A couple of posts ago I discussed some recipes I was trying so I thought I would update.
Brownies -- the recipe I tried with three different chocolates was just too chewy -- in fact, it didn't taste done even though I cooked it longer than it called for. So, I finally tried the one bowl recipe on the inside of the Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate Box and that is exactly what I was looking for. After taste testing it was about as close to a box mix as I think I will get so it is going to be my go-to brownie recipe.
Squash Salad -- I recently read the book French Women Don't Get Facelifts and was surprised that there were some recipes included. One caught my eye and I tried it yesterday. It is a squash salad and it was surprisingly good -- I wasn't sure what to expect. The ingredients are yellow squash, thinly sliced , zucchini sliced into thin ribbons and cherry tomatoes. A light dressing of olive oil, sherry vinegar and lemon juice is added along with chopped fresh mint and feta cheese. I had to change the recipe in a bit because I didn't have the correct ingredients. I substituted lime juice for the lemon juice because I was out of lemon juice. I also substituted white wine vinegar for the sherry vinegar and I had to chop up a tomato as I forgot to buy cherry tomatoes. I don't think the tomatoes made a big difference but I am not sure about the lime juice and the different vinegar. With all that changing, though, it was really good. I had never thought about a squash salad but it will become part of my regular rotation.
For anybody who thinks I have taken all leave of my senses in my old age let me explain. I am trying to get all the toxins and negative things out of my diet and my house so I have resorted to scratch cooking which is actually proving to be more fun that I thought it would be. I am not a stranger to the concept but we have gotten to the point that we are either eating out or take-out or convenience foods and I am trying to change that. I used to spend my time quilting or cross stitching or internet surfing -- now I find I am spending my time cooking. I have been dabbling in the creation of a greener life and also becoming more minimalist in our lifestyle and I like the idea of buying raw ingredients and putting them together to actually make something rather than just opening a box or a can and worrying about the ingredients that I can't pronounce or what is lining the can. After a weekend pantry overhaul, I am standing back looking at my lovely, retro glass jars full of flours, sugars and cornmeal -- my turntables with my baking supplies organized where I can actually find something and all my bottles there in one place -- and it is peaceful. It is somehow relaxing and reassuring to know that I can actually create what I want from these simple ingredients and don't have to rely on a box of something that I might or might not have. I know that sounds really crazy but it takes me back to what I consider a better time -- my youth -- when everybody lived this way. It makes me happy.
So, now that I have found the perfect brownie recipe and the perfect cornbread recipe I am off to find the perfect biscuit recipe. I grew up eating biscuits made from Pioneer Biscuit Mix -- local to San Antonio -- and it makes lovely biscuits. My goal is to find a recipe to make equally as good biscuits as those from scratch. I will review when I do.
2 comments:
My daughter put us on to Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma. It was an eye-opener and after reading it, we made a lot of changes to our diet--we feel so much healthier for it. I've enjoyed your posts on your "life changes." I too was a child of the 50's and 60's, but ugh, I don't miss the "Flower Child" days at all. My wedding dress was a Gunne Sax, which is now considered vintage--ouch!:) I'm glad to hear your weather is warming. I hope we're not far behind you!
I remember Gunne Sax quite well! I could never do the flower child thing but I am convinced now that we need to be -- and should have always been -- more aware of our environment and what we do personally. I must be doing something right because my three year old granddaughter was lecturing her grandfather how bad sugar is for you!
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