Soul Sprout

Banana Cupcakes

There is only one thing I remember my grandmother baking- banana cupcakes.  They were practically a fixture in her kitchen.  I can see them sitting on her counter in my mind's eye and hear her tell me how one of her nieces doesn't like raisins and calls them bugs.

I hadn't made these in years and making them was a sentimental journey.  My grandmother is no longer able to bake, so the next time I see her I vow to make them for her.  I'm hoping it will make her feel like an old friend has returned.

I made them today to be part of the refreshments served after my older daughter competed in Battle of the Books (her team won!!!!)  Since I was making them for school children, I decided to leave the nuts out, because of allergy concerns, and replace the raisins with chocolate chips.  Knowing how much Grammy loves chocolate, I don't think she'd mind.  I also dusted them with confectioner's sugar when they were done.  Of course I had to taste one before I served them to other people.  I was a little worried, because they didn't rise much, but they were light, melt in your mouth, springy, full of banana goodness and just plain yummy. 

Here is the original recipe:

And here's my version including instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

-2/3 cup shortening - 1 cup sugar - 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large ripe bananas) - 4 tsp. buttermilk or coffee - 2 eggs, separated - 1 tsp vanilla - 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour - 1 tsp. baking soda - 1 tsp. salt - 1 tsp. baking powder - 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Cream the shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add the bananas and beat until well combined.  Add the buttermilk or coffee, egg yolks, and vanilla and mix well.  In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter.  Fold in the optional nuts and raisins (or chocolate chips!)  Put cupcake liners in a muffin tin and fill cups 2/3 full.  Bake for 22-25 minutes.  Makes around 14 cupcakes.

Since I gave that whole batch away, I think I'll make some more tomorrow.  I might top them with a smear of Nutella.  I have also added a simple lemon icing to them before (confectioner's sugar, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest) to rave reviews.

 

 

Pineapple upside down cake

 

I decided to start with a dessert that says HOME - pineapple upside down cake.  I don't remember my grandmother making this recipe, but I do remember my mom making it.  I hadn't had it in years and it was everything I remembered.  Oh how I love the caramelized brown sugar, the sweet pineapple and the tender, melt-in-your-mouth cake. 

Here it is in the skillet, before you flip it over:

 

My grandmother wrote where she got a recipe on almost every recipe card.  This one is from her sister Eleanor.  Here is the card for this cake:

I do love to see my grandma's handwriting.  I like to think of her trying something at her sister's house and asking for the recipe or getting a taste for something and calling her sister and sitting down and writing it all out.  I picture her making the cake in her pristine kitchen full of gleaming formica and stainless steel.

While this recipe is sentimental for me, I will rewrite it with clearer instructions for you.  The one and only thing I have added is cherries. It's a classic touch, so it doesn't feel like sacrilege.  Maraschino cherries are the usual choice, but I opted for Trader Joe's Dark Morello Cherries.  They are not as red, but they taste like cherries.

Here are more detailed instructions:

If baking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350.

- 2 cups of flour, sifted and measured again - 2 tsp baking powder - 1/2 tsp salt - 1/2 cup shortening - 1 cup sugar - 2 eggs, separated - 1/2 cup milk - 2 Tbsp butter, melted - 1 cup brown sugar -1 can of sliced pineapple (20 oz.) - a few Morello or other cherries (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar.  Mix in the egg yolks until well combined.  Mix in about 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, then the flour, then the rest of the milk and finally the rest of the flour.  Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the batter. 

Swirl the melted butter in the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet.  Spread the brown sugar over the butter.  Put the pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar.  You will not have enough space to use all of the pineapple rings.  Place the optional cherries in the middle of each pineapple ring and in the empty spaces between the rings around the edge.  Pour in the batter and smooth the top.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes in the oven or cook on the stove top for 30 minutes.  When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, let it cool for a bit.  Run a knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen it and then invert onto a platter.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Try to eat one piece.  I dare you!

 

 

My food heritage

This is my grandmother's recipe box.

She hasn't cooked for about 30 years.  When my late grandfather retired from Ford, he told my grandmother that she could retire too.  So they ate out, three meals a day, for the rest of his life.  As a child, I took this for granted, but as an adult, I realize how sweet and considerate this was.  My grandparents were far from rich and they ate mostly at small diners.  Oh what a gesture to budget for and change their lifestyle for her comfort and happiness.

As you can guess, my grandmother doesn't like to cook, but she did cook for her family for many years while raising three children.  And now I have the recipes she used.  Even though she doesn't delight in  cooking, she does enjoy eating.  I am loving the picture her recipes paint.  It is a portrait of a blue collar, middle class kitchen in the mid-twentieth century.  It also reveals my grandmother's sweet tooth.  (Now I know for sure where I get mine!)  There are many more recipes for sweets than for anything else.

I have read all the recipes and have decided to cook my way through them.  I know this is probably sounding a bit Julie and Julia, but it is quite different, I assure you.  There is nothing gourmet about these recipes.  They are not a work of culinary brilliance like Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  They are the recipes my grandmother liked enough to make again and again.  They are a piece of my personal history and the domestic history of America. 

I will be stepping outside my comfort zone a bit.  I like to cook from scratch and stopped using a lot of processed foods a long time ago, but I will break my own rules for this journey.  I will use Cool Whip and Dream Whip and instant pudding and lard.  I will include all of the original recipes, their sources when known, and any changes I make.   Some of the recipes are just lists of ingredients, so I will share the techniques I use to make them.

I am fascinated with all things vintage, especially from the 40's - the 60's, so I can't think of a more fitting project than to cook an entire recipe box from that era, from my own grandmother.  It's like opening a time capsule and diving right in.

Here's to Grammy!

 

A little summer food porn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato inspirations

I intended to buy a pint of grape tomatoes.  I ended up with three.  I just couldn't resist them.  They seduced me with their shades of ruby and tangerine. 

I was already drunk on peach samples and my defenses were down.  No matter the reason, I had to figure out how to use all three pints while they were at their peak.

I started with a cucumber and grape tomato salad dressed with a buttermilk dill dressing from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook.  Then I created a main dish I'll call Summer Shrimp.  I used the tomatoes two ways for the dish and topped it all with goat cheese, fresh dill and basil.  I don't want to give away too much, because I'm including the recipe as part of the incentives for backers of Mad Good on kickstarter.

Mad Good, a foodie and her toadie, is the food show created by Lara and me.  We are taping our first two episodes in August and are raising the funds on kickstarter.  If you pledge to give us just $5 I will send you my special recipe collection including Summer Shrimp and the Red Pepper and Bacon Frittata with Tomato Feta Relish pictured below.  There are other rewards too, like a DVD with exclusive outtakes and your name in the credits.  You know you want it, so go to kickstarter, laugh your way through the trailer and secure a set of awesome recipes to impress your friends with.  

Oh yeah, and you'll get my buttermilk cobbler recipe too!!!

 

A light for a summer night or the food torch strikes again

I haven't used my dear little torch in a while, but today I returned it to service.  In the past, I have mainly used it for creme brulee.  I tend to forget that it's waiting up on the highest shelf to carmelize sugar on top of everything and anything.

I had a perfectly ripe nectarine sitting in my fruit bowl and when I cut it in half, inspiration struck.  I grabbed the brown sugar and sprinkled it over both halves.  I waved my torch over them and instantly I had warm, cripsy, caramel sugar.  The marriage of juicy, lusty nectarine and deep, dark sugar was divine.

If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can use your broiler instead.  Peaches would be just as lovely as nectarines here as well.  One of these gems makes the perfect ending to a summer meal.  If you want to take it a step further, top it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.  Yes, freshly whipped, nothing else will do.

Enjoy!

Mad Good - A foodie and her toadie

It's official!  Mad Good is on its way to being a real show.  In case you haven't heard, Mad Good is a show hosted by Lara and me. 

Aiming to turn food television on its ear, we will inspire you to change the way you eat, cook and watch. The first time we cooked together, we knew we had to have a show.

On our show, we will cook, ask questions, eat, laugh, argue, drink, compete and talk to the real food people- cookbook authors, bakers, farmers, fish mongers, chefs, short order cooks, baristas, butchers and home cooks- to name a few.

Each webisode will contain a cooking segment and a challenge pitting Lara and me against each other. Lara isn't afraid to ask any question and I'm not afraid to reveal my inner nerd. 

We have launched our project on kickstarter, so you can check it out there right now.  We will be taping the show in late August and hope to have it online by October.  We will be posting the show on blip.tv and youtube.

Wish us luck and support us on kickstarter!

A foodie on a diet?

I love bacon, butter, mayo, sausage, duck, chocolate, and cheese. 

I also love just the right dress- and looking good in it. 

I have always followed the rule "everything in moderation" and it has worked well for me.  Until my late 30's, that is.  My metabolism began slowing down and I realized I had to change.

So what is a habitual cook and baker to do?

Step 1.  "I'm done!"  No more complaining about how I look or fretting about my clothes.  I flipped a mental switch. 

Step 2.  Calorie counting.  I am NOT a regimented person.  I like variety.  I like spontaneity.  I hate paperwork and record keeping.  I didn't think I could count calories, but it's easier than I thought.  I used about.com to find out my calorie requirements.  Monday through Friday, I jot down my calories and stay within my limit.  On the weekend, I don't count, but I make sensible choices and let myself relax and enjoy some indulgences (like gin, perhaps?)  If I really want something, I don't deny myself, I just eat a reasonable portion and compensate with my other food choices. 

Step 3. Boosters.  It's based on anecdotal sources, but I am drinking green tea every day and eating either hot sauce or salsa.  They are supposed to boost your metabolism.  I find that they are healthy alternatives that taste good, if nothing else.  For example, I put Frank's Red Hot on my sandwiches now instead of mayo.

Step 4.  Exercise.  I like to exercise, but I hate to run or do anything repetitive.  I had been doing Gilad's Total Body Sculpt for a while, but wanted something more challenging.  Enter Insanity.  I bought it after seeing an infomercial and I love it.  Shaun T. is the right mix of encouraging and soothing.  I do dig deeper.

My results?  My first week I focused on the diet and did a few Gilad workouts.  My second week I kept up the diet and started the 60 day Insanity program.  I have lost 4.5 pounds so far. 

My success motivates me to keep going.  And I'm not getting bored in the kitchen either!  I'm delving back into Healthy 1-2-3 and I'm trying wacky new recipes of my own and ones I find.  I actually ate chocolate "mousse" made with avocado today.  It was odd at first, but I liked it.

Why am I telling you all of this?  To hold myself accountable and to let other people know it can be done- even if you love bad things!

Meyer Lemons- a sour affair

Ok.  I admit it.  Please don't tell my husband.  I am in love with a lemon!!!  There I've said it.  I didn't think it was possible.

I've heard of Meyer Lemons and seen them mentioned in recipes, but I didn't give them much thought.  I mean it's a lemon, right?  How different could it be?

Well, I'm here to tell you they are very different.  They are a cross between a tangerine and a lemon.  They have the sweetness of a tangerine and the pucker of a lemon.  And it doesn't hurt that they're beautiful golden hued little things.  I found them at Wal-Mart of all places, so you can't tell me you can't find them. 

I put them in my hummous tonight and I can't wait to try them in lemonade and lemon meringue pie.  But first things first- where's the tonic and gin?

A Word About Banned Substances

No, I'm not talking about alcohol (see this post).  My banned substances are high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and MSG.  I wrote a nutrition article for Her Times a while ago detailing why I do my best to avoid the trio.  I still stay away from them and there are even new reasons to do so.  Here's the quick lowdown:

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)-  This is a chemically altered sweetener made from corn.  There is great debate whether the widespread use of HFCS has contributed to the rise in obesity in America and whether it has other adverse health effects. (Read about it here.)  The sharp increase in obesity does coincide with major corporations switching from sugar to HFCS.  A new reason may be the environmental impact which you can read about here.  The bottom line for me is that it is not a natural ingredient and is hidden in tons of products. 

 Partially hydrogenated oils-  We've all heard about trans fatty acids and how bad they are for us.   The amazing thing is that they are in products that say 0 grams trans fatty acid.  If you see partially hydrogenated oil, shortening, or hydrogenated oil listed as an ingredient, there can be as much as .49 grams of trans fatty acid and the label can still claim zero.  This site is quite helpful.  Palm oil (not palm fruit oll) and coconut oil are natural, but almost as bad so I try to avoid those too.  The bottom line is trans fats increase your bad cholesterol and decrease your good cholesterol.  

MSG (monosodium glutamate)- There is so much debate about this food additive it is staggering.  It's really hard to decide who to believe.  Some say it is harmless others say it causes obesity, causes neurological problems and triggers headaches.  The only thing agreed on is that some people are sensitive to it and those people can have an adverse reaction to it.  The bottom line for me is it's another chemical food additive that may be harmful and may contribute to my migraines, so why eat it?

Now don't get the idea that I never eat anything unhealthy and I spend hours in the kitchen making everything my family eats from scratch!  The main idea here is that I am trying to help my family eat healthier and I want it to be a conscious decision when I eat something unhealthy.  Those pesky banned substances show up in canned soups, granola bars, wheat bread, oatmeal, English muffins, cereal, crackers, ketchup, salad dressings, yogurt, and all kinds of places you wouldn't expect.  I don't appreciate companies parading foods as healthy when they're full of artificial additives.  There are times when I want to eat junk food and I understand that they're not good for me, but I don't want to sit down to a breakfast of yogurt and toast and be filling up on HFCS. 

When I started doing this, it took me a little longer to go grocery shopping because I was reading all the labels.  Now I know so many labels, I only have to read a few each trip and I feel so much better about what I am feeding my family.  I am also working on some recipes to share with you that are easy and eliminate some of the prime offender ingredients.  Look for those soon!