Duchess potatoes from leftovers

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I usually make potato soup or potato pancakes out of leftover potatoes.

But last night I was making a roasted pork tenderloin with thyme, honey and OJ

and I decided to make the meal a little royal- so I made Duchess potatoes.

I used about 1 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes,

Heated up 3/4 cup of cream,

melted 1/4 cup butter in the cream,

whisked one whole egg into the mix

and seasoned with nutmeg and s+p to taste.

Spooned mixture into an icing bag- added a star tip and squeezed onto baking pan.

Then I baked in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F-

They were delicious.

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Add roasted vegetables and pork,

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and a pineapple slice and blackberry fruit salad,

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and you have a really great evening meal!

A preview of Spring- Island style

It is cold and blustery in NE Ohio today.

We left in the midst of a sleet storm on Monday morning.

And we came south and east and stopped on Chincoteague Island, Virginia.

To Spring.

Here are some pictures- I forgot to take pictures of all the pansies and daffodils

blooming!

But here are:

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Boats!

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tea and TimTams!

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Ally and Aiden at the park in Pocomoke City, Maryland.

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Ladybug on Aiden…

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Aiden on ladybug.

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Small blue wildflowers blooming in the grass-(Veronica?)

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Aiden at the ocean

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a new friend…

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pictures taken of picture taking.

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Boots gone- pants rolled up…

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and soaking wet!

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and rolling in wet sand!

PLUS…

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Almond and fig bread.  There is always BREAD!

Old fashioned Molasses Cake- recipe

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I’ve been asked for this recipe by several who have commented on the latest IMK post.

Here it is.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp 
butter, softened (this makes it taste more old-fashioned)

1/4 c
sugar

1
egg

1/2 c
dark molasses–amount depends on type( if you use light use 3/4 cup)

1 c
all purpose flour

1 tsp
baking soda

1/4 tsp
ginger, ground

1/4 tsp
cinnamon, ground

1/8 tsp
salt

1/2 c
hot water

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Directions:

In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with water, mixing well after each addition.

Transfer to a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares; garnish with whipped topping.

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This is really good- not too sweet, not too spicy, just a good molasses flavor coming through!

Cake break

I’ve been making so much bread- didn’t want you to think I’ve been

starving Frank’s sweet tooth!

I made an almond pound cake with almond glaze yesterday.

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Here’s the recipe-

For the  pound cake:

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened

1 Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

½ cup Almond Cake & Pastry Filling

1  cup sugar

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 ½ cup AP Flour

½ cup Almond Meal

1 ½ tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

For the Almond Glaze:

2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar, Sifted

¼ cup Almond Cake & Pastry Filling

6 TBS Milk

1 tsp Almond Extract

½ tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray a bundt pan with Pam, sprinkle flour and spread around pan by shaking it from crevice to crevice and then set aside.

2. In a mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and almond filling. Pour in the sugar and mix until fluffy and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each one until it is incorporated before adding the next egg. Then add in the almond extract and vanilla extract.

3. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add this flour mixture into the wet mixture. Mix until just incorporated.

4. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake the cake for roughly an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before pouring on the glaze.

I had a little trouble getting the cake OUT of the pan- finally ended up cutting into pieces and placing on a platter and then spooning the glaze over the slices.

5. To make the glaze: combine the confectioners’ sugar, almond filling, milk, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until it is completely combined and smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Let the glaze harden for 15-20 minutes before you cut and serve.

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Journeys in Bread making

When I was a teenager – growing up in the late “60’s and 70”s”  I had some ideas

of what I wanted my future life to look like.  I wanted to be a hermit- living somewhere

in the mountains with a cabin filled with books and I wanted to be self sufficient-

living off of my own small garden, keeping chickens and baking my own bread.

I decided to start right then and start making bread.

I was not an instant success.

But I was persistent and kept buying cookbooks and trying to make bread.

By the time I reached my 20’s I could bake a decent loaf of yeasted white bread.

And then I started using whole wheat, rye, graham, spelt, and oat flours.

Again- not great at first- but they kept getting better.

Until I reached my 30’s and I started selling my bread.   And then I started

teaching classes and I worked for a bakery.

I never reached the mountains- never became a hermit- my husband doesn’t want

chickens- and although I keep trying the garden is not verdant and prolific-

but I can bake bread.

And that is what I’ve been doing- ever since I got a new sourdough starter from

my friend, Celia – at fig jam and lime cordial , I’ve been baking and baking and baking!

I named my starter Thing Two- because I already had a Thing One- and once they get

into the mix things start popping!

Just this week, I’ve made-

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sourdough waffles with maple syrup!

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Pizza!

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Sourdough rolls for bbq pulled pork!

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This lovely loaf- don’t you just love this loaf pan?

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The sides disengage from the bottom and leave you with a beautiful rounded loaf!

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and a six  pointed star loaf for finger sandwiches!

There is for me a spiritual calling to the baking of bread.  I start praying and meditating

with the very start of putting the dough together- I put together flour, yeast, water and salt and I consider

it an act of creation.  There is a promise of growth and of fulfillment.

I have several philosophies of bread, one from an Irish prayer.

Since we are so close to St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll share it with you.

I’m still baking- the starter is fed- tomorrow may be bagels- or a fruit bread.

The journey continues- because  I have other sayings when it comes to bread-

I love to make it and I love to eat it.  And wherever I am there will be bread!

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And more bread.

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MUCH BREAD!!!

BAGELS!

I made bagels today! Sesame and poppy seed with pretzel salt!

In My Kitchen- March 2013

In my kitchen…

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Is  a reconstituted sourdough that traveled all the way from Australia!

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Meet Thing Two,Priscilla’s American progeny!

Celia sent me some dried starter with two requests- that I named it and let you know

that Priscilla is the mother – and that I share some if anyone would like some.  So if you

would like some of Thing two, let me know.  In fact, if you want some of Thing one– which

is an all American starter and very sour- you are welcome to have some .

In My Kitchen…

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is a beautiful loaf of bread made from Thing Two!

My husband, Frank,  really enjoyed this loaf.  It is so different from Thing One- the sour

taste is very mild, and it isn’t quite as chewy as my first starter.

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I know this because I made a loaf out of Thing One– and it has the sour x8 and is very chewy!

They both are delicious – THANK YOU, CELIA!!!  I love the different flavor and texture.

In my kitchen…

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are many different flavors of sugar!

I’ve had lot of salts from bacon to truffle, Hawaiian red to French grey, Lava Black to

Himalayan Pink- vanilla salt, hickory salt, all kinds of salt.

But I just noticed all the sugars I have.  Ginger, Lemon, Orange, Lime, Tangerine, Demerra, Vanilla,

coconut, Espresso, Dark Cocoa- I’m going to have to start using these- soon!

In my kitchen…

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is a dwindling stash of TimTams.

In my kitchen…

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Is a pile of crocheted cotton dishcloths made by my sister.

Thank you, Cynthia!

In my kitchen…

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are dried herb wreaths and swags- Lemongrass, sage, bay leaf, and assorted soup herbs.

I’m making a big pot of soup this weekend and using up the herb wreath I made for

Christmas.

In my kitchen…

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is a molasses cake with whipped cream.

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Notice the little metal tab on the side of the pan?  You swing that all around the cake

once it is baked and it loosens the cake from the pan.  I found this at a thrift shop and

LOVE IT!  (The molasses cake was very good,as well!  Smile    )

In my kitchen…

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are dragons,and leprechauns,and cats,and turtles and rabbits!

In my kitchen…

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are red tulips- from the florist- everything outside is frozen. Sad smile

In my kitchen…

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is a Steak salad with edamame and red onions.  YUM!

Well- that’s all I’m sharing right now- What’s in YOUR kitchen?

Join us at   Celia’s blog, for a list of kitchens around the world.