Apple Crumble Bars

Got apples? I have three words for you: Apple. Crumble. Bars.

Fall is just around the corner which means apples season is approaching, and if you find yourself at an orchard with a bushel in tow, head straight to the kitchen and make this recipe! Imagine something like an apple crisp but with a shortbread crust so you can hold all that autumn deliciousness in your hand.

An apple crumble bar close-up so you can see that shortbread crust and crumbly topping.

Making apple crumble bars is very similar to making an apple crisp. The only real difference is making the shortbread crust which gets pre-baked and honestly, it’s worth every ounce of effort. Don’t feel intimated by the extra step. Processing the apples is the most laborious part, so if you’re gonna go for it, just go all the way. The one major difference is you’ll want to let these cool before you cut into them. Unlike apple crisp which you might eat while still warm from the oven, these need to set up a bit or the crumble topping will crumble all over the place. I also suggest using parchment paper so you can easily lift them out of the pan. I baked the bars in a cast iron skillet (although you can use an 8 inch square baking dish) and then transferred the entire dessert to a cooling rack. After they cooled, I then transferred them to a cutting board to slice, and having that parchment made it easy to move them around.

I used two Granny Smith apples and a Honeycrisp in this recipe because that’s what I had on hand. You can use any kind of apples you want so have fun on your orchard adventures and don’t let the type of apples stand in your way from baking these. I would also advise you to store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge. They keep just fine in there and in some ways, even improve the texture.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups flour

Apple Filling

• 3 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/8 cup white sugar

Crumble Topping

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp chilled butter, cut into pea sized bits

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, begin making the shortbread crust by mixing the butter and sugar and vanilla.
3. Slowly add in the flour, mixing until the texture of wet sand.
4. Pat the crust mixture into an 8 inch square pan or oven safe equivalent and bake for 12ish minutes or until just barely beginning to golden.
5. While the crust is baking, toss the sliced apples with the flour and sugar.
6. In another bowl, add the dry ingredients for the crumble topping and toss to blend.
7. Next cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives, blending the ingredients till clumpy, like wet sand.
8. When the shortbread crust is finished baking, layer the apple slices on top, stacking them as necessary to assure a solid layer.
9. Next, squeeze small handfuls of the crumble mixture and scatter over the apple slices.
10. Continue with the crumble topping so apples are fully covered and then bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees until apples are bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
11. Let cool a bit, then carefully remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper to assist you, and place on a wire rack to cool and stiffen up.
12. When completely cool, cut into bars.

The skillet version of my apple crumble bars because I couldn’t find an appropriate sized baking pan.

Let me know if you make these bars. I’d love to hear what you think. I found them delicious and I think you will too.

Enjoy!

The Best Drink Recipes For Hot Days

As we reach the dog days of summer, you might be hankering for drinks to get you through the heat. From sunup to sundown, these refreshing recipes are everything you need for a caffeine fix to a cocktail happy hour.

Mornings

Cold brew how to:

1. Take a bag of fresh ground coffee and soak it in 7 cups of cold water overnight.
2. In the morning, strain the grounds into a large pot using a fine mesh sieve covered with a layer of cheese cloth. This might take an hour or so.
3. Discard the cheese cloth and grounds.
4. Next, strain the coffee liquid again but this time line the seive with a large coffee filter. This process can take several hours. Just leave it be and let it do its thing.
5. After several hours you'll notice most the coffee has strained through. Discard the filter and any left over coffee sludge.
6. Pour this coffee concentrate into a large pitcher and then add to it an equal amount of cold water.
7. Stir and refridgerate until ready to use, then pour over ice and top with perferred milk product.

*add sugar or a simple syrup if you like...

Evenings

Dark & Stormy Cocktail Recipe

It doesn't get easier or more delicious than this...

1. Open a can of ginger beer and pour over ice.
2. Top with a shot or two of dark rum.
3. Squeeze fresh lime juice into it.
4. Dunk the ice to give it a mix.

And just in case you are one of those folks that LOVES beverage culture, I went ahead and made some utensils to really connect with your inner barista and mixologist. The coffee scoop measure a level tablespoon in case you prefer a more tradition hot coffee and the cocktail stir… well, bar cart anyone?

Sold Out

AM and PM Hand Carved Mahogany Beverage Set

$69.00

Add to cart

Cheers! And good luck with the heat!

August 2020: Quick and Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

You need an easy Homemade Pizza Dough recipe in your life! Something that is quick and low maintenance so you can crank out pies on a whim. For real! If you’ve been ordering pizza out our purchasing store bought dough you are missing the simplicity of pizza being a house staple. I like to think of pizza as a catch-all. It’s one of those last minute concoctions that can be quickly thrown together. Yeah, yeah yeah… dough has to rise but the truth is, the dough is typically good to go by the time you are finished prepping all your other ingredients. Just start the dough first. I’ll also remind you that pizza is a “flat bread” meaning, if you screw it up and the dough doesn’t rise, it’s not a problem. Thin crust is still good crust! and this is not up for debate!

Anyway, the need for this dough recipe is not for banging out pies. It’s for managing food going bad in your fridge! I think just abut any ingredient can be turned into a pizza topping and honestly that’s were your culinary creativity will truly shine. If you don’t believe me, throw a random ingredient in the comments and I will get back to you with how I’d work it into a pie. Pizzas can go beyond that of tomato sauce and mozzarella. Gawd, half the time, I’m out of those things entirely. But never out of pizza. Ever! Below is a spinach, artichoke, Alfredo pizza with Parmesan and the other is a breakfast version with bacon, eggs and cheese. There are so many options. Just get down with making your own crust!

Pizza Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast (rapid rise and dry active are both fine)
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp oil

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients and combine.
2. Add the warm water and oil and start mixing.
3. Mix until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the bowl and then dump out onto a lightly floured surface.
4. Knead the dough until it comes together and forms a ball.
5. Continue to knead for about 10 minutes until the ingredients are well combined.
6. At this point you can either divide the dough into two balls for 14 inch pies or split into 4 dough ball and make personal pies.
7. Grease a sheet tray and place your dough balls on it. Lightly oil them with a thin coat then cover and let rest for 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size.
8. Once doubled it's pizza time! If baking on a sheet tray, oil it and then plop your dough ball onto it and gently stretch towards the edges. If using a pizza pan/screen you can either lightly toss the dough if you have them skills or flour the counter and roll it with a rolling pin. Then transfer the dough onto the pan.(Do not roll the dough out on a pizza screen. This will cause it to stick to the screen when baking. (If either technique has the dough springing back on you, refusing to hold the stretch, pause, let it rest for 10 minutes, and then come back and continue the process.)
9. Once your dough is in place, go about adding your sauce, cheese and toppings.
10. Bake at 550F degrees (or the highest temperature your oven will allow)on the top rack for 10 to 15 minutes keeping an eye on the cheese for browning.
11. Remove after baking and let cool slightly before slicing.

For real! If you don’t know how to use an ingredient, drop it in the comments and I’ll give you a pizza “flavor profile”. Building unique pizzas is my jam! I love the basics, but I also all love the non-traditionals…

Happy pizza making!

Bread Steak (A Simple Meal For Hard Times)

I know what you’re thinking. “Bread Steak? What the heck is Bread Steak?”

Well, it’s basically a thick slice of bread that you griddle, and then top with all the fixin’s. It’s more of a formula than a recipe but nonetheless, it comes in handy. I like to think of it as the poor (wo)man’s gourmet as it has allowed for a taste of the “good life” even during hard times. Ugh… pandemic much? Between lockdowns, curfews, and cases of Covid-19 currently surging, trips to the store are rather infrequent. So, this is one way I stretch a dollar and ingredients…

Step 1: Get onboard with baking bread!

For a minute there, baking bread was all the rage. Although it seems to have passed, I would encourage everyone to embrace it as more than a fad. Baking bread is simple and cheap. Sure, there is some technique to get down but that’s just a matter of practice. And assuming we are all still laying low due to the virus, why not use the time as bread boot camp? I equate bread baking to a life skill, on par with things like building a fire or changing a tire… It’s the art of making something work. If you can make bread, you can make toast, or sandwiches, or pizzas, or pretty much anything else utilizing dough. There are endless possibles which is why it should be of no surprise that I’ve decided Bread Steak should be a thing! It’s a riff on classy when you’re feeling financially stretched.

If you need a place to start your own bread journey, consider this basic bread recipe. You can also follow along with the Full Moon Baking Club where each full moon a new baking recipe is released. Long story short, baking bread is cheap and we all should be doing it. It requires the most basic of ingredients and yet once you have them, you can make all kinds of things. Get on it!

Step 2: Understand the Bread Steak formula.

By formula I mean the process rather than ingredients. Whatever you decide about embarking on the quest to bake your own bread, a good slice remains essential to getting your “steak” on. Ideally you will cut yourself a nice fatty that you slather up with butter or mayo and then griddle in a skillet. (Yep! I said mayo as in mayonnaise. It’s a culinary hack for all you grilled cheese makers waiting too long for your butter to soften.) Sear it on both sides like you would a steak, and no; you can’t use a toaster for this. It’s not the same you lazy cheaters!

Once the bread is griddled on both sides you can start in with your toppings. I like to add a base layer of some kind of spread that will help cradle the other goodies. Cream cheese and ricotta work well, as does yogurt, nut butters, and hummus. Think of it like the binding agent that’s going to hold everything together. Next, give it some kind of bedding. This could be anything from mixed greens to sauteed onions or mushrooms, or even sliced fruit. Think of it as a layer of bulk that provides nutritional balance to the bread slice. Lastly, add a finishing topping. There are endless possibilities here. The final topping is an element of contrast that helps tie it all together. It might be a poached egg or sliced fruit, cured meat, or perhaps a drizzle of honey with a sprinkle of seeds. Mostly these layers are a matter of composition. The formula, rather than recipe, gives you the freedom to work with what ya got.

Bread + Spread + Bedding + Topping = Bread Steak

It’s a privilege to be able to race out to the store and grab supplies when necessary. Some of us live in food deserts. Others are fighting the loss of income. Not all of us are in positions to stock-up on items and therefore must be creative with what’s on hand. I know personally that both my pantry and my bank account have been dwindling as years of financial hardships accumulate. I also see the internet continue to entice with it luxuries. Everything from home goods to gourmet fare seem to fly in the face of those struggling; begging us to be impulsive and spend money we don’t have. The good news though is you don’t need a lot of money to feel rich when it comes to your diet. You can find ways to have more with less, without feeling like you’ve sacrificed something. The Bread Steak is my steak. It’s not a fillet or a T-Bone but it’s juicy nonetheless, and there’s nothing better than cutting into it with a fork and knife and knowing it’s a treat. It often falls apart and turns into a mess that spreads all over my plate but that mess brings out my inner bon viviant, reminding me that it’s not what I buy, but what I make with what I have… Such is life?

Bread steak with ricotta, arugula, mushrooms, shallots, goat cheese and thyme.

So, go find your fancy. Search for it in the unexpected and remember that simple pleasures are often hiding behind an elaborate veneer. A decadent steak doesn’t have to be meat. By the way, have you ever looked up the word decadent? It’s not the glory you might think. Anyway, good luck you fine people! Make good food and trust that you can nourish your health on a budget, and liberate yourself from the elitism surrounding our food culture. You got this!

July 2020: Fire Crackers

So, I’m not sure where the sourdough movement stands these days. Stores seem to be doing well at restocking the shelves and yeast is perhaps no longer in limited supply. But for the few holdout still nursing a starter, I thought I’d share this cracker recipe which unlike my attempts at making sourdough breads, has been a predictably simple process. This recipe is a riff off King Arthur’s recipe. They coached me through the first several batches but now I’m off and running. The house favorite seems to be these “fire” crackers, made with crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and a little coarse salt. They are pretty easy to make and just the thing to scoop up all those 4th of July dips.

Sourdough discard crackers with coarse salt, crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup starter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbsp butter , softened
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• oil for brushing the tops
• Coarse salt for sprinking on tops

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil and coarse salt.
2. Mix throughly so the dough forms and knead it slightly until all the ingredients are well combined.
3. Seperate into two piece, flatten them into patties, and then wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or over night to stiffen up.
4. After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Remove the dough from plastic and place between two layers of parchment paper.
6. Roll the dough out between the paper to about 1/16 inch thick.
7. Transfer the rolled slab onto a baking sheet and brush with oil.
8. Sprinkle the coarse salt on top and lightly pat the granuals into the dough using the spare paper.
9. Using a knife or pizza cutter slice the dough into 1 1/4 inch squares.
10. Then place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
11. Taste test the crackers in the middle of the pan to ensure they are crisp. If not continue baking for a few minutes till you achive your desired crunch.
12. You can remove the crisped ones to a rack to cool while the other continue baking if worried about them becoming over done.

Stay safe everyone!

May 2020: Simple Sourdough Recipe

This is a shout-out to all the new bakers that have embarked on the sourdough journey but feel defeated in effort. Hey there…I hear you. It’s a lot of flour feeding and discarding and questioning if the hobby is worth it or wasteful… Well, buck-up friend! If there’s one thing I can tell you about bread baking, it’s that the recipes themselves matter less than your relationship to the dough. Over time, you come to learn that a good bread is something you feel. You can tell long before it’s baked if it’s going to perform well and my advice to you is, just stay with it. Practice, make a mess, and enjoy the process regardless of result because you will get better with time. Breads take time… I’ve been baking for a while now and it’s the relationship I have created with time that makes bread such great company. And now, as we all sit idle in our quarantined quarters, where time escapes us and loneliness set in, it’s nice to have a friend, especially a nourishing one that provides a taste of companionship.

As for sourdough specifically, my fandom was born thanks to the pandemic and the sudden hunt for yeast. Albeit my yeast supply remains plentiful, I’m here for the herd. The thought of would-be-bakers being left behind due to yeast shortages was enough for me to join the sourdough bandwagon. I don’t care if it’s trendy because of the pandemic. The truth is, anything that enables you to provide for yourself reduces dependency at large. The fact that you can make your own bread means you don’t have to buy it from the grocery store, reducing demand on the supply chain which reduces the demand on factory workers which right now, are at the very heart of the virus outbreak. So, trendy or not, if you’re better able to shelter in place thanks to what might be a new hobby, by all means, go for it! Reducing your demand for market needs is one step closer to sustainability. Even thought it’s a small step, it’s still a step, and in times of crisis, little things matter.

So, don’t be discouraged by your bread flop, or shamed into thinking your’re just following a fad. Who cares? It’s fun. It’s therapeutic. And when you get the hang of it, it taste good! It’s a win for you, front-line workers, and the environment. Gawd… Just writing that feels like a sales pitch but honestly, this is not a hard sell. If bread baking is a coping mechanism for dark times then consider me an apocal-optimist cause I think its awesome!

As the sourdough starter ages, the holes get better and better!

Before I get into the recipe, I have to say one thing. Screw recipes! It’s so easy to get bogged down in how-to’s that quickly turn to overwhelm. That is how I have felt about all the sourdough recipes I’ve found so I’m giving up and going with what I know and chalking the failures up to learning along the way. I’m not getting into levain, or biga, or poolish and all the fancy names that boiled down, amount to “sponge” in my book. The semantics in bread making can leave a new baker confused, so let’s ignore that for now We’re keeping things simple. Ready?

Simple Sourdough Recipe

Step 1: Create the “sponge”

• 1/4 cup starter
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup flour

1. Mix sponge ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cover and let rest for 4 to 6 hours or when a small amout can float when placed in a bowl of water. This is known as a float test.

Step 2: Create the dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Add the dough ingredients into the sponge bowl and combine.
2. Mix until a shaggy dough forms and all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Cover and let rest 6-8 hours or overnight.

Step 3: Knead the dough

1. With a wet hand, reach along the inside edge of the bowl, lifting the dough up, so you can fold it onto itself.
2. Do this this three or four times and then cover and let the dough rest in the bowl for 30ish minutes.
3. Repeat Step 3, three more times.

Step 4: Shape the dough

1. On a lightly floured surface, dump out your dough and gently shape into a round form being mindful of the gas bubbles.(You want to keep those intact as much as possible. That's what helps give the crumb those big sourdough holes.)
2. Once it's shaped, place on a piece of parchment paper and place it in a clean bowl.
3. Cover and let rise in the fridge overnight.

Step 5: Bake

1. Remove bowl from fridge and let come to room temperature.
2. Preheat a dutch oven in your oven to 500 degrees F.
3. When the oven reaches tempurature, score the top of your bread dough with a few slits and carefuly place the dough with the parchment into the dutch oven.
4. Cover it with the lid and place it back into the oven. Lower the tempurature to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, remove the lid, lower the tempurature to 400 degrees F and continue baking for 15 more minutes.
6. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

Hot damn! This is me trying to simplify things but my head is already hurting so not sure it worked.. Good luck and remember that the Sourdough Support Group is here for you! I’m posting my updates over on Instagram so if you want some behind the scenes shots check the sourdough stories. Don’t hesitate to message me with your successes, failure, questions or requests. I’m just as bored as you are so lets get gaming and have some fun. You have one month to complete this recipe mission. The next full moon is June 5, 2020 so you got four weeks to give this a shot. Good luck. You got this!

Piece out!

Sourdough Starter Support Group

It’s been incredible watching the internet boom with bread baking. The dough life is everywhere and the breads are looking amazing! I’ve been on the bread train for a while now, so when this new wave of bakers emerged, I was caught somewhat off guard. Dare I say, “jealous” you’ve been baking without me? Luckily, FOMO is a pre-coronavirus complex since we’re all stuck at home these days. But dang! You guys with your bread flex right now brings me so much joy. I’ve been seeing so many sourdough starters in my Facebook feed that I figured we needed a support group for all the questions. Seriously though, you guys are champions! I’m loving all the close-ups of fermentation bubbles, and those sexy hooch lines. It’s like the baker’s version of the first day of school and your starter’s already on the honor roll!

I know some of you created a starter because you were running low on yeast. Smart move! Others, feel left behind cause they are completely without. Fortunately, you’re not out of the bread game just yet. You can easily collect wild yeast to make a sourdough starter. Once your starter is active you’re good to go. When it comes to working it into recipes, I typically use about a 1/4 cup per loaf. There’s a ton of information out there about how and when to feed your starter, weighing the flour, blah, blah blah… Personally, I can’t be bothered with the details and save that for the professionals like Sarah Owens and Tara Jensen. They are the darlings of sourdough in my book, so if you wanna dive deep, check them out. Otherwise, if you see a hooch layer forming, it’s time for another feeding.

As for getting back into baking with the Full Moon Baking Club I figure now is as good as any for a reboot! Rather than post a recipe this month, I figured we should just get our starters up to snuff so in a month we can get our bake on. If you have yeast, you can explore the recipes on the Full Moon Baking Club page, or if your starter is ready, you can get experimental and try out the Fermented Loaf recipe.

On a personal note, I’ll tell you my starter you see above is a newbie. It’s less than two weeks old and although I see signs of activation, it’s really all about feeding it at this point. I’ve been doing this twice a day now after five days of catching yeast using the wild method above. It only occurred to me to start a new one after soaking my flour mix to make this molasses loaf.

Starter or not, keep baking! I’ve found that making something with your own two hands, is rewarding. Even in failure, the reward is there. Right now it might be the antidote for boredom but as someone that has baked for years for both friends, family, and full crews at sea, warm treats from the oven always delight! I used to joke that I’ve never met a problem that a fresh cookie couldn’t solve and I would say the same goes for a hot loaf of bread! So bake and have fun! If the lockdown life leads to an economic depression, at least you’ll know how to use the flour rations. Ha!

Actually, that’s terrifying Don’t think about that.. Just go pour off the hooch and feed your new pet. We have some baking to do! And as you begin your journey into sourdough, know that you’re are backed by the ultimate bread nerd. Submit your questions in the comments so I can geek out on this one. I’ll do my best to coach you through any problem. Good luck and I look forward to baking with you next month!

3 Reasons You Need Pineapples In The Age Of This Coronavirus

As we find ourselves in midst of the Coronavirus we should turn to pineapple for a helping hand. I know, I know… Ya all probably think this is trash talk but hear me out. I have three specific reasons why pineapple should be the fruit mascot for all things Covid-19. You ready?

1. Respiratory Health

Pineapple is rich in Bromelian which is an enzyme with a positive record for treating upper respiratory track infections. Several studies including “The Use of Bromelain in Pneumological Therapy” published in 1978, as well as the 1967 publication of “A Double-Blind Clinical Evaluation of Bromelains in the Treatment of Acute Sinusitis” both reported effective results in treating respiratory illnesses. For those suffering from pneumonia and bronchitis, bromelain can apparently help suppress coughs and reduce sputum which is the mucus-y stuff coughed up from the respiratory track. Bromelain is reported to decrease such secretions, helping to increase the capacity and function of the lungs! Holla! Additionally, pineapple is loaded in vitamin C and manganese which are essential for antioxidant defense. In short, that means immunity boosting nutrients, and with Coronavirus cases continuing to rise, this is the time to feed your body with nourishment that might literally help you or a loved one fight for their life.

Granted, pineapple is no substitute for medical intervention but right now we are in a time of uncertainty and medicines with a cure are still being researched. If there is one take away we can all observe right now, it’s that those with compromised immune systems and underlying health condition are facing greater risks against this virus. We don’t have all the answers as to how we as a people get sick, but we do have a lot of them. Heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are illnesses threaten by the Covid-19 and all of which correlate back to diet. Now has never been a better time to take a good hard look at what we are eating and take a proactive step toward improving our health. I know this virus has us feeling as though life is out of control but this is something you can do. You can make pineapple part of your diet. It's quite possible this fruit can help and if nothing else, we can at least trust that it won’t hurt.

2. Pineapple Propagation

That’s right folks! Growing food should at least be in the back of everyone’s mind. I don’t want to be an alarmist but when you hear stories about global border closures, record plunges of the stock market, collapsing healthcare systems, and a growing viral pandemic, it’s a bit naive to assume all will turn-out rosy. Shit is going down right now and our leadership is floundering. And this is not a political statement. This is just glaringly obvious by every single Facebook or Instagram post highlighting the states of panic, depression, concern and ambivalence rampant among us. People don’t know what to do and what’s worse is management of every kind seems just as clueless.

But folks, I have some news for you. If you find yourself waiting to be lead forward by anyone in a “crisis”, the joke’s on you. There is no white knight. No hero is at the helm standing watch, waiting for the right moment to lift you from the storm. YOU are the only one that can do that, and the sooner you come to terms with this sad misfortune the better off you’ll be. Let that sink in for a bit. There is a good change you won’t get it right now but I promise you that at some point it will click and rather than some enlightened awakening, you might experience something more akin to a great thaw. It wasn’t enlightening to learning that I was single-handedly patching cracks in our system so my family,( myself included) could remain afloat. The legal system demanded my parents receive care (Read About page) which personally hamstrung me to the broken healthcare system. Naturally that then tethered me to the financial system. And then that system fettered me to the welfare system. And then that system, to the food system.. You see where I’m going with this? You might remember my old posts about needing new glasses, getting by on $50 a week (for me and my dad), or just wanting a hair cut… It was an extremely rough time made rougher by isolation. But guess what? No hero in sight except, m y s e l f…

{Insert the epic “thaw” here. }

For the first time in probably two or three years I saw the true reality of the situation. It was my shit sandwich and I had to swallow it. We all know that expression “to eat shit” but until the load is on your plate, the magnitude of the task ahead is peripheral. Well, that shit was not peripheral. That shit, was a diarrhea of a shit and it was front and center. It was the cold, and cruel reality of a dangerous uncertainty and no sooner did I choke it down, did the ice begin to melt. First, my eyes cleared and I started taking in the big picture. Then the rage formed, just as I started to shake my shoulders lose. By the time I could free my elbows, I was ready to throw punches. But the punches never came. Turns out hands are harbingers for solutions and as soon as mine were loose they were called to action. I started cranking out spoons to help supply us with more income. And I started reading the Wall Street Journal to better understand the f’ing stock market. Financial security was food security and I realized the risk of having only one pillar in play. You follow me?

The whole point of this rant is to shake you out of your ice. Do not allow yourself to become frozen in place, paralyzed by the news and your new found circumstance. Think forward. Think ahead and prepare now. Start a garden if you can. We’ve just entered Spring and the ground is ripe for new seeds. No room for a garden? Try a container version instead, or just a single plant. We literally Do. Not. Know. What. Is. Going. To. Happen! So, let’s be a little proactive. At best, growing some of our own food makes us individually more sustainable. At worst we have a sad little plant that produced nothing but root rot. Either way it’s win-win. This provides you something purposeful to do with your new home-bound life as well as a new found respect for the hard working farmers that keeps us fed!

As for the pineapple, it’s just easy to propagate. You can just get one at the store (assuming they remain available) , cut the top off, and plop it right into the soil and it will grow. It does take a while but it’s seriously easy. Mine grew (I have two) and I was far less methodical with my attempt than the link above. They also work in pots and if it doesn’t fruit, it still looks good. This might be your first step in having a Victory Garden. Why not get a jump?

3. Pineapple Recipes

This segment should be obvious. Not only are pineapples good for respiratory health and easy to grow, but you can also cook with them. Duh… You get the most nutritional density by just eating the fruit unaltered but don’t let that stop you from incorporating it however you can. You might only be able to find pineapple frozen or in a can and I realize that might influence how you choose to consume it but either way, go for it! One of my favorite ways of consumption for small children, elderly, or anyone feeling sick is via a smoothie or glass of pineapple juice. I don’t think you need a recipe to do this. As long as you have the basic ingredients to build a smoothie just go for it. My only suggestion is to think about the color wheel when mixing ingredients. It’s kinda like grade schools when you were mixing paints for art class… If you mix red fruit with leafy greens, you’ll likely get a brown smoothie. Gross! However, if you mix red fruit with yellow fruit you’ll get orange. Or yellow fruit and leafy greens will create a lighter green smoothie. The saying goes, and I believe this, “you eat with your eyes”. I don’t know about you, but the only brown smoothie I’m into is chocolate or coffee something. Stop making gross looking smoothies! Jamba Juice doesn’t do and neither should you. In addition to drinks, pineapple has a place in both sweet and savory recipes. Along with the typical pineapple upside-down cake it goes well with chicken and pork or mixed in with some rice and beans. Really, just take yourself to Pinterest if you need inspiration. This is not rocket science.

Alright, and on that note, I gotta, GOTTA, GOTTA finish this up. When I said I was going to dive into more posts about isolation I didn’t think pineapple was going to be the first rabbit hole I’d send you down. And if you are still here, I’m impressed! And please comment and let me know how you feel cause if you want me to talk some real talk about isolation, then here’s a dose… How about the fact that I posted this blog for years, A L O N E, during the hardest time in my life and rarely a peep did anyone make here to encourage me on. That’s not a guilt trip. It’s just a fact. And worth thinking a bit on what it means to “show-up” for someone when you physically can’t be near them. I can tell you from experience that it’s gonna take more than a Facebook like. Likes don’t save lives. Nor will they save the livelihoods of the millions of people that will be effected. So buckle folks. This ride has only just started.

Also, pineapple for the win! Just sayin’…;)

October 2019: 1 Bowl Banana-Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

These banana-chocolate chip mini muffins are a game changer for senior eating! Mini anything is always enticing but these muffins are made in a single bowl making caregiver clean-up a breeze. They are sure to win over everyone thanks to chocolate chips. Kids too! And with some sneaky ingredients for extra nutrition, what’s not to love? They are mini but mighty, which seems like an important details when it comes to muffins.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas mashed
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• zest on 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl mix the mashed bananas, egg, yogurt sugar and oil.
3. Throw in the flours and baking powder and mix until it's well combined.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips (I used mini chips however regular size will work just fine).
5. Scoop batter into well greased muffin tins.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15ish minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from a center muffin. (If using tradional sized muffin tins they will likely take longer to cook. Just keep a watchful eye while baking.)

A mini but mighty muffin recipe with banana and chocolate chips.

Make and bake! And then tell me what you think, especially how many is too many, cause, ugh… I’m asking for a friend? Hehehehe…

Two Recipes For Better Sandwiches

Back to school means back to lunch but your sandwiches don’t have to be boring. Prep these two recipes and store them in the fridge for a quick fix on snoozy sandwich days. Below is a recipe for some quick pickled onions when you need a tasty crunch. The other is a turmeric-tahini dressing for days when your sandwich needs a little slather of extra flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl then toss in the onions and give them a stir.
2. That's it. Yep. You're done.
3. You can transfer them into a jar or storage container for safe keeping. They should last a good long week in your fridge soaking away in their pickling liquid.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
• 2-3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• pinch of cayenne
• ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Thin with more water if necessary
3. Transfer to a storage container and keep in your fridge.
4. Use as neccessary to doctor up boring sandwiches!

Both of these recipes will help you beat the lunch room blues. Don’t delay! Get these in your fridge ASAP!

Turmeric & Ginger Squash Soup Recipe

There is just something about the combination of both turmeric and ginger that brings the cozy and what better cozy is there than a soup? That’s right folks. It’s soup season. I might be a bit early on this one but when you are a girl from South Florida hangin’ in Maine, the cold comes early. ‘Tis time…

And if you’re looking to boost your immune system as we head into some cooler weather, well grab a bowl cause this soup is basically a nutrition bomb. It’s rich in antioxidants like carotenoids and curcumin helping to reduce inflammation and keep you feeling good. Did I mention the lemon juice and pomegranate drizzle? Yeah… you’re just gonna have to take my word for it. You need this soup in your life!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cups squash ( I roasted a Jarradale Squash whole and scooped out 3 cups.)
• 3 to 4 cups of broth or enough for desired consistancy.
• 1 lemon
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tbsp pomegranate reduction

Directions

1. In a large pot, dry toast the powdered spices till slightly fragrant.
2. Add the butter and oil and mix with the spices.
3. Then add the chopped onion, garlic and fresh ginger and saute in the spices for a few minutes.
4. Next, add a small amount of broth to deglaze the botton of the pot, then add the squash.
5. Add more broth to cover the squash and let simmer till thouroughly cooked.
6. Carefully use an immersion blender and puree soup addind more broth if necessary.
7. Squeeze the lemon into the soup and stir. (I used a whole lemon.)
8. Serve into bowls and add 1/8 cup of coconut milk to each bowl.
9. Drizzle the pomagranate sauce if using and add salt and pepper to taste.

August 2019: Anadama Bread

Hey Moon Bakers,

As you read this I’m settling into Rockland, ME with the Sea Education Association where I’m cooking for the crew of the Corwith Cramer for the next couple of months. I’m beyond excited to be back with this organization after a five year caregiving break and I’m equally excited to be back in New England where my bread making journey began. Anadama Bread seems a fitting recipe for adventuring back to the north. It’s legendary in these parts and if you’re curious on why, you can click here. The recipe below is slightly less traditional substituting a couple table spoons of honey for some of the molasses but really, it’s all about course corn meal. By soaking the cornmeal overnight and creating a sponge to help with fermentation, this bread produces a light crumb that’s full of texture. It also makes for quite a large loaf. You’ll have sandwich bread for days so you better plan a picnic and invite some friends!

Ingredients:

Soaker

• 1/2 cup coarse corn meal

• 1/2 cup warm water

Sponge

• 1 cup flour

• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup warm water

• Plus the soaker

Dough

• 1 1/4cup flour

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp molasses

• 1 tbsp softened butter

Directions:

1. Make the "soaker" by mixing the corn meal and water in a small bowl and rest covered for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

2. Transfer the soaker to a large bowl and add all the other "sponge" ingredients and mix well.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for an hour or until bubbles begin to form.

4. Add all the "dough" ingredients to the sponge and mix to combine.

5. Work the dough and help it form a rough ball then transfer onto a floured counter top.

6. Begin to knead the dough adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

7. Knead consistantly for 15 to 20 minutes until all the ingredients are well combined and the dough is soft and pliable. (This dough has a tendancy to be dense so it's important to knead it thoroughly to produce a light and airy finish.)

8. Once the dough is well formed, placed it in large bowl that’s been greased and then cover and let rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in size.

9. Remove the dough to a counter and reknead adding additional flour if necessary as you degass any trapped air bubbles.

10. Gently shape the dough into a loaf shape and place into a greased loaf pan and then cover again and let rest for another hour.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

12. Once the dough has doubled in size, place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

13. Rotate the pan and continue baking for another 25 minutes.

14. Carefully remove the bread from the oven and turn out the loaf onto a wire cooling rack.

15. Let cool before slicing. (I know this part is hard but the bread is so light and fluffy inside that you risk tearing it if you don't wait.)

Do you like Anadama Bread? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

July 2019: The Crusty Loaf

Ok, this post is going to be less about a bread recipe and more about how you can get your home oven to mimic that of a professional bakery. Cause that’s what we all want right? Bread at home that has that magic crust that seems to only come from professionals… No worries. I got you! With just this little tip you can start banging out some crusty loaves.

Make it steamy!

Yep. That is pretty much it. If you want to enhance your bread’s crust game you gotta get things steamy. There is a couple ways you can do this:

1. Dutch Oven Method

   I use this method a lot cause it’s almost a guaranteed win every single time. Baking bread in a dutch oven allows the moisture from the dough to get trapped while baking, creating that steamy environment that gives you that crispy crust. I bake the dough for about 30 minutes with the lid on and then remove it for the last 15 minutes. I won’t go into too much detail now but if you want to explore this method you can find a recipe with some instructions right here.

2. Pan With Water Method

   Now, for those of you that don’t have a dutch oven, there is still hope. Crispy crust can easily be achieved by adding a pan with some water in it that you will remove midway through baking. I like to use a baking dish with about an inch of water in it. You don’t want too much water though because you want to easily and safety remove it from the oven come time. I add the pan/dish of water when I preheat the oven so it’s good and steamy by the time I’m ready to start baking. Pretty simple really.

The last thing I’ll say about the crust is to get creative when when you score the top. Scoring is the design you slice into the top and it frequently confused for an important step in the baking process. I’m here to tell, that’s not really the case. Scoring allows for a bit more rise from a dough while baking in the oven but mostly its more personality than anything. You can use a razor blade or serrated knife to add some slash marks just before placing it in the oven and you are good to go. And in case you need some inspiration for this, just check out Sarah C. Owen’s Instagram page for some beautiful ideas. She is a queen when it comes to all things bread and scoring skills are on point!

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (plus more for kneading)
• 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

1. In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients.
2. Then add the milk.
3. Mix together with a spoon until a sticky dough forms and then cover and let it rest on the counter for 6 to 8 hours. (I know that sounds odd but seriously, just cover and forget about it for the day or overnight.)
4. After the long rest you'll notice the dough has grown into a a loose blob of dough.
5. Sprinkle some flour onto your counter and then tip the dough out of the bowl, carefully assisting it as necessary.
6. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top of the dough and begin to work it with your hands, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands.
7. Slowly begin to knead the dough, continueing to add flour as necessary.
8. Knead for roughly 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Shape the dough in an oblong loaf and place it into a greased bread pan.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about and hour.
11. Preheat your oven to 450 degress and place a pan with about an inch of water on a low shelf in your oven.
12. After the dough has rested for an hour and about doubled in size, remove the wrap and score the top of your loaf and then immediately place it in the hot steamy oven.
13. Then, immediately turn the oven down to 375 degress and bake for 25 minutes.
14. After 25 minutes, carefully remove the pan of water and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
15. Remove the bread from the oven, release it from the bread pan and let cool on a wire rack.

And just in case you need a new mixing spoon in your life, I just finished this one:

Sold Out

Baker's Spade

$47.00

The Baker’s Spade is a one-of-a-kind mixing spoon with a simple design and subtle wood-burned detailing on the handle.

Ok friends, go bake and let me know how your crust turns out, especially if you use the pan with water method. Happy Full Moon!

June 2019: The Wholesome Loaf

What’s that? It’s June and you want to soak up that summer heat by baking bread in your kitchen? Don’t worry. I got you! The Wholesome Loaf recipe for June’s Full Moon Baking club is bound to have you sweating it out and second guessing why you thought this was a good idea. But I’ll just remind you now. Because it’s good. That’s why! And its even better when you make something to share with others.

This bread recipe combines milk, yogurt, and an egg for a soft, pliable dough, that comes together to fulfill your sandwich making needs. Make it, make some sandwiches, and then head out for a picnic with friends and have fun. If its delicious you’ll me so proud of your achievement. If it’s a disaster you’ll have a great memory of that time you made bread for your friends.

I feel like I always have to remind whoever is reading this that the point of the Full Moon Baking Club is not about the recipe so much as it’s about the moments. We cook all the time but so rarely are we cooking and gathering together. Once a month we deserve a break from the norm for the chance to be amungst friends and connect in a way that honors the fact that we are social beings. And I’m not talking about connecting across screens. Real connections, in person, face to face, and in this case with our mouths stuffed.

Ready, set, bake!

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp dry active yeast
• 3 cups flour (+1 more cup for kneading)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp melted butter

Directions

1. In a bowl combine the milk, yogurt, and egg and mix well.
2. Stir in the yeast and let disolve.
3. In a seperate, large bowl, add the 3 cups of flour and the salt.
4. Then pour in the wet mixture and stir to combine.
5. As the dough comes together, gently add extra flour (a little at a time) to help bring the dough together into a workable shape.
6. Sprinkle some flour onto your counter and then tip the dough out.
7. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top of the dough and begin to work it with your hands, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands.
8. Slowly begin to knead the dough, continueing to add flour as necessary.
9. Knead for roughly 10 or so minutes allowing the dough to fully form with all the ingredients well combined.
10. Continue to knead the dough, shaping it into a round ball.
11. Then place it in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for an hour or until doubled in size.
12. After its doubled in size, dump ought the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead again.
13. Shape the dough in an oblong loaf and place it into a greased bread pan.
14. Brush the top with melted butter and then and then cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about and hour.
15. Preheat your oven to 450 degress.
16. After the dough has rested for an hour and about doubled in size, remove the wrap and score the top of your loaf and then immediately place it in the hot oven.
17. Then, turn the oven down to 375 degress and bake for 35 minutes.
18. Carefully remove it from the oven and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack and let rest before cutting into it.

May 2019: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

April shower’s don’t always bring May flowers, or so I’ve been reminded with the passing of Mother’s Day...

It started out harmless enough. On the Wednesday before, I went to the bank running routine errands and as I was leaving, the clerk wished me “Happy Mother’s Day!” Boom! Just like that, I was triggered. First of all, it was Wednesday, approximately four days too early.

Slowdown tiger… Let’s take things a day at a time…

But then I started the dark spiral into how inappropriate it felt to assume we are all celebrating. I am not a mother, nor do I have my own mother to celebrate the day with, and the blatant cheeriness dripping from the clerk’s chin, all about had me ready to turn around and release the Mother of Dragons at her for making such a careless mistake.

… DRACARYS!!!

My mom Sandrita of House Targaryen.

Somehow the words “you too” found their way out of my mouth and I left without torching the place. But then, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I felt the next several days build with enthusiasm for mom’s everywhere. But I also felt the communal outcry for the bereaved. What that bank clerk neglected, the village provided, and for all the hater’s of social media it would be a shame to dismiss the macro moment of holding space for all of those that have been touched by the institution of motherhood. Being a mother or having a mother makes little difference. The gift of motherhood is ubiquitous and the internet honored them all! My irritation simmered as the larger community reflected a broader sense consciousness and that got me reflecting on my snap judgement of the bank clerk. It seems we were no different, her and I. Both of us, projecting assumptions onto the other. That I would be celebrating Mother’s Day, and she’d be more “woke” and guarded with words… Ugh… I’m ashamed at my own presumption. When a gesture of kindness turns into a source of frustration, it should be a clue that the problem isn’t them; it’s you!

As much as I think I’ve moved on from my mother’s passing, this incident exposed just how raw loss can be, even years later. I’ve heard that moving forward from grief doesn’t mean life eventually returns to “normal”. Instead, we carry the grief with us, heavier by way of holding an emotional weight that only becomes lighter when love lifts us. I’m learning that it’s sometimes impossible to keep a heart from breaking and no amount of glue can restore a shattered one to whole. But loss finds forward traction with love from friends and family, and community members that gather those shards and carry what they can as an emotional service. Humanity and all of its kindness, keeps the burden of pain from being a solo voyage. A village can help shoulder heaviness which is why we need to promote togetherness at all cost. Cue the Full Moon Baking Club…

Communities need work. The growing amount of division among us is concerning but in my experience, baked goods have always had a way of bringing folks together. It’s far from a fix but it’s a start, and if we hope to repair communities we need to disrupt the flow towards isolation and provide opportunities for joyful assembly. This month I invite you to make this recipe, compliments of King Arthur Flour, with the intention to gather, be together and share moments that will spawn memories. We can build relationships and cultivate inclusive environments that proactively combat feelings of “otherness”. And since there are many folks that daily are excluded from the simple pleasure of enjoying food due to allergies, intolerances, and other dietary restrictions, I’m thinking of them this month with this flourless recipe. For all those gluten-free folks battling celiac or gluten intolerance, take a night off from grieving your loss of tasty baked goods, with this cookie recipe. They are delicious and I applaud King Arthur Flour for thinking outside their own box. Cause even the flourless crave flowers… Open your heart by opening your oven door and let cookies be the floodgate in which kindness flows. Happy full moon my friends!

Holding you in heart,

Ashley

Ingredients

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or mini chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Beat the peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt at medium speed of your mixer, until well-blended.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, and blend on low-medium speed until incorporated.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful onto a baking sheet and push the top of the dough to flatten just slightly.
6. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan. The tops should be slightly crinkled and you will want to pull them BEFORE they begin to brown on the edges.

* For the original recipe click here.

April 2019: Seed Bread Recipe

For the April 2019 Full Moon bread I can’t think of anything more appropriate than recipe that includes seeds. We are officially in the season of Spring and maintaining with that earthy alignment, seeds seem like a must! Now is the time of year we get back to our gardens and nurture beginnings. No matter if you are embarking on a new phase of life (hashtag me) or a legit garden landscape, seeds are the homies of the season. And if you are someone that wants to adopt a homemade bread practice, well my friend… you have joined at the right time!

Baking culture has unfortunately intimidated the newbies, keeping many would be bread bakers away from the craft. All the more reason for you to hike up your sleeves and shove that elitism right back to were it came from. Anyone with an oven can bake bread and as I explained in last month’s post, basic bread baking is accessible to all. Don’t fear the mess! That’s the meditation of having a bread practice. When you allow yourself to delve into the tactile art of dough, you forfeit your control and learn to work with what’s at hand. Literally. Cause this stuff will stick to your hands until you connect the relationship between wet and dry ingredients. Think back to your childhood when making mud patties where all the rage. Those were fun times until our parent got their say. Well, bread making is mud patty version for adulting. Age has most likely moved us away from play but according to research, play is an important part of development. And since we never truly stop developing, play should not be exclusive to children. If anything, we grown-ups need more exploratory activities to challenge ours brains and remind us that there is more to the world than what we currently know. And the more we learn to engage with the world around us, the better we feel navigating foreign territory. Longs story short, bread yo! Consider it a playground for curiosity that produces better and better results as you gain familiarity.

So, back to the seeds… Aside from the obvious spring seeds blah, blah, this recipe will get your hands into the mix with the chance to really feel your way through the process. Like, really feel the dough and connect with that wet/dry relationship so that the concept starts to click. I’m also going to walk you through an overnight rise so you can familiarize yourself with the convenience of making bread on your own clock. Speaking of clocks, this is the part where I remind you that you do not need to bake bread on the Full Moon. The point of the club is to make a bread this moon cycle and call all your peops over for some sharing. You gotta make bread in order to break bread and whether you see this as a religious/Eucharist offering or just a standard good time among friends, we have reached a point in which opportunities for togetherness are few and far between, so lets make some bread. It doesn’t have to be this one. It doesn’t even have to be good. The point is you yourself are giving reason to gather and from there we can embark on strengthening our relationships and build better communities. Lofty goal? Sure. But we gotta figure out way to push back again all the hate and as Brene Brown says in her book Braving The Wilderness, “People are hard to hate close-up. Move in.” Granted, that is often easier said than done but that’s why you start with friends and create a reason to gather. Bread is the impetus. It’s the commonality amid our diversity and a chance to find connection with a stranger. Baby steps my friends… Just play around with the new… Just plant a seed and I promise you that growth will follow.

“People are hard to hate close-up. Move in.”

— Brene Brown

Ingredients & Supplies

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup seeds (sesame, poppy, flax, etc.)
• Plastic wrap
• Parchment paper
• Dutch Oven

Directions

Phase 1

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, and yeast together.
2. Add the warm water and mix to form a shaggy dough ball.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 8 to 12 hours or overnight.

Phase 2

1. Remove the cover and you'll notice the dough swelled and now appears quite wet and sticky.
2. Sprinkle a layer of seed over the surface of the dough, and then with a wet hand, reach in and lift the dough from the bottom and fold it onto the top.
3. Rotate the bowl slightly and continue with a wet hand to fold the dough over, hiding the seeds within. Do this until all the seeds are now on the inside of the dough.
4. Next, add another light layer of seeds to the top surface and repeat the process of folding the seed into the dough. This method makes for easy kneeding of high hydration doughs while incorporating the seeds at the same time.
5. Once the seed are folded thoughout, you can then shape the dough on a lightly floured surface.
6. Shape the dough into a smooth round form, and then place the dough on a piece or parchment paper resting in pie pan.
7. Sprinkle the last of the seed on top of the dough and then cover and let rest for an hour or until double in size.

Phase 3

1. Preheat your oven and the empty Dutch Oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Once it's preheated to temp, remove the cover from the dough and score the top.
3. Then remove the Dutch Oven from the oven and carefully transfer the dough with the parchment paper and place it into the Dutch Oven securing the lid on top.
4. Bake the dough for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and lower the temperature to 415 degrees F. and bake for 10-15 more minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown.
6. Remove the bread and cool on a wire rack.
7. Invite friends and enjoy!

March 2019: Basic Bread Recipe

Calling all makers, gatherers, and aspiring bakers!

It brings me joy to write this to you on March 21st celebrating the Full Moon and also, the Vernal Equinox. This auspicious alignment provides some clarity around my why for this club, which gets me to the why of this recipe. You ready?

Thus far, I have been making things up as I go. I had the idea for the Full Moon Baking Club as a way to bring folks together, break bread honoring it as a community tradition, as well as to archive my own baking pursuits. I was doing the whole Instagram Live thing but honestly, it’s wasn’t quite working in the way I had I hoped. As much as I thought it would feel like a “hang-out” it didn’t and started giving me unnecessary stress. The purpose of the “club" should really be a reason to gather your friends together and enjoy their company. Now, that might include the baking process, however I think the real gift of this club is in the eating.

So, with it now officially being the start of Spring, I thought there’s no better time to plant some seeds of intention. My goal now is to provide you with a baking recipe on every full moon so that you can call-up your crew, invite them over, and offer them something wholesome and handmade. The fun comes from the togetherness and homemade goodies makes those moments all the better.

When I started baking bread, it was an impulsive New Year’s Eve resolution. I was inspired by reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbra Kingsolver. It’s mostly an account of her family’s attempt to live off the land. There were lots of homestead-y stories throughout but what stuck with me was that her husband had a weekend ritual of baking bread. It was a subtle reference but by the end of the book, I was ready to pursue bread making. I had zero prior experience. At the time, cooking wasn’t even on my radar. I just remember being moved by the idea and the perceived notion of it’s simplicity. Baking bread, from scratch, at home…

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

By Barbara Kingsolver

To great surprise, it was easy! My first few loaves where meh… Some were dense. Others were dry. But shortly after I started my pursuits of bread making, things kinda clicked. It didn’t take long to realize that to make bread you just need a basic formula. There are endless bread recipes out there but at their core they are mostly the same. So this month, I’m skipping all the fancy and giving you this basic bread recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (extra for dusting your surface and as necessary)
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions

1. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add in the warm water.
3. Mix to combine so a dough begings to form.
4. Form it into a rough ball and then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
5. Gather the dough together and knead it for 10 minutes(maybe more) until the dough is smooth and pliable and all the ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Shape it into a round ball and place it into a large oiled or greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
7. After the first rise, knead the dough again on a lightly floured surface for 5 or 10 more minutes adding flour if necessary to keep from sticking.
8. Then shape the dough to suit your loaf pan.
9. Oil or grease the loaf pan and lay the dough in it, cover it, and let it rest for another hour or until it doubles in size.
10. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
11. Score the top of your loaf with a few slits or markings.
12. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F.
13. When finished, carefully remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Now here’s the thing when baking bread at home. You need to decide your cooking vessel. You can bake bread on the simplicity of a baking sheet if you don’t have a loaf pan. However, a loaf pan in nice because as the dough rises during the second rise, it rises up. This makes for that traditional sandwich bread shape, instead of out which tends to happen when using a baking sheet. Both methods work so don’t get hung-up on having the right equipment. Just start getting into a habit of making your own bread and you’ll discover the things you want to enhance your hobby.

One investment when you’re ready, is a dutch oven. It’s easily used for all kinds of cooking endeavors and also makes fantastic bread! Dutch oven bread baking helps to trap moisture during the baking process which lends itself to the most amazing crust. If you already have one, you are in luck! Follow the above recipe through Step 7 then skip to the steps below.

Lodge 5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Pre-Seasoned Pot with Lid and Dual Loop Handle

Lodge

Dutch Oven Bread Baking

Follow the above recipe through Step 7 then...

1. Shape the dough into a round shape and place on a piece of parchment paper and set it into a pie pan.
2. Cover and let rest for an hour or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat your oven with the dutch oven inside to 450 degrees F.
4. When it's up to tempurature, carefully remove the dutch oven and set the lid to the side.
5. Score your dough and then carefully lift the dough by the parchment paper and transfer the whole thing into the hot dutch oven.
6. Secure the lid and place it in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and lower the temperature to 415 degrees F and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or the internal tempurature reached 185 degrees F.
8. When finished cooking, remove the bread from the dutch oven and cool on a wire rack.

So that’s your basic bread recipe. You just need flour, yeast, and salt. Yeast tends to be an ingredient that holds wannabe bakers back, so just seek some out and keep it in the fridge. Once you have the basics of bread baking down you soon realize that pizza on a whim are possible and so much more.

Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast,0.25 Ounce, 3 Count (Pack of 2)

Fleischmann's

Go forth and bake! And have fun sharing it with friends cause, sharing is caring!

Happy Full Moon and Spring Equinox! I’ll be back next month with a seed bread of some kind Seeds seem very springs. If you have any seed suggestions let me know. I’m going to be searching all the seedy-bread inspiration in preparation. Let me know if you have any favorites.

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How to Feed a Senior is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program. If you choose to purchase items after clicking on the links above, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

February 2019: Handmade Flour Tortilla Recipe

Hey Full Moon Bakers!

I’m trying to ease back into all the things after my father’s passing and that includes the Full Moon Baking Club. There is really no better way to make that happen than with a good friend. To be honest, that’s what this baking club is for. Gathering friends, attempting kitchen crafts and ideally eating said crafts with good company. As much as I believe in breaking bread and the power of sharing food to foster togetherness, this was the first month in which I have been able to participate in that vision. Lucky for me (and us) I happen to know one of the best handmade flour tortilla makers this side of the border. He happily shared his recipe, technique, and personal counsel for an epic night of tacos. It was a true reminder that no matter life’s circumstances, good times still await us. We just need to make the time.

Speaking of time, hand making tortillas takes some… Individually rolling out 15 to 20 small pieces of dough is a workout so I suggest enlisting a friend (duh…) to help with the pan frying. You’ll find a rhythm and have fun in the process. And I mentioned the tacos, right? Just make the tortillas. Surely you know how to apply the fixin’s. Check below for the recipe and some step-by-step visuals.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp.baking powder
• 4 to 5 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup hot water

Directions

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Add in the butter and cut it into the flour until you roughly have pea sized pieces throughout.
3. Pour in the water and stir to combine forming the dough
4. Knead the dough on the counter until the ingredients are well combined and the dough is smooth and well formed.
5. Then cut the dough into 15 or 20 individual pieces and form into small balls roughly the size of a golf ball.
6. Place them on a plate, cover, and let them rest for 20 minutes.
7. Warm a dry skillet over medium-high and let it heat all the way through.
8. With a rolling pin, individually roll out each piece of dough. (You want them thin and a good size for serving.)
9. Without using oil, dry fry the tortillas on each side, turning after bubbles forms in the dough.
10. Do them one at a time. As you get a feel for the timing you can start to roll the next tortilla out as the previous one is frying. Just be sure to keep and eye on your pan and flip them before burning.
11. Keep them warm by boiling an inch of water in a pot. Once the water boils, turn the heat off and place a plate with a clean cloth towel or napkin folded on top. Place each tortilla within the cloth after frying. This will keep them nice and warm until all of them are ready to serve. (Sorry, I forgot to take that picture.)

Pork tacos with roasted poblano peppers, arugula, avocado, and fresh papaya salsa with handmade flour tortillas.

These were 100% worth it. Good luck and let me know if you make these tortillas!

November 2018: Cranberry Sauce Bread

With the November 2018 full moon falling the day after Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce was begging to be a signature ingredient for the Full Moon Baking Club. Every year I make a cranberry sauce and every year I have leftovers. So this year, I made sauce with a plan. One of my favorite bakeries, Pain D’Avignon in Hyannis, MA makes these delicious cranberry-pecan rolls so I wanted a cranberry sauce that could steer me in that direction. I made this cranberry sauce using some during my Thanksgiving meal and the rest in this bread. It used walnuts instead of pecans but… close enough. My goal was texture.

Speaking of texture, I baked this bread in a dutch oven because it makes a world of difference when it comes to the crust. If you want that crispy/chewy/artisan bread effect at home, bake your breads in a dutch oven. The lid helps trap moisture and produces steam while baking. That humid baking environment, matched with high heat equals crusty loaves that mimic professional bakery results. It’s one of the simplest answers to creating rustic breads in an everyday home kitchen.

If you find yourself needing a dutch oven, I recommend the one linked below made by Lodge Cast Iron. There are a lot on the market, some quite a bit more expansive than others but I prefer this one because it’s affordable, comes pre-seasoned and is made entirely of cast iron. Some have nobs on the lids with a lower heat tolerance than the pot which can throw off one’s cooking plan. Whatever style you prefer, just make sure it’s safe for high temperatures. You’ll need it to handle temperatures of at least 450 degrees for breads.

Lodge L8DOL3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Dual Handles, Pre-Seasoned, 5-Quart

Lodge

I forgot to take pictures of the bread in progress so hopefully you checked-out the video when it was all going down on Instagram The high was making pink dough. The low was a mild panic where it suddenly occurred to me I was making a fruit cake. Otherwise, you didn’t miss much. I did however snag a few shots of the cranberry sauce in the works. Also, if you need a holiday gift, this mixing spoon and several others are still available.

Ok bakers, it’s time to get on with this recipe because there are only two weeks till the next full moon. Do you even still have cranberry sauce? Probably not and that’s my fault for being so slow on posting the recipe but all the more reason to archive this recipe for next year! Or, if you’re really game to make bread (which you should be), I encourage you go for it! Just omit the cranberry sauce and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised. That’s the beauty of bread. With a little practice, you’ll find it’s a very forgiving art.;)

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup cranberry sauce
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

1. In a bowl mix together the water and cranberry sauce.
2. Add the yeast and let it disolve.
3. In a separate, large bowl, stir together the four and salt.
4. Pour the cranberry mixture into the bowl with the flour and mix to combine.
5. Mix the ingredients together helping to form the dough.
6. Gently form the dough in the bowl, then turn it out onto a floured surface.
7. Knead the dough on the counter for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking.
8. The dough should become smooth and springy with all ingredients throughoughly combined. Keep kneading if feeling unsure about the consistancy. It's practically impossible to over-knead dough by hand and if anything, more kneading will only improve the texture.
9. Once well formed, shape it into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rest/rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
10. Once doubled, knead it again for another 10ish minutes, dusting with flour to keep it from sticking if necessary.
11. After kneading, shape into a round form and place smooth side up on a piece of parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. (I like to place my dough and parchment on a pie plate to help keep the round shape during the second rise.)
12. Let it rise for another hour or until doubled in size.
13. Preheat the oven and your dutch oven to 450 degrees F.
14. When the dough is ready, carefully transfer the parchment paper with the dough into the dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes.
15. Next, remove the lid and reduce the temperature to 410 degrees F. Bake for 15 more minutes or until the inside temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
16. Cool on a rack for 20ish minutes before slicing.

Ok folks, we got two weeks! The holiday and the Full Moon Baking Club countdowns are on so lets role with the festive and make Eggnog Bread! Do people even like eggnog? Probably not, yet somehow it winds up in the fridge every year. Well, this year we are gonna use it up! Eggs, milk and sugar can make for a tasty loaf so let’s just do it and embrace the holiday spirit. And since the full moon is on the 22nd of December, we can count on some leftovers to make holiday french toast.

See you in a couple of weeks! And if you made it this far and have no idea what the Full Moon Baking Club is click here, catch-up, and join us on the 22nd!

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How to Feed a Senior is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program. If you choose to purchase items after clicking on these links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

A Holiday Gift Guide For The Culinary Inclined

It’s the holiday season and I have put together the first ever, How to Feed A Senior gift guide, full of my favorite culinary things. Ok… that’s probably not true. There isn’t room for all such favorites but, there are a few item I highly recommend. I thought it would be fun to compile a list and share these suggestions with you Most these items are available on Amazon, and in full disclosure I must tell you, I am part of their affiliate program. That probably doesn’t mean much to you, but it means the world to me to have you purchase Amazon products through my website. I get a small kickback (like a commission) from sales that come at no extra charge to you! So, thank you in advance for visiting this page and your support throughout the holiday season (and always!). I assure you the items recommended below are listed because I love them and I hope you will too.

For Chefs

The first gift guide I’m releasing is geared to those who love to cook. If you frequent this website then you know food is it’s center, so naturally a focus on culinary gifts is a must! It would be amiss to forgo the mention of a cookbook or two but when it comes to cooking, the culinary arts really shine when creativity is put to the test. Cookbooks full of recipes are great for step-by-step instructions and photo inspiration but if your goal is to foster one’s inner chef, then don’t give them a cookbook. Give them a Flavor Bible! The Flavor Bibles are not traditional cookbooks. They don’t contain recipes but instead, offer common food pairings allowing cooks to get creative in the kitchen. For example, let’s say you have tons of beets but little clue as to what to make. Well, just flip to the page for beets and you’ll see a list of complimentary ingredients. When you know what flavors profiles work well together, creating original recipes becomes a breeze. I highly, HIGHLY recommend these books! You do not however need both. I just happen to be a complete fan-girl and listed them both for convenience.

FYI: I removed both the cover jackets so don’t be alarmed if they look a little different online.

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

By Karen Page, Andrew Dornenburg

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity with Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and More, Based on the Wisdom of Leading American Chefs

By Karen Page

For Bakers

Ok, this is a bit of a shameless plug but what baker doesn’t love a wooden spoon? And these aren’t just your average wooden spoons. These are hand-carved, sustainably made, one-of-a-kind, wooden spoons! I’m talking some serious functional art in which beautiful designs equal beautiful kitchen tools. Below are two mixing spoons that might just earn you some baked goods in return.

Sold Out

Cadence 2

$68.00

 Hand carved, basswood mixing spoon.

Add to cart

Sold Out

Walnut Mixer

$73.00

Hand-carved, walnut wood mixing spoon.

Add to cart

For Both

Speaking of baking, another favorite kitchen tool is The Baking Journal by Magma Books. I use it to document impulse recipes and it’s been especially handy for managing the Full Moon Baking Club and quick recipes for Instagram posts. It includes blank pages for notes, a section for organizing recipes, a place for reviewing cafes and restaurants and several pages of useful tips, conversions, and reference information. For folks that are not exactly bakers but still love cooking, they might prefer The Food Journal which is very similar in design. They are basically scrapbooks for foodies but less paper craft and more for documenting thoughts, ideas and adjustments. And again, I’m telling you about these journals because I own both and recommend them because I use them!

The Baking Journal: A Scrapbook for Bakers

By Magma Books, Aaron Tan

The Food Journal: A Scrapbook for Food Lovers

By Magma Books, Marco Donadon

My final culinary must-have is a cast iron skillet! Every kitchen needs at least one. They are the heirloom of pans, if ever there was such a thing, cause they will last a life time and them some. Lodge Cast Iron is a quality brand that is very affordable and preseasoned for immediate use. I own three different skillets in three different sizes, a dutch oven, and a few specialty items which is to say, I can’t recommend them enough! Below is a link to the skillet size I use most but I encourage you to browse their other designs because they have all kinds of kitchen delights! I’ve included a photo gallery of things I’ve made in using my collection to highlight their versatility. They are also fantastic pieces for camping trips or times when you need to cook over a fire.

Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Pan for Stovetop of Oven Use

Lodge Logic

I’ve gotta keep this list short because I have two more gift guide to create but comment any favorite kitchen items or culinary suggestions you think would make great gifts. I’d love to hear your recommendations

Also, caregivers and spoon carvers, your guides are next! Stay tuned for those suggestions. they’re coming soon!