"Mr. Pruner's" Pumpkin Bread!

 

 

Last Tuesday was a lovely day spent with Willa's 3rd grade class making pumpkin bread.  Willa was thrilled to have Daddy the Former Baker Extraordinaire there to head up the lesson!  The kids paired up their desks and worked in teams of twos with one big bowl for each pair.  They got to mush up freshly baked pumpkin with their hands, cream butter and sugar, and hand mix the rest of the ingredients.  The kids were busy and boisterous but focused and having fun.  Miles did a great job guiding their culinary experience and the kids really took to him!  The warm and welcoming 3rd grade room slowly filled with amazing aromas throughout the morning.  The earthy pumpkin giving way to sweetness and butter...then the spices hit, one by one, all warming together into one final heavenly smell as they baked in the oven and the kids danced and sang with their Russian teacher.  I hope everyone enjoyed eating their loaves this Thanksgiving as much as we did!

 

 

"Mix. Bake at 350 until a toothpic comes out clean"

 

 

 



Celebrating Advent- Week 2, The Plant Kingdom

Beneath night's dark blanket
a white candle is lit.
A warm Advent gift,
the flame of human spirit.

With this 2nd light of advent
We give thanks to the plants.
To the flowers and trees,
to the vegetables and grass.

Bless the shelter
and life force they provide,
their nourishment and oxygen
Enfolds our lives.

Bless their beauty
Gracing the land,
The strength of their roots
Above which we stand.

(the little tree you see on our Advent table was this week's gift from the Advent faeries)

Our first REAL Christmas tree!

Making decorations

Huz made this beautiful Pan au Lait braid as well as a loaf with a cinnamon swirl. We made the YUMMIEST french toast out of the loaf!

Pan au Lait ingredients:

Pâte Fermentée (starter):

½ tsp. (2.5 mL) traditional dry yeast
1/3 cup (80 mL) lukewarm water, 75° to 95°F (24° to 35°C)
4¼ oz. (120 g) unbleached hard white flour

Pain au Lait:
2/3 cup (160 mL) lukewarm water, 75° to 95°F (24° to 35°C)
25 oz. (710 g) unbleached hard white flour
8½ oz. (240 g) semolina flour
3 oz. (90 g) sugar
¾ cup (180 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups (300 mL) homogenized milk, at room temperature
2 extra large eggs
4 tsp. (20 mL) traditional dry yeast
1 recipe Pâte Fermentée, fermented 4 to 6 hours
4 tsp. (20 mL) salt
canola oil to lightly coat mixing bowl and pans
1 egg white for glazing
cornmeal (for baking boules)

Instructions
For the Pâte Fermentée:
Carefully measure all the ingredients. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) of the water. The yeast should take on a creamy-looking consistency within a few minutes. (If it has not, discard it and buy new yeast.) Add the remaining warm water and stir. Place the flour in the standing mixer bowl with the dough hook attachment. Add the water and yeast mixture and mix on slow (#2 speed) for 2 minutes until the flour is incorporated and the mixture has the look of playdough or silly putty.

Transfer the pâte fermentée to a lightly oiled, medium-sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to ferment at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. It should look puffy and have a few air bubbles when it is done.

When the pâte fermentée is complete, it can be used immediately or refrigerated for a few hours. Bring to room temperature before continuing the recipe.

For the Pain au Lait:
Pour 1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp. (125 mL) of the water into the standing mixer bowl. Add the white flour and semolina flour, the sugar, butter, milk, and eggs. Hold back ¼ to S of the flour mixture if your bowl is not large enough. Attach the dough hook and mix on slow (#2 speed) for 3 minutes. Drape a kitchen towel or plastic wrap over the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This process is called autolyse. It allows the dough to absorb water and the gluten to develop. Don't be concerned if the dough clings to the dough hook.

Pour the remaining 1/8 cup plus 1 tsp. (35 mL) of lukewarm water into a small bowl and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Add the pâte fermentée and the dissolved yeast to the dough and mix on slow (#2 speed) for 1 minute. Add the salt and mix for 2 minutes on slow (#2 speed) and then on fast (#4 speed) for 3 minutes. If you have not added all the flour, remove the dough from the bowl and knead it in now. Use the push-pull method, allowing your palms to push the dough away from you along the surface. Pull it back over itself and continue the action for about 4 minutes. The dough, when ready, should feel slightly sticky when pressed with your palm.

Pat the dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Turn it over so that it is completely coated in oil. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for about 1½ to 2 hours. The dough should almost double. Leave it up to an extra hour if necessary.

To Make Loaves
Lightly oil 3 pans approximately 3¾ x 7½ x 2½ inches (9½ x 19 x 6½ cm) in sizeTeflon-coated if possible. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough in 3 equal pieces, approximately 1½ lbs. (700 g) each. Shape each piece into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let them rest for 15 minutes. Gently pat each piece of dough into a rectangle 8 inches (20 cm) long and of even thickness. Using your palms, roll one long side of the dough toward the other like a long jelly roll and pat into a shape that will fit your pan. Gently press the seams together. Put the dough into the pans, seam-side down. Again, drape with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until approximately 1½ inches (4 cm) above the rim of the pan (about 2 to 3 hours). Press your finger into the dough. If it leaves a slight indentation, the bread is ready to be baked. If it springs back, cover it and check again in 15 minutes. As the dough is proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 325°F (165°C) for a convection oven. Check the temperature with an oven thermometer.

Uncover the loaves. Brush the top of each loaf with lightly whisked, room temperature egg white. Open the oven door and generously spray the sides of the oven with hot water. Alternatively, place 5 or 6 ice cubes on the oven floor. Close the door. Wait 10 to 20 seconds and place the pans on a rack a third from the bottom of the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Breads put in a convection oven may bake slightly faster.

The bread should be a golden brown and produce a hollow sound when you tap the bottom crust. To do this, carefully tip the bread out of the pan. It should just slip out. Tap the bottom crust with your fingertips. If it is fully baked, it will sound hollow. If not, return the bread to the pan and bake a further 5 minutes. Repeat until the bread is done.

Remove the loaves immediately from the oven and cool, well spaced, on a wire rack. Resist the temptation to cut into them immediately. They will taste much better about an hour or two later.


***Great gift ideas: Check out Mama4Earth's wonderful shop! The Magic Onions is offering a giveaway of Mama4Earths sweet pink mohair kitty!

Hop on over and check out Onion's ETSY shop as well! I'm loving her round felted mice and little seed pod babies-which I've just discovered have already sold! :( I'm so SAD. Should have been on top of it.

Some of our favorite Holiday recipes!

My FAH-BU-LOUS Apple-Cranberry Streusel Pie!

This includes a GREAT crust-making tutorial as well!




Fun and FABULOUS penguins!

DEA's ROCKIN' PUMPKIN COOKIES

They look wacky but are unbelievably yummy!!!

Psychedelic sushi! -Recipe Thursday

A couple days ago I rediscovered my Barnes and Noble Sushi kit when searching for something in a cabinet. I'd totally forgotten about it and had never used it! I'd been on a sushi jones anyway so I thought I'd give it a go. It' s been lots of fun making all kinds of sushi paraphernalia and later, I'll post the results. But, since it's Thursday, and been awhile since I did a Recipe Thursday, I'm going to share the candy sushi that the kids and I made last night.

I know this is bad...sugar, sugar, sugar. But....it's so FUN!!!! You'll find them passed out on the ceiling later, but here we go:

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3 cups crispy rice cereal
gummy worms

gummy fish

sour trouts(sour gummy fish)
1 box assorted color Fruit Roll-Ups

First: Pre-peel the fruit roll-ups from their plastic and otherwise fully prepare all equipment and ingredients before making the "rice dough". Lo had lots of fun organizing and sorting the candy by colors.

2. Place 3 tablespoons of butter in a large sauce pan and heat until melted.

3. Add 3 cups of miniature marshmallows to the bowl, and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.

4. Add 3 cups of rice cereal and stir until completely coated.

Immediately pour mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. You want to do the pressing, candy set up, rolling and cutting quite quickly while the krispie dough is still warm and malleable!!! Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray, and begin to press the dough into the sheet in a thin layer. Begin working from the edge of the shorter side of the sheet. The mixture will only cover approximately half of the baking sheet.

*You can also use a sushi rolling mat lined with cellophane to roll your logs.

5. With the short side of the baking sheet nearest you, place a pair of gummy worms an inch from the edge. Place another pair directly below, and repeat until you have a line of worms stretching across the baking sheet.

6. Using the waxed paper to help you, roll the cereal mixture around the gummy worms, pressing firmly to make a tight roll. Take a large sharp knife and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Place it off to the side, and repeat the worms/rolling/cutting procedure for the remainder of the cereal.

7. Slice the logs into 1-inch rounds. Wrap each round in a strip of green-colored Fruit Roll-Ups.

*I later found that placing a whole fruit roll up sheet in the baking pan, pressing the krispie dough on top of it, and then rolling the whole thing up worked better than steps # 4 and 5. It eliminated a step and just held together better.

8. To make the fish-topped “nigiri,” make an oval-ish shape with the warm krispie dough and press it onto a sheet of wax paper. The thickness should be about 3/4 inch. Place a gummie fish or sour trout on top and wrap a 1/2 inch thin piece of roll up around the whole thing.

9. For a finishing touch, decorate your sushi platter to look more authentic. Green-tinted whipped cream (or melted white chocolate) -to REALLY get 'em reved up- for wasabi, and thinly sliced pink fish or crinkled up red roll-up for pickled ginger.

Enjoy your sushi right away! The cooler these puppies get, the harder. DO NOT REFRIGERATE or teeth and fillings will be pried out!

Christmas Eve EATS! and a recipe! and more ornaments!

Tonight we're gonna MANGIA!!! Alaskan King Crab, mashed taters, green beans, Cabernet, aaaaand....

My FAH-BU-LOUS Apple-Cranberry Streusel Pie!

PASTRY FOR SINGLE-CRUST PIE
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1/4 pound COLD butter-NOT margarine

1/4 cup VODKA. Yup. You read me, vodka. ~Hic.

FILLING

1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 dried tart cherries
5 large apples -- peeled, cored and
sliced, 6 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 teaspoon apple pie spice-which is basically cinnamon and nutmeg.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup toasted finely chopped pecans
or walnuts-BLECH!!! I HATE nuts! Keep em out, I say!
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 tablespoons margarine or butter

VANILLA ICING- optional. We don't bother cuz it makes the pie too sweet.
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
milk -- as needed

PREPARE PASTRY FOR SINGLE CRUST PIE:

Using a pastry cutter, cut in the COLD butter with the flour and salt until nice and crumbly. Make a little "bowl" in this mixture and pour in the vodka. Using your hands, gently fold together and combine until the dough can form into a ball. Form the ball into a disk shape and sprinkle flour on top. Using a floured surface-preferably marble-roll out the dough, occasionally flipping the dough and re-flouring the top.

When you've achieved the desired size, place in a deep 9 inch pie dish. Don't be a hero-spray it with Pam first. Roll under the excess edges of dough and pinch/flute a design all around. The design is both pretty and functional-it seals the crust.

FOR FILLING:

Mix granulated sugar, apple pie spice, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. Boil dried cranberries and cherries in water for a couple minutes then add the apples and frozen cranberries mixed with 1/2 of the bowl of granulated sugar, apple pie spice, and salt. Boil for a couple more minutes. Drain. Mix 3 tablespoons of flour and the rest of the sugar and spice bowl with the cranberries and apples. Stir in half-and-half or light cream. Pour over fruit. Place in pastry shell.

FOR TOPPING:

Combine the 1/3-cup flour, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Cut in margarine or butter with a pastry blender till the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle over filling.

BAKE:

Bake in the 350ºF oven for around 45 minutes. Bake till internal filling seems to come to a boil -it'll start oozing out the top. Cool 45 minutes on a wire rack. Drizzle with Vanilla Icing, if desired. Serve warm or cool. Makes 8 servings.

VANILLA ICING:

Combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1-tablespoon milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, till icing is of drizzling consistency.

Mangia! Hit the gym Friday.....

My favorite Santas. My BFF gave me the little one

A trio of ornaments of our x-mas lists that Dea and I made in 2001.

Peace, ass wipe, and duct tape. What more does the world need?

The epitome of the females in our home-both feminine and strong.

An Homage to Huz's years as a pastry chef.

Dea's cute handmade ornaments and "baby's first year".

Penguins. OPUS would be proud....Recipe Thursday

First off, I just posted like 1 or 2 other posts and an important petition, below this one-which I rarely do so close toether- but I LOVE these ideas and I'm being impatient! I wanted to get them out to folks before Christmas, so don't forget to scroll down!!!!!

Lo's Waldorf class had a little Holiday feast the other day and one of the moms brought in these penguin snacks. So friggin cute, I DIE!

We re-created them last night for a snack before swimming lessons:

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs
12-16 whole black olives, approximately
6 baby carrots for feet and a few more for beaks. ....or whatever you call them)
6 toothpicks
(and a celery "string" if you can finagle one off of a piece...)

Directions:
1. Hard boil the eggs. Drain, set aside to cool then peel.

2. BODY: Cut a small slice off the wide end of each egg. (Cut the slice so that the penguin can stand up on its own.).

3. FLIPPERS: Slice three olives in quarters lengthwise. Cut a small slit down each side of the"body" of an egg and insert one olive piece on each side.

4. CHEST: Cut approximately 1/2" sliver of black olive lengthwise. Make a tiny slit down the middle of the hard boiled egg and carefully insert the olive sliver.

5. HEAD: Place one toothpick down the center of the top (narrow end) of each hard boiled egg. Attach the whole olive with the hole in the center of the penguin's face.

6. NOSE: cut six small triangular pieces of carrot or bell pepper-large enough so that it will fit snugly in the olive hole and not fall out. Place the carrot or bell pepper piece in the olive hole.

7. To serve, arrange the soon-to-be endangered penguins on an irregularly shaped piece of styrofoam.

THURSDAY Word/photos:DAEDAL... and recipe

Do I have the spelling wrong or does dae/daed mean "God"?

So, Daedal=God-like.
Let's go see!

Nope!
Daedal-artistically skillful or cunning; ingenious

Not that I think that highly of them, but the above pieces are mine.

THURSDAY'S RECIPE- Lavender Linen Spray. YUM!!!!

Using natural lavender scent, this delicately scented linen spray will make you naturally feel a little tired. Or...just use it as an air freshener.

1 cup distilled water

8 - 10 drops essential oil of lavender(or any other oil you may like. Combos are great, too!)

spray bottle, with a fine mist setting

decorative label

Pour the cup of distilled water into the spray bottle. Add the drops of essential oil and shake very well. Cap the bottle, and allow to sit for a few hours before using. Shake the bottle before each use to evenly distribute the scented oil throughout the water. Use the label to describe what sort of product is contained in the bottle. And be sure to use the fine mist setting on your bottle, so the spray will be nicely distributed.

To use: About ten to twenty minutes before going to bed, spray your pillows and linens with the spray. Let the scent mellow slightly by allowing the ten to twenty minutes to pass before lying down. When you do lie down, the pillows will smell wonderful! But an even greater benefit is that lavender is a natural relaxant, so this wonderful spray may actually help you fall asleep easier, and sleep better.

It's also wonderful to spray it on wet sheets that are hanging out to dry. The gentle scent with waft around the yard...zzzzzzzzz....

Gotta love fresh breeze-dried sheets!