted it and thought so?  Not me.  My first response was "ick".....

After trying to lay some semi respectable squares on a plate I just got ticked and tossed it all in my food processor and pressed pulse several times...

This is it now... or would that be 'these are they'? .. hahhaha....  not anymore.....  these were they, and this is it....

I'll use it in some cookies... for which I found a perfectly great sounding recipe on the back of the rolled oat bag.  Looks like the perfect granola bar shall remain elusive....for now.

I destroyed the evidence.

REQUEST::
If you have a wonderful tasty granola bar recipe.... that stays together .....please email me .....

Homemade soup

Soup is so easy to make.  Dare I say "trust me"? or will that send you running?  Not only is it simple to do... it can be very nutritious.  You get to control the ingredients.  No sodium ..no preservatives ..  and you only add what you like or want to use.

There are as many and varied recipes as you care to invent. Or, find a recipe and tweak it as you like.

The other day I wanted to make some Caldo Verde (Kale Potato) soup...our new favourite...but, can you believe there was no kale to be had at Safeway that day?  Darn it.  I wanted soup by then...so went home and checked the 'fridge.  There were some leftover sweet potatoes.... so... .. came up with a carrot and potato soup.  I've seen various recipes with these ingredients...but, who needs a recipe?  Once you have made a few soups...it is simple.

Just get a tasty base going... toss in your choice of ingredients...simmer and voila.  Lovely soup.  And, in this case..I also used my hand held blender on it near the end...and stirred in some milk just before serving.

I  never use actual measurements any more... but, if you want to search for a recipe to try it with measurements the first few times, just Google soups...or Carrot  or Sweet Potato or Squash soup and you will be inundated with similar recipes to try.   I'm sure they will all taste wonderful.  Here are some approximate measurements from my own soup.

Carrot Sweet Potato Soup

half a medium onion (diced)
stick or two of celery (diced)
carrot (diced)
sweet potato (cooked or uncooked and diced)
white potato (two; small; diced)
chicken broth (homemade or purchased..I buy low sodium broth)
water
1 tbsp. flour
spices (I used a bay leaf, oregano, sweet basil, Italian Seasoning, pepper flakes;black pepper)
butter (1 - 2 tbsp)
olive oil (about 1 - 2 tbsp)

In large pot, heat oil and butter... add onion, carrot, celery, and soften... don't let it brown... add uncooked potato ..continue to cook gently and sprinkle on flour after about 5 to 8 minutes... let cook slowly for a few more minutes stirring every so often.  Add about 2 cups or so of water and a few cups of broth (or  more) ... ( or you could use some tomato juice if you like)....stir well to mix in the flour if it is not already.  Add some pepper and the bay leaf.  Bring to boil and then lower heat to let it simmer gently.  Add the rest of the spices.  Stir every so often.
We like it a bit spicy sometimes.. so I usually re-pepper it after simmering for about an hour and tasting.

Let simmer for about an hour and a half to two hours or til spuds are tender.  As the spuds cook down they help to thicken this type of soup.  Serve as is, or, if you prefer, you can puree your soups with a hand held blender.  You could do small batches in a regular blender...but, it is not nearly as easy or as safe, especially when dealing with boiling liquids.  I love my hand held blender and use it a lot.

You could make soup every single day and never do the same one twice.  There are sooo many options.  I hope you try some soup of your own one day soon.  I love making it.... I could eat soup every day. With fresh homemade bread.....sigh.....oooooh..... heavenly....

Barm Brack

I don't have a clue what happens...but, it does.  Time just flies .... and no blogging happens.  Not to say no cooking and baking happens.... because it definitely does.  Even on the hottest days of summer it happens around here.  My neighbours think I'm nuts.... probably because I am.

So...golf season is over and none too soon.  My elbow is totally wrecked.  I can hardly lift a glass to my lips... it's very difficult to floss and brush and ...well, it just hurts all the time.  X-rays yesterday to make sure there is no bony involvement...and then...in a week.... begin some physio.  If that doesn't show immediate results..I have other treatments in mind.... we'll see how it goes in the next few weeks.
Won't be seeing this beautiful water treatment behind the 17th hole for a loooong time now.  Our next golf season won't open til April... and usually we don't get to play til closer to May..... sigh...

Meantime... seeing as I can't dig in the garden, or lift very much...I've been catching up on housework that got neglected over the summer...and doing some baking.  I love baking and it's so much fun to do.  I prefer it to housework of course...so I do it instead... oooooh.... bad me....bad me.  Although, I can dust while muffins are baking or toss in some loads of laundry before I even start to gather ingredients for biscotti or soups, etc....I could vacuum while a loaf bakes........ I could..........

The other day I made Barm Brack and have decided to share that loaf today... you'll have to hurry if you actually want to share a real piece...it's almost gone!  I've already gained back two of the eleven pounds I lost over the summer... marching around that golf course.  No time to eat while I'm out there.

Barm Brack is an Irish loaf... and you need to begin the night before to make it.  Raisins need to be soaked in tea overnight.  As usual, I make my own changes to the loaf, but initially, here is the recipe directly from the Company's Coming cookbook.

Barm Brack

1  cup cold leftover tea
1  cup raisins
1/2  cup peel
1/2  cup currants
1  cup granulated sugar
1  egg
1/4  cup melted butter
2  cups all purpose flour
1  tsp.  baking powder
1/4  tsp  baking soda
1/4  tsp salt (I never use it because I use salted butter)

Put tea in a large bowl along with raisins, peel, currants and sugar.  Let stand covered overnight.

Next morning, beat egg until frothy.  Stir into fruit mixture.  Stir melted butter into fruit.

Combine and stir the four remaining dry ingredients.  Add to fruit batter.  Stir until blended.  Spoon into greased loaf pan 9 X 5 X 3 inches (23 X 12 X7cm).

Bake in 350F (180C) oven for 60-70 minutes.  (Mine usually take a bit less... keep an eye on things) Cool 10 minutes. Turn out on rack to cool completely.

Options::::  I don't usually have peel or currants hanging around...so use two types of raisins and some dried cranberries. I don't bother with the exact measurements they give for the fruit ... it is too much for me .. I like less in my loaf...and also like to add some toasted chopped walnuts.  Into the tea and raisins I also grate some orange zest and a squeeze or two of the juice and add a tsp of vanilla.  This batter is very soft...almost pourable, but not quite..and makes a nice moist loaf.
Oh, ...and...almost forgot!  spices.  Stir a sprinkle, or a tiny dash into the flour.  I like some cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and ginger.... but, do be careful with the amounts if you are not used to using spices.... a little can go a long way... it's nice to have a hint of flavour rather than have it overpowering.  In my loaf...it's almost difficult to make out what the spices actually are ...but, you know it's that certain 'something' that gives it more appeal if you know what I mean.

Caldo Verde...or..... Green Soup

Portuguese Caldo Verde....yummmm ...  it means Green Soup...which it is.  Basic ingredients are potatoes, onion and kale ....the kale makes it green.  Wiki says """ In Portugal, caldo verde is typically consumed during Portuguese celebrations, such as weddings. It is sometimes consumed before a main course meal and as well for a late supper.  Caldo verde originated from the Minho Province in northern Portugal. Today, it is a traditional national favorite that has spread across the nation and abroad.""

I think my friend Maria (who is Portuguese) was surprised that we liked it...same as she got surprised by our liking for Migas.  In reality...I guess we are just simple folk that enjoy simple good food.  Don't get me wrong.. if, on occasion, we find some exotic thing that is prepared wonderfully... we may give that a chance as well...but, mostly, just great tasting simple fare is our choice.

I found a simple recipe for kale and potato soup in my Encyclopedia of Creative Cooking.. so that is the one I am printing here.  It is the basic idea and from there, just like every cook in Portugal... you can tweak things any way you like to make it your own.   And, don't forget to try some Broa ..or Portuguese cornbread too, for dipping as they do in Portugal.  Make it a complete Portuguese supper night.... you won't be sorry.....

Caldo Verde (or kale and potato soup)

4 medium potatoes
2  TBSP vegetable oil (always Olive Oil in Portugal!)
8 cups water
1  tsp. salt
1/2  tsp. pepper
2  pounds fresh kale
1/2  pound cooked, sliced smoked garlic sausage (optional)

Peel and chop potatoes; combine with oil and water.  Cook 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Remove potatoes; reserve liquid.  Mash potatoes trough sieve; return to potato liquid.  Add salt and pepper; simmer 20 minutes.
Wash kale; discard all tough leaves; cut into thin shreds.  Add to potatoes; cook 25 minutes.  Add sausage; simmer gently 5 minutes.
Yield 6 to 8 servings.

::::: MY Version:::  I kick it up a notch or two (as silly old Emeril says) ....  Now that I've made this soup a few times...  I like to add a few extra ingredients to develop a more full bodied flavour.

I saute onion, a stick of celery and this day I even added a chunk of orange pepper, in olive oil with a dollop of salted butter.  Soup is always a good way to tidy up my fridge.  Oh, ...  and I see a sprig of Rosemary in there too... then, sprinkle on a tablespoon of flour after about a minute or so and continue cooking a bit more ... then I lower the heat and toss in a crushed clove of garlic.  Let cook (carefully) a minute longer.  Be sure not to overheat and burn your garlic!
Pour in a few cups of chicken broth and some water and I add another TBSP olive oil.  If I'm using store bought broth, I like to use the low sodium.
Meanwhile, ready the potatoes.  When diced, pop them right into the pot with the other ingredients.  I don't bother to cook them separately.  No need to use a separate pot or to mash til later as far as I can see.
Sprinkle in some herbs of choice...including oregano.... I wish I could get fresh Portuguese oregano like Maria used to use on our salads!  MMM...... ... Oh, well...just use dried or whatever you can get.  I also like to toss in a bay leaf and a sprinkle of dried basil.. and this is when I use a good scraping of freshly ground black pepper.  Use salt if you like...I never do, but that's just me.
Wash and cut kale... I just use about 4 or 5 leaves... 2 pounds seems a huge amount to me.  Add kale. I bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for an hour or so with lid on.  The potatoes should be tender by then and I like to cook the kale so that I can use my stick blender to puree the whole thing.  The first few times I made it...I just didn't really like the stringy shreds of kale in the soup.  And..it is a lot of work to cut it into strips and then chop it all the other way as well to get it small enough. (.. which in Portugal is no problem because there you can buy chopped kale! ..or..they have special kale cutters that I see on some videos of kale soup making!)  Haven't found any chopped kale here.  So..instead...I just cut it into thin strips.. cook well...and then... stick blender works wonders.  I like to leave a few chunks of potatoes in it... so I just plop the blender around here and there and most of the kale disappears.  We like a few chunks of potatoes left in our soup....  little surprises to be found.  We're just kids at heart I guess.

If I am using sausage... I use local spicy Italian... easier to find than Portuguese chorizo .... and I brown it while the soup is simmering.  Slice it into rounds and add it after I puree the soup.  Let simmer for about another 15 minutes or so.  Serve with fresh Portuguese Broa..or cornbread.  MMMMMMMM  ...oh, it is making me drool.  We love it...and if you like simple but great tasting foods... I'm sure you will as well.  Hope you try it some day.