Chamomille IPA

After a longer than expected hiatus, moving can be quite time consuming, we are brewing again. Our last two beers had been a Chamomile IPA, which is almost ready to be bottled, and an Orange Coriander American Wheat. The Chamomile IPA is a Chinook IPA from Northern Brewer with a little twist, we added half a gallon of Chamomile and half a pound of honey.

Regarding the half gallon of Chamomille, just note that what we added was a very strong half gallon, we are lucky to live close to Harvestime foods and they sell 1 oz. Chamomile bags for little more than $1.50, so we put the whole thing to boil.

The recipe:

0.75 lbs. Dingemans Caramel Pils

0.25 lbs Briess Caramel 120

6 lbs Pilsen malt syrup

1 lb dry malt extract

3 oz. Chinook (1 oz. boils for 60 mins, 1 oz. 10 mins before the end of the boil and 1 oz. finishing hops about 1 min. before the end of the boil)

1 oz. Chamomile

0.5 lbs honey

Wyeast 1056 American Ale

The original gravity is 1.054 and after two weeks we put it into secondary fermentation for about six more weeks. We want to bottle it sometime this week and will be posting a review around mid June.

seafood gnocci***

It's cold, windy and snowy out. Dinner needs to be warm, hearty and healthy. Cue in seafood gnocci.

It is my goal within the next couple of weeks to empty out our freezer, cupboards and fridge. I want to start over fresh with all new foods. I feel like we stock pile things and then never end of using them. I mentioned that one of my resolutions this year is to eat more healthy foods. This will have to start in the kitchen, and has to start with a clean slate.

One a first glance in our freezer this evening I was already overwhelmed. Mostly overwhelmed by the amount of frozen fruit that is in there from past trips to the Maxwell Street Market. I am well aware that emptying our the freezer will involve a ton of baking in the next few weeks. I am up for it.

Although, I'll save the baking for another day, another post. I wanted a filling dinner tonight to beat out the winter blues (and what they are saying will be the worst snow storm of the century...). I'm calling this a Trader Joe's dinner because almost all the major ingredients (***) came from there.

I did not write down the recipe (I never do when I cook). Here is my best guess at ingredients:

-whole wheat gnocci***

- frozen seafood mixture (shrimp, calamari, etc.)***

- onion***

- garlic***

- fresh tomato & tomato paste

- butter

- splash on Vino Verde*** (one for the sauce, one for me)

- fresh parmesan cheese***

- herbs & seasonings

Do have any foods that you prefer to eat when the weather is cold & blistery?

gingerbread cookies, not men

Today was a day for baking. Not sure if it was the blizzard, the strong winds or just my strong desire for something sweet. I also needed an excuse to get my mind off things.

Just last weekend I was marveling over all of the cookie cutters I have. None of which have a holiday theme, but it doesn't matter. Just because they don't stand out as "holiday cookies" doesn't mean they don't taste the same.

I realized last weekend that I have hardly used any of my cookie cutters. It was time to make some dinosaur, flower, cat, star, etc., etc. cookies.

My main dilemma with baking is this: It's just pm and me. While I love to make cakes, breads, cookies, pies and other sweets, as just two people it's hard to finish everything. Or, the problem is that we do finish everything and then feel gluttonous. I need to come up with a better system. Make a half batch (nearly impossible to yield the same results), freeze the dough (not recommended) or give some away (best option.).

This is a continued theme that goes beyond baking. We have a hard time getting through a loaf of bread, gallon of milk or block of cheese without having to throw some out. In most cases, rather than throw items out (minus the milk), we freeze things. Our freezer is on system overload right now though. Anyway, what tips do you have for saving and sharing?

Here's the recipe for the gingerbread cookies we made:

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c sugar

1 t baking powder

1 t ground ginger

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t clove

1/2 c molasses

1 egg

1 t vinegar

2 1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 375. Bake 5-6 mins, until edges are brown. [Note: Do not overcook, or forget about cookies in oven. I burnt a round. :( ]

coconut macaroons

Apparently all the rage in Paris centuries ago, these cookies are pretty epic.

I found for them to be a very simple (more simple - believe it or not - than my one-bowl chocolate cake recipe) and great treat to whip up for company or parties.

I also just have to mention that these cookies are extremely low-cal compared to many other sugary sweets. Not that I particularly care, but it does help when your conscience weighs in as you go to grab another 1-2 for taste :).

Without further ado, here's the recipe:

2 2/3 c flaked coconut

2/3 sugar

1/3 flour

1/4 t salt

3 egg whites

1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325F. Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and drop mixture (teaspoon sized) onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins, or until edges are light brown. Bon Appetit! [You can also garnish with chocolate. Melt chocolate and dip cooled cookies until the mix. My preference = dark chocolate.]

Cookies!

It's not that I haven't been wanting to put the apron on and bake lately, it's just that I haven't made time for it. My free time has been limited and rather than spend this time on baking, I've been doing more cleaning, organizing and reading.

I wanted to bake something with a fall theme, but while still being relatively healthy. This is why I decided to make: dark chocolate maple & brown sugar oatmeal cookies. In case you were wondering, oatmeal is what make these cookies healthy. :) I have a loose scale for defining healthy.

It smells absolutely delightful on our apartment right now. Sweet and spicy. These cookies will be perfect when coupled with apple cider.

Without further ado, here's the recipe:

1 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1 t baking powder

1/4 t baking powder

3/4 c softened butter

2 eggs

1-1/2 c flour

1 t vanilla

2 c oatmeal

chocolate chips to taste

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Oriental Amber

It's 10:30a.m. on Sunday morning and this has been our morning agenda:

• Brew coffee, drink coffee.
• Eat breakfast.
• Sanitize beer equipment.
• Wash dishes.
• Clean kitchen.
• Begin brewing process.
• Scan photos.
• Listen to NPR.
• Brew.
• Clean kitchen.
• Wash floors.

It has been a busy morning. We woke up this morning on the creative side of the bed. (Beer translation: Instead of following a recipe book or using a kit, we decided to make our own experimental amber ale.)

We have loads of tea and have enjoyed adding it to our brews. (Past batches have included: hibiscus green tea wheat, sangria tea ale & white tea steam). Today we decided to go with an oriental tea straight from the non-homelands of Germany (Rotbuschtee Orientalische).

Without further ado here is the recipe. (Please note: This is an experimental amber, and while we are confident it will turn out delicious, we aren't making any promises :)).

1 lb. crystal medium

6.6 lb. amber malt extract

.5 ga. Rotbuschtee Orientalische tea (steep apart from wort until very strong & add with boiling hops)

1 lb. honey (add with finishing hops)

1 oz. amarillo hops (boiling)

1 oz. cascade hops (finishing)

1056 American ale liquid yeast (Wyeast)

OG: 1.052

Do let us know if you have any questions. We'll be sure to post our review of the final product in the months to come.

Wedding season.

It has been the summer of l.o.v.e. - - a summer of weddings. Seems like next summer will be the same way... How very exciting! We really enjoy being part of the celebration (and on the other side of the table). It always makes me think back to our special day. Sometimes I wish you could celebrate anniversaries the same way you do birthdays -- with all your family and friends.

I really enjoyed the whole planning process. Making invitations. Shopping around for a deal (steal) on flowers. Making jewelry. And more. Most of all, I think I enjoyed being able to do it all with pm and my mother. It was stressful at times, but for the most part we made the best of it and have lots of fun along the way.

Today I have a terrible sweet tooth, and as I was looking through photos we've taken recently to include in my post, I can across this photo. This cake was absolutely delicious. Light, fluffy and moist. Three things that are very hard to find in a wedding cake. I've never been one to make vanilla cakes, but this photo has inspired me to try it again. I think I need come up with a one-bowl vanilla cake recipe. That way my one-bowl chocolate cake recipe will not have to be my only fall back plan when I need a dessert whipped up fast.

I am thinking that this upcoming week is going to be the week of the tomato. More to come on that though. Time to eat. :)

Baking on the mind.

This photo (which I took about two months ago in Grantsburg during a bread making class) is how I am feeling today. I want to bake, but just can't get past looking at the empty bowls and supplies I have in the kitchen. I know my baking results will be fruitful (pun fully intended).

I've got baking on the brain. I know it is because we bought a crate of strawberries (8-1 pint packages) over the weekend and I am thinking about pie, jam, bread...etc. One of my tasks for the evening is to prioritize that baking list. I refuse to let them go to waste.

On the top of my list is a strawberry rhubarb pie. I can use all market bought fruits! (Well, I don't know that rhubarb is technically a fruit; we got it recently at the Minneapolis Farmers' Market. Need to find a market here that is equally as awesome!)

Tonight we're making a strawberry almond salad. It's a simple, yet delicious salad.

Here's my recipe:

- Bag of spinach or spring greens (no iceberg lettuce allowed)

- 1.5 cups (~1 package) of fresh strawberries, halved

- Caramelized almonds

- 1/2 red onion, chopped

- Gorgonzola cheese

- Balsamic dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper)

30 Days of Creativity - Day 29: Salmorejo

We are still working through our tomatoes from our recent trip to the Maxwell Street Market. (Planning to restock our fridge with fresh produce this weekend.)

Here's a salmorejo (thick gazpacho) from an authentic Spaniard (pm):

+6-7 ripe tomatoes

+ 1/2 c olive oil

+ 3 garlic cloves

+ splash of vinegar

+ 1 cucumber

+ 1/2 baguette (soak in water beforehand to soften; strain water)

+ dash of salt

+ other vegetables as desired (carrots are good!)

Blender and puree everything together. Let it sit overnight in the fridge to absorb all flavors. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs and jamon serrano (or prosciutto where jamon serrano is not available). Tuna works well too.

And that's all for today folks. We're signing off early. Que aproveche!

30 Days of Creativity - Day 13: Tomato & Blackberry Overload

Today has been a day of really having to s t r e t c h our creativity in the kitchen. Allow me to explain.

In the winter we went to Maxwell Street Market and were not very impressed (refer to post here). We went again today and our opinion has done a complete 180. A complete 180. I am not even going to get into the crazy deals we scored today - even if I really want to. (By the way, I have learned that it's a Midwestern thing to always want to share our good deal stories with others. For example: "That's a cute shirt." How do I always want to respond? "Thanks. I got it on clearance for $$$ at xxx.").

I digress. Back to the market.

Next time we go we are bringing a suitcase. We bought a box of tomatoes and a box of blackberries for $10. To put this into perspective - we have at least 10 pounds of tomatoes and 12 packs of blackberries. A ridiculous deal? I think so. Our challenge since we have been home is being creative with how we are going to use all this produce before it goes bad. (Naturally, we will be freezing lots of tomatoes.)

I have decided to conquer the blackberries. I have worked through 6 packs already on various baked goods. I will write more about those tomorrow and they all need a day to set. Pm has been responsible for the tomatoes (with some help from yours truly). Tonight's menu will consist of rustic tomato soup. The recipe below is from the Big Food cookbook by Elissa Altman. We will certainly be making some gazpacho with these tomatoes too.

Big Food Rustic Tomato Soup Recipe (ampm style)

1/4 c olive oil

1 c baby carrots (diced)

1 large yellow onion (peeled & diced)

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 c fresh tomatoes (peeled, seeded & chopped w/ liquid) ~12 tomatoes

1 c chicken stock

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 T dried basil leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil and add carrot and onion. Cook until softened. Add garlic, stir and cook for 3 mins. Add tomatoes and juice and cook until they fall apart. Add stock, cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add basil, cover and continue to simmer for 20 mins. Season accordingly. Serve hot. [Note: We will be blending the soup before serving.]

I better get back in the kitchen and help. Que Aproveche! (We'll post a picture later on Flickr of our final product.)

And as promised here's the soup :)

tropical banana bread

We can never eat bananas fast enough around here, yet we continue to buy them every time we go to the grocery store. Do I mind? Absolutely not! I love bananas, and I especially love baking with bananas. There are just too many good recipes.

Last week we had some pineapple left over from a mango/pineapple salsa we made. We thought about making a tropical beverage out of it, but we just aren't quite in the right season. So, instead, I made some banana pineapple bread. As you can see by the photo, I added chocolate chips. It was a little bit of an experiment, but the bread turned out great. It was a little too moist in the center, but it did cook all the way through. It may have made a better layer cake than bread, although good nonetheless.

I've got about 6 frozen bananas in the freezer right now and another 2-3 getting on the ripe end for eating. What should my next recipe be? Any good suggestions?

On a related note: Did you know that bananas risk extinction? Yeah, it's scary. Maybe that is why I want to enjoy as many of them as I can now before it's too late.

Sidetracked & how to drink a beer.

I had every intention of writing something on here earlier today, but then I got sidetracked. That has been happening a lot lately. I make a "to-do" list and before I can even start it my day is booked. I guess I could be sitting around watching soaps and eating donuts, so it's not all bad. (Someday, even if it's not my style maybe I will do that :P). I just really want to finish everything on my list. Maybe tomorrow?

My plan was to post a recipe and tutorial for making Spanish tortilla today. Too bad we didn't have all the ingredients at home. (This is sad since the recipe is so basic. You'll see soon enough just how simple it is.)

As I am thinking about "to-do" lists, I got to thinking about the photo above. First off, New Belgium makes a darn good Mothership Wit. Perhaps the best part - it includes directions on how to drink the beverage. It's not just a pour, sip and enjoy. It is now a pour, swirl, pour, sip and enjoy. Is this too many steps for the thirsty? Well, it's worth it; so, just do it.

On another brewing note. I hate to confirm it, but I think it is officially too warm in our apartment to brew over the summer. That is unless we don't mind keeping a bath tub full of ice cubes through the fermentation process. Hmmm... tempting. We could always just shower at the gym, right? I am curious though - how "hot" is too hot? Obviously you run the risk of bacterias and other pesky "added flavor" components with the heat, but if you are diligent about running a clean ship does it matter? I'd love to know.

And that is all for my Wednesday ramble. Look for the recipe later this week. Cheers to beer instructables!

cinco de mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo ya'll. My sincere apologies for not posting something sooner. Let's just say the last week has been a whirlwind. I've been in and out, and out of town. Good thing pm is picking up on the posts as well. :) I am not seeing a calm in the storm at all the rest of this week, but it's all good things.

In fact, it will always be good things. This is one thing I have come to realize as I have progressed on my life journey: It is more important to write about and remember the good times. I do not like looking back through my journals of my teenage angst years (P.S. I didn't really have any by the way, I just like how it sounds). I tended to only write about the times when I was stressed out or upset. Those are not the times I want to remember; this is why these journals have been discarded. I want to remember the good times. Those are the times I want to be able to share with friends and family. I am a true believer, just as Anne Frank said, "All people are good at heart." And, if that is the case -- let's remember it! Positive thinking. This blog is all about the positive, the good and the creative. I fully intend to keep it that way. (I will admit, there may be some slip-ups along the way. I will, however, do my best to remain upbeat. :))

Enough of that rant. It's Cinco de Mayo, and while my day was hardly a celebration complete with 'ritas, it was an exciting and very productive day. Now I have 'ritas and sitting on my parents' patio on the mind. I guess my archived photo of martini glasses and my favorite homegoods store (hint: it's where we got the killer deal on pillowcases) will have to do. Bottoms up!

Recipe for the best margaritas ever:

(I'd like to agree that those who have tried it out would concur.)

+ 1 can limeade mix (frozen)

+ 1 can beer (light, not specialty)

+ splash of orange juice

+ tequila (fill limeade can almost to the top)

+ ice

+salt

No need to put it in the blender. Serve it over lots of ice. I also recommend drinking plenty of water with this recipe. It's a strong one. :)

Apple cobbler

An overcast day is always a good day to brush off the apron, roll up the sleeves, and get to baking. It also helps to have a full bag of apples and overripe strawberries in the fridge.

I thumbed through various apple recipes, knowing that a twist to any recipe would be necessary. I opted to make an apple cobbler, partly out of my laziness to not want to make a pie crust. I have been unsuccessful lately with my pie crusts. The recipe never seems to be quite enough dough to cover the entire pie, thus causing the filling to ooze and drip out the sides. Some day I'll master the art - Hopefully it is by Thanksgiving!

While I will admit baking does not yield the same amount of creative liberty that cooking does, it does still allow for some "outside of the recipe-thinking". Naturally, it is never a wise decision to mess with the amount of baking soda, baking powder and flour. I do think though that substituting oil for butter, yogurt for milk, and orange extract for vanilla are all perfectly acceptable options. I have personally done each and all have been successful.

So today (and mostly likely the rest of the weekend) I will have my cobbler and eat it too.

Getting into Gear Guacamole

Time to get back in gear! We just returned from a southern adventure to the barbecue belt (TN, KY, MO). We will give more of an update on that soon - complete with photos, recommendations, & stories.

Avocados were on sale the other day. That can only mean one thing -- guacamole. Yum, yum! The perfect treat for the celebration of spring and the season of outdoor picnics. We made it through the winter folks!

Here's the recipe (thanks to the Joy of Cooking, Pg. 72 in my edition). I have adapted it slightly.

Mix and mash.

4 medium avocados

1/4 c lime juice

1/2 sweet onion (of the purple variety. :))

2 cloves garlic

splash of hot sauce

1-2 ripe tomatos

black beans

salt to taste

red on red

We've got a birthday coming up here, which means my apron, rolling stick, and whisker are out and feverishly working. This year I'll be making one the classics ... strawberry rhubard pie. Lucky for me this happens to be one of my favorite desserts.

This was one of the pies my mom made a lot. (She, like me, got her recipe from the Joy of Cooking.) I remember as a kid going into my grandfather's garden (sometimes with my mom and most often with my brothers) to pick rhubarb during the summer. My grandfather tended to let his rhubarb plants go wild, so in many cases the plant was as tall as me. It always amazed me that such a tart taste could make such a delicious pie when coupled with strawberries.



I thought I'd capture the wonderful, and very red colors of the strawberries and rhubard. I'll be sure to post another photo of the finished product - that is, if it merits one. :)

I find it extremely appropriate that Julie and Julia is on its way to our apartment as we speak. Nothing like watching a movie about good home cooking when enjoying your own delights, especially when it's all being done to celebrate another year. Yum!

something *sweet

I thought it was time to post something *sweet to this blog again.

We seem to have more recently posted around the theme of horses (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C, and *gasp*, exhibit D). Which photo is your favorite? I am partial to B, but that's no suprise - doubles are my thing.

Anyways, I have declared a change of pace. No more horses.

My inspiration came today as I woke up to a beautiful sunny, yet still chilly day. My mind drifted to sunshine and spring. And to celebrate - it was a day for baking. I suppose the hearts and love designs slightly nod to Valentine's Day. :)

Baking, for me, truly is therapeutic. I enjoy being able to invent as I go along with a recipe. I very rarely follow a recipe. Instead it's just a suggested route to an end. Obviously the baking soda, baking powder and other standards don't change -- but the add-ins do. I am not afraid to try new things while baking. Sometimes my changes fail, but for the most part the end result is edible bliss.

Yes, I have a sweet tooth.

Here's to warm cookies, hot chocolate and an afternoon of warmth. And, naturally -the recipe:

Orange You Glad Sugar Cookies:
+ 1 c softened butter
+ 1.5 c sugar
+ 2 eggs
+ 1 t cream of tartar
+ 1 t baking soda
+ 1 t orange extract
+ 1/4 t salt
+ 2.75 c flour
+ zest of 1 orange
+ small splash of oj

Heat oven to 375F. Bake for 9 -12 mins. ENJOY! :)