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Showing posts with the label recipe

Happy Lunar New Year or Spring Festival: Recipe for Quick Pineapple Tarts

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My daughter and I read Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asian trilogy, which is essentially a love affair with Singaporean food. Throughout the book, Kwan writes about the pineapple tarts eaten during the Lunar New Year. Three books later, I knew that this year was my year to make pineapple tarts. There are a few complicated recipes out there and I'm all about simplicity. Though fresh pineapple is recommended for the jam filling, I found reducing a can of pineapple tasted the same and was readily available. Yield: 18 small tarts Pineapple filling 1 can of unsweetened pineapple (crushed or rings)  Cinnamon or clove to taste ( I do not add any spices, but my family likes cinnamon.) Tart  ½ cup (1 stick) of butter softened (113 grams) 2 tb (1 oz) of sweetened condensed milk (28 grams)  (substitute: 2 tb milk and 2.5 oz of powdered sugar- add liquid sparingly) 1 egg yolk  ¾ cup (6 oz) all-purpose flour Egg Wash  (using a ...

Craft Activity: Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

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Valentine's Day isn't just about candy and hearts, don't forget your four-legged friends! They hike the trails and always greet you at the door. Children will also love being able to help make their four-legged friend a healthy treat. Plus the added bonus is a lesson in measurements. Gather all the ingredients first and let everyone involved take a turn, no matter how small. Even give a small portion of the dough to let the kids roll out and cut out the treats. For even more fun, use cookie cutters. Peanut Butter/pumpkin Dog Treats 1 1/2 cups flour 
(I use whole wheat) 1/2 cup peanut butter (no sugar and creamy)* the kind of peanut butter that is just peanuts, no salt or sugar  1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree add a little water if needed until the dough can form a ball Grain-free peanut butter/ pumpkin dog treats grind oatmeal into a flour and substitute for the whole wheat flour Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine wet ingredients. Mix the flour into the wet ing...

Recipe;: Making Snow Cream instead of Ice Cream (using fresh, clean snow to make ice cream)

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REPOST FROM JANUARY 2015: Living in a climate where it snows around 6 months out of the year, we either need to eat it or shovel it. Eating it is always the preferred way of using snow. This recipe for a homemade soft-serve ice cream is easy and fun. It doesn't store well so plan on making enough to eat immediately. My family doesn't seem to mind that they have to eat any leftovers. Enjoy! One quick and easy dessert that is a fan favorite is making a soft-serve ice cream out of snow and simple ingredients found in the fridge and pantry.

Make You Own (DIY) Paw Wax: protect pets' paws in all weather conditions from frostbite or hot pavement

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Protect dog paws from the cold Recipe and Craft: Do It Yourself (DIY) Paw Winter Protection (Paw Wax) - multi-use formula for pet walking, exploring, hiking, protect from road salt, frostbite, frostnip.  The temperatures around the Adirondacks have been well below freezing, -31Āŗ to be exact, but that doesn't stop our golden retriever from wanted to go outside to play. We still need to watch for signs of frostnip in all of us, we also make sure to take care of our pup. DIY Paw Wax ingredients We've always altered between using  Musher's Secret, a food-grade barrier wax made in Canada, and a homemade version of a paw wax. Our dog tends to lick off everything so whatever we use, we need to make sure it is safe for the furriest member of the family. (We have even use it ourselves as lip balm or hand moisturizer while we are hiking.) What is good enough for the dog, is good enough for the children.  Making your own paw wax isn't complicated, but ...

Adirondack Treats: Make Your Own Mirror Lake Inn Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe)

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Mirror Lake Inn Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Back by popular demand! My favorite cookie recipe!    *reprinted with permission Mirror Lake Inn Chocolate Chip Cookies , Lake Placid, N.Y. Mix until light and fluffy 2 cups butter 2 cups sugar 1 cup brown sugar Blend and add to sugar mixture:  4 eggs Add: 4 tsp. vanilla 4 cups flour 3 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 4 cups chocolate chips 2 cups broken walnuts (I omit) Drop onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Yields 4 dozen. Tip: I whip up a batch and keep the dough in the refrigerator and bake a few cookies at a time! Enjoy! *if you stay at the Inn you get complimentary afternoon tea and chocolate chip cookies daily. If not, you can make your own and pretend!

Recipe: Violet Foraging Makes Violet Syrup and Lemonade

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Picking the violets is a sweet job! Springtime means violets and lilacs. I love having an edible landscape. Violets are one flower that brings color to my recipes and with the right violet, they even bring a sweet, sweet scent. In the Adirondack Park where I live, the purple native violets do not give off any scent. Also called blue violets (Viola sororia) these violet flowers and new spring leaves are edible and full of Vitamin C. The flower of the common blue violet (Viola sororia) has five rounded petals and is unscented while the leaves are heart-shaped. These native plants can be tossed in a spring salad adding bright floral interest. The more fragrant English wood violets (Viola ordorata) are what is most commonly used for perfumes and essential oils have naturalized in some places. The purple violets in the Adirondacks are unscented The small white violets have a sweet scent! Though there is one native sweet violet (Viola blanda) in the Adirondacks that does...

Apple Season - Make Your Own (DIY) Apple Chips and Apple Vinegar! What to do with leftover apple scraps, peels and cores

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I love those dried apple chips I find in the store. Those expensive, dried, apple chips that usually have only 4 slices of apple coated in sugar, oil and cinnamon jostling around in a mostly empty bag. For years now I've also been drinking  Apple Cider Vinegar  every day. All the health benefits, aside, making vinegar takes absolutely no time of effort. That is my type of cooking.   Our family usually composts our apple bits. Those peels and cores are usually designated to the bin, feeding our red wiggler worms.  After an overzealous bout of apple picking, I thought there had to be a way to reuse some or part of the apples in a different way. Now of course, I'm not the first person to think this way. Martha Stewart usually beats everyone to the punch. Since I'm a staff of one and she has a whole research team, I thought I could come up with an easier way of making homemade apple chips with less sugar and in less time. After you've peeled and cored the a...

Three Kings' Day (Rosca de Reyes) Bread Recipe

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Our tradition is to take down the Christmas tree on Three Kings' Day (January 6). The kings have been traveling around our house, searching for the Creche. When they arrive we will all celebrate with bread and hot chocolate while packing up ornaments.  There are healthier versions of sweetbread but I feel the treat of of this bread combined with the sadness of taking down our tree is worth the extra crunches.   I hide a few pieces of chocolate in the bread. Traditionally a porcelain doll (symbolizing the baby Jesus) is used and the person finding it has to throw the next year's party. In our house who ever finds a piece of candy gets a special wish. Surprisingly enough each of my children usually find the lucky gift.  Three Kings' Bread Recipe

LiĆØge Sugar Waffle Recipe: Not to be confused with the American "Belgian Waffle"

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My family recently returned from a trip to Paris. While walking the streets and enjoying the atmosphere we meandered through an antique fair. One vendor was selling these delicious sugary waffles.  It has been a long time since I've had a Li ĆØ ge waffle. It brought back such amazing memories.  Here is how to make your own sugar-pearl waffles.  What is a Li ĆØ ge Waffle? Centuries ago, the Bishop-Prince of Liege,Belgium, grew tired of his breakfast brioche and asked his chef to prepare something new and different.  Just before baking, he put the sugars “pearls” that were normally on the outside of the finished brioche into the dough directly.  Instead of baking the dough patties in an oven, he baked them in a waffle iron.  His result was a fragrant, warm waffle coated with caramelized sugar.

Recipe: Frozen Fresh Fruit Pops

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Frozen Fresh Fruit Pops 3 cups watermelon puree (about 1/4 to 1/2 a watermelon) 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 1 peach or nectarine, diced small handful fresh cherries, pitted and chopped Cut the watermelon into chunks and then puree it in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Set out about 1 dozen popsicle molds (amount needed will vary depending on size of molds). Fill each one with the chopped fresh fruit. Then pour in the watermelon puree until each mold is full to the top. Place a popsicle stick into each one. Place into your freezer and freeze for about 6 to 8 hours.

Recipe: Make Your Own Healthy Fruit "Roll-Ups"

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Fruit Leather Trying to find a recipe for children's snacks can be challenging. Thankfully my kids and I have been able to make a fun fruit leather thanks to Chow.com . There are other options and recipes on how to make variations of this healthy version, but we liked the easy use of the applesauce lightly flavored with raspberries. Enjoy!  Difficulty:  Easy |  Total Time:   15 mins, plus at least 6 1/2 hrs baking and cooling time  | Makes:   6 to 8 servings Texture and flavor vary greatly among apple varieties, so we decided to use applesauce as a shortcut in this  DIY  fruit leather recipe. It delivers more consistent flavor and cuts out having to cook and purĆ©e the apples yourself. To get the fun, shockingly pink color, no fake dyes are necessary—we just added raspberries, which also give the fruit leather a nice tartness. Special equipment:  You will need a nonstick silicone baking mat. Time frame:...

Recipe: Benne Wafers

I love Benne wafers. They have a slightly sweet taste and crisp texture. Just a few can satisfy my sweet tooth. Sesame is also high in protein, contains no cholesterol and is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B and E. Of course, when you toss it into a cookie, it has to fend for itself.  Benne (the Bantu word for sesame) was brought to America from East Africa in the 17 th  century during the slave trade era.  Here are two recipes I found the  BENNE WAFERS RECIPE ( 1954 Gourmet magazine ) INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup sesame (benne) seeds (toasted) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt PREPARATION: Lightly toast the sesame (benne) seeds in a nonstick pan until golden brown. Watch carefully so the seeds won't burn. Cream butter and sugar together and mix with other ingredients in the order given. Use a 1/2 teaspoon to measure the dough and drop onto a cookie pan covere...

Happy Holidays: Festive Ballantyne Pomegranate Martini

Happy New Year! Sometimes a parent just wants to have some adult time. I was recently with family at The Ballyntine in Charlotte, NC and during dinner had to try their famous Ballantyne Martini. It's not really a martini but looks like one. Here is the recipe to get you in the holiday spirit. T HE BALLANTYNE 12 1 oz Pearl Pomegranate Vodka 1/2 oz Malibu Coconut Rum  splash of Pomegranate juice muddled raspberries shake vigorously serve as a martini

Recipes for Winter: Wassail Recipe and Song

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Wassail!   (Wassail" is an olde English word for a toast similar to "Good Health" while  the wassail  refers to the drink  ( spiced or mulled wine or ale) you are toasting with.  Enjoy your holiday with a warm drink among family and friends!  Wassail* 1 gallon apple cider 1 quart cranberry juice (not cocktail) 1 tsp whole cloves (substitute nutmeg other spices you enjoy) 1 cup brown sugar 3 sticks cinnamon 1 orange, sliced in thin slices DIRECTIONS  Mix all items in crockpot or large sauce pan. Simmer to keep warm * mix in  a Madeira or red wine  The Wassail Song!

Adirondack recipe: Rhubarb in the Garden

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Susie Middleton, the talented author of Fresh, Fast & Green ,  is always tinkering in her kitchen coming up with fresh recipes for all the produce from her garden. As a trained chef and former editor and current editor-at-large of Fine Cooking , Susie experiments with fresh product so that I don't have to. It is about as close as I'm going to get to a personal chef. I love to cook but I'm going to leave the recipes to Susie! With my rhubarb popping up all over, I need some new recipes to use up the rhubarb, get my children jazzed about their school snacks and add something interesting when backyard grilling. Rhubarb muffins? Each week my children help make muffins for their school snacks. They get to choose different recipes or make old favorites. It has become a few precious moments we spend with each other and the outcome is always delicious. On Susie's blog, SixBurnerSue , she has pages dedicated to testing recipes from her own garden or from the test kitc...

Recipe: Five-minute Chocolate Cake

I first saw this recipe in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise section "Lake Clear News" and wish to give credit to Charlotte Hall. I am not sure if now having the ability to make chocolate cake in 5 minutes in my microwave is actually a good thing. Tasty, yes. This is instant gratification at its best. Tip: Have your children help mix their own dessert. 5-Minute Chocolate Cake (This recipe is all over in the internet and I couldn't find an original source.) 1 large microwave safe coffee mug 4 Tbsp. flour 4 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. cocoa 1 egg 3 Tbsp. milk 3 Tbsp. oil 3 Tbsp. chocolate chips (optional) a small splash of vanilla extract 1. Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. 2. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. 3. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. 4. Mix in the chocolate chips and vanilla extract. 5. Place mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on High. The cake will rise above the top of the cup. Remove from microwave . 6. Remove from microwave and let cool. 7. Enj...

No cook play dough

1 cup flour 1 cup hot tap water 2 tbsp. lemon juice ( You can use vinegar or some kind of acid. I just like the way the lemon smells) 1/2 cup salt 1 tbsp. oil Mix and knead together. I have the kids help measure and mix as well as mold whatever they want. Even my nine-year-old still likes to play with this. Tip: Roll in seeds in the winter and put outside for the birds. The artwork will eventually melt away in the weather (unless the dog eats it first) and the birds or squirrels will enjoy a wrestle with the seeds. Enjoy! Eat well. Live well. Love well.

Make Your Own Beer Bread

3 cups flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup white sugar 1 can of beer (various flavors will alter the taste. The darker the beer, the stronger the taste.) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.* Add beer and mix. The batter will be lumpy and sticky. Pour into a 9 x 5 inch greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 for 60 minutes. *For a quick hostess/housewarming gift put all the dry ingredients in a glass jar, close the lid tight, print out the directions and attach with a ribbon. Alterations: Try using a carbonated beverage like a sparkling juice or seltzer

whipping cream substitute

1/3 cup butter melted and mixed into 3/4 cup milk = 1 cup cream in baking and cooking.

Parenting Tips: homemade cookies all the time

Make a batch of your favorite cookies. Put the dough in a sealed container and keep in the refrigerator. Take out and make small batches. I like to bake a few in the toaster oven so the kids can have a warm cookie after playing outside. This way the dough is always available and I don't have to make a lot of cookies at once. * my favorite recipe comes from a local hotel!