Roasted chard stems - Untested

https://kalynskitchen.com/baked-swiss-chard-stems-recipe-with/

2 cups trimmed Swiss chard stems

 1/4 tsp. salt

 olive oil for spraying pan and chard (see notes)

 1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese

 coarse ground black pepper to taste

1. Trim any discolored ends from chard stems, then cut stems on an angle into pieces about 3 inches long.
2. If some stems are very thick, you may wish to cut them lengthwise so all pieces are approximately the same thickness.
3. Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and chard stems and boil about 6 minutes.
5. Let chard drain well.
6. Spray a non-stick baking dish with olive oil.
7. Place chard in the pan and mist lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with cheese. (If doubling the recipe, make two layers, misting each layer with oil and sprinkling with cheese.)
8. Bake about 20 minutes, or until chard is softened and cheese is slightly browned on the edges.
9. Season with fresh ground black pepper if desired and serve hot.

Styrian Pumpkin Soup - Testing

https://www.steirische-spezialitaeten.at/en/styrian-cream-pumpkin-soup/

1 - I made this a while ago, but I can't remember which pumpkin I used - did I actually use a Styrian pumpkin? Anyway, it was very much liked, so I will make it again. I did not have pumpkin seed oil, but I did toast pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top when serving, and that worked just fine.

1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds

1/2 kg pumpkin (will actual Styrian work?)

1 onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp butter

600 ml vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and pepper

ground nutmeg

Ginger optionally

150 ml whipping cream optionally

Pumpkin Seed Oil

1. Heat a dry pan on the stove and toast 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds. Set aside to cool.
2. Scoop out the seeds and innards and cut the cleaned pumpkin into cubes. If using a soft-skinned, edible peeling-ed squash it's not really necessary to peel it.
3. Lightly sautée the onion and the garlic in the butter until golden. 
4. Add the pumpkin cubes, sautée for another minute or so then add the broth. 
5. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and perhaps some ginger and let it gently simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender.
6. Once the ingredients are thoroughly cooked, purée the soup. 
7. If the soup is too thick after the purée add 1/4 cup of broth at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
8. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds to serve.

Yogurt - Untested

https://www.liveeatlearn.com/greek-yogurt/

Milk (this should work with any volume, I think?)

1/2 cup yogurt with active bacteria

1. Heat milk to 185 degrees F (85 degrees C). This is important for creating a thick, nicely textured yogurt.
2. Cool milk back down to lukewarm (about 110 degrees F, 43 degrees C), then add 1/2 cup of the warm milk into the yogurt. (Ensuring the milk is cooled down will prevent you from killing the live cultures in the yogurt.) Whisk the yogurt and milk together, then add the rest of the milk and mix well.
3. Place your mixture somewhere warm and let sit for 4 to 8 hours, or until yogurt is thick and tangy. My favorite method for making yogurt is to wrap the jar in a warm, moist towel, then setting it in the oven with the oven light on. The light will provide enough heat to ferment the yogurt!
4. After sitting in a warm environment for a few hours, your yogurt is ready to eat! If you want to turn this plain yogurt into Greek yogurt, we’ll take it one step further and strain it.
5. Set a mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or strong paper towels) over a large bowl. Pour in yogurt and place in the fridge. Check every few hours until yogurt reaches your desired thickness.
6. The liquid that is drained out of the yogurt is whey! This is a great protein and works well in smoothies and soups.
7. Transfer your freshly made Greek yogurt to an airtight container when it has reached your desired thickness level.

Chickpea and Bean Dahl - Test 3

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/three-bean-dal

1 - This worked out wonderfully the first go. There must be a reason why split peas are not more popular, but I just can't imagine why. It's been challenging, but I've managed to find a few recipe that require them, and all of them are delicious. I served it with my ubiquitous (in this house) cumin rice, and Ben really liked it, and so did I, but I did feel it was a bit heavy and would benefit in having a vegetable dish to accompany it.

2 - I hadn't made this in a while and I sure got a shock! I had instructions to drain the split peas once they were cooked, but it was just a three-word sentence tacked at the end of the second paragraph. I missed it. And I drained the whole thing in with the cooked spices. And now I have to try and reduce 6 cups of water away! Argh!

3 - How can I cook the peas so that I don't lose any of them but that I have them breaking apart to become the sauce? I think it's re-thinking the recipe a bit.

4 - Yup, cooking the peas until they start to break apart is better. And when it's fresh out of the pot, it's pretty spicy. Once it sat around and was eaten as leftovers, the spiciness decreased and was very good.

1 cup yellow split peas (7 oz)

Salt, to taste

3 Tbsps. mild oil

2 Tbsps. fresh ginger, finely grated

2 large garlic cloves, grated (10-12g)

½ tsp red pepper flakes or 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 small tomato (3oz), chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

¾ cup cream (your choice, half and half, table cream or whipping cream)

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28gr) butter

½ cup water

4.5oz dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked or one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4.5oz dried beans, soaked and cooked or one 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper, to taste (start with 1tsp salt and 1é4 tsp pepper, to taste?)

1. Ideally, soak the split peas for at least an hour before boiling them.
2. If using dry beans, cook in a pot separate from the peas.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring plenty of water to a boil. Add the split peas and a generous pinch of salt and boil about 50 minutes. 
4. When the peas are well cooked and just starting to break down, drain well and set aside with the other cooked beans.
5. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. 
6. Add the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, cumin and cayenne and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 6 minutes. 
7. Add the tomato and tomato paste and cook until the tomato is slightly broken down, about 5 minutes. 
8. Add the cream, butter and water and bring to a boil. 
9. Stir in the cooked yellow split peas, chickpeas and beans and season with salt. 
10. Simmer, covered, over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. 

Parsnip Carrot Roasted Curried Veg - Test 1

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/curried-parsnips-and-carrots

1 - First go-round went well. I did not add the optional elements. In the original recipe, there are pine nuts which I omitted.

1 pound carrots, julienned and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 pounds parsnips, julienned and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 Tbsps red wine vinegar

2 tsps curry powder

Optional

2 Tbsps dried currants

1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Toss the carrots and parsnips with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a wide cookies sheet.
2. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring a few times, until tender and lightly caramelized in spots. Remove from the oven. 
3. In a wide bowl whisk the vinegar and curry powder and toss with the roasted vegetables and optional currants and parsley. Adjust the seasoning. Serve warm.

Chard Saag - Testing

https://amealinmind.com/instant-pot-swiss-chard-saag/

1 - A good first try, but I feel like maybe a bit salty. It was part of a larger meal and something was very salty, but I can't quite tell if it was this. Next time, I'll start with 1/2 tsp and taste to adjust seasoning just to see.

2 - I added paneer as an optional element and it was quite good.

1 to 2 Tbsps ghee or mild oil

OPTIONAL: 8oz paneer, diced into ¼" pieces

1 onion diced

½ - 1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garam masala

¼ tsp black pepper

⅛ - ¼ tsp cayenne 

¼ tsp turmeric

2 to 3 cloves minced garlic

1" knob fresh ginger, grated fine

2 bunches (1½ lbs) Swiss Chard, rinsed, thick leaf midribs removed and torn or chopped

NOTE: weigh the chard after removing the ribs to obtain the 1½ lbs.

Ghee or butter, for serving

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and lightly brown the cubes on all sides. This will take some time. Set aside.
2. In the remaining oil cook the onion until soft. Meanwhile, combine the dry spices in a small bowl. Add to the onions.
3. When the onions start to turn golden, add the garlic and ginger and cook for one more minute.
4. Add the chard one handful at a time, only adding another handful with the preceding one has cooked down and made more room in the pan. Cook until the leaves have softened.
5. OPTIONAL - coarsely blend the cooked leaves before serving. Serve with a little extra ghee or butter.
6. Add the optional paneer and heat through in the sauce.

Dahl Makhani - Test 2

https://cookieandkate.com/quick-dal-makhani-recipe/

1 - Made it once but was not able to use all accurate quantities. It was good, but I've left it at Testing to do an accurate test as my baseline.

2 - Made it with black beans, and it was good. Very soupy, but that didn't seem to detract from my diners' enjoyment of the dish. Paired it with Indian Snow Peas.

3 - It's a good recipe but for a few tweaks. 5 cups of water is too much, but if I simmer it uncovered, it reduces pretty well. I had it at a pretty rapid simmer and removed the lid partway which seemed to work, so I'll have to experiment with this part. Also, more salt!

4 - Wow, I really don't ready my recipes! There's a whole section about grinding in the blender! I will alter this. I also excluded the cream but served it with yogurt on the side, which I prefer.

5 - It's a very flavorful dish, and it improves with age. Better on the second day.

6 - I forgot to uncover it (again), so I underlined that instruction. It's just that it's pretty antithetical to how I usually make a dal...

2 Tbsps mild oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated 

1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed, minced

1 ½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground cumin 

½ tsp ground coriander 

1 tsp salt 

Ground black pepper

1 can (19 ounces/540mL) diced tomatoes, with their juices

1 cup uncooked French lentils

1 can (19 ounces/540mL) kidney beans, rinsed and drained OR; 2 1/4 cups cooked kidney beans OR; 3/4 cup dry, soaked overnight

5 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp lime juice, plus additional lime wedges for serving

Serve with:

Plain yogurt

Chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeño, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir in the garam masala, cumin, coriander and salt. Season generously with black pepper. Cook, while stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute, while stirring. Add the lentils, kidney beans, water and bay leaf. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, uncovered. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the lentils are nice and tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaf. 
5. Either mash roughly with a potato masher or ricer, just enough to thicken the broth OR; transfer 2 cups of the mixture to a blender and process until smooth, being careful to avoid the hot steam escaping from the blender lid. Transfer the blended mixture back to the pot and stir to combine. 
6. Add the lime juice and adjust the seasoning. 
7. Serve in bowls.
8. Pass around the yogurt, chopped cilantro and lime wedges. 
   

Lentils and Lima Bean Dahl - Untested

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/lentil-bean-dhal/e3576646-9f81-423b-a23d-379e0c79e18e

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp brown mustard seeds

2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

580ml (2 1/3 cups) water

1 large brown onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

200g (1 cup) brown lentils

1 300g can lima beans, rinsed, drained

250g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into 1.5cm pieces

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh coriander

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Remove cumin seeds from pan and set aside. Add oil to pan and then mustard seeds. Cook, stirring, until seeds begin to pop. Add ground coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2. Stir in 80ml (1/3 cup) of the water with the cumin seeds, onion, garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until the onion softens.
3. Stir in remaining water and lentils. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in butter beans and pumpkin, and cook, almost covered, for 20 minutes or until lentils and pumpkin are tender and mixture is thick.
4. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper. Stir in coriander. 

Braised Kohlrabi with Tarragon - Untested

https://www.food.com/recipe/elegant-braised-kohlrabi-118199

1 1⁄2 lbs kohlrabi

2 Tbsps butter

1⁄4 cup veg or chicken stock

1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped

salt

black pepper

chopped fresh parsley

1. Trim and peel kohlrabi.
2. Cut kohlrabi either into 1/4 inch disks or strips.
3. Melt butter in a skillet; adjust temperature throughout so butter does not brown.
4. Toss the kohlrabi in the skillet to coat with butter.
5. Sprinkle in tarragon and add the stock.
6. Cover and continue to cook approximately 10-15 minutes, until slightly tender.
7. Uncover and turn the heat up a bit.
8. Cook until the kohlrabi is slightly colored.
9. Add freshly ground pepper and salt.
10. Remove to serving dish.
11. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to taste.

Cold Coffee Brownies - Untested

 https://www.inspiredtaste.net/24412/cocoa-brownies-recipe/#itr-recipe-24412

1 - While it is rare, today I have cold coffee leftovers so I thought I'd see what I cold make with it. I also accidentally bought a bag of cocoa paste, not really knowing what it was, and now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it! I'm supposing that where cocoa powder is used, chocolate paste can as well, assuming that cocoa powder contains no cocoa butter, like the paste.

8 + 2 Tbsps (145 grams) butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process

? gr cocoa paste, finely chopped or grated

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large cold eggs

1/4 cup cold coffee

1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour

2/3 cup (75 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

1. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. (This helps when removing the baked brownies from the pan, once cooled).
2. Add enough water to a medium saucepan so that it is 1 to 2 inches deep. Heat water until barely simmering.
3. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, cocoa paste and salt in a medium heat-safe bowl. Rest the bowl over simmering water (if the bottom of the bowl touches the water, remove a little water). Stir the mixture occasionally until the butter has melted and the mixture is quite warm. Don’t worry if it looks gritty; it will become smooth once you add the eggs and flour.
4. Remove the bowl from heat and set aside for 3 to 5 minutes until it is only warm, not hot. Stir in the vanilla with a spoon, then the cold coffee. Then add the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.
5. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until fully incorporated, then beat with the wooden spoon or spatula for 40 to 50 strokes. (The batter will be thick). Beat vigorously here. You want to see the brownie batter pulling away from the sides of the bowl (if you do not have the strength to do this by hand, use a hand mixer). Stir in nuts, if using. Spread evenly in lined pan.
6. BAKE BROWNIES
7. Bake the brownies for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out with a few moist crumbs. As a visual test, brownies are done when the edges will look dry and the middle still looks slightly underbaked.
8. Some readers have found they need to bake an extra 5 to 10 minutes. Brownies are easy to overbake so keep an eye on the doneness of the brownies and use the visual and toothpick test as your guide.
9. Cool completely then remove from pan. For the cleanest lines when cutting, place into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up. Cut into 16 squares.

Eye of Round Pot Roast - Testing

I've lifted parts of this recipe from Dorothy Hartley's instructions for Neck of Beef in her excellent History of Food in England. The rest are generic instructions for using a slow cooker. As I indicate in my notes for Ms Hartley's recipe, hers is much better suited for a winter heated wood oven, in terms of energy output given how long is would take to bake in a gas or electric oven. I'd be curious to try it in a solar oven, though. I've also adapted the recipe to suit an Eye of Round roast, given how specifically dry and tough it is.

3-4 lbs Eye of Round Roast
2 Tbsps of bacon fat (or beef drippings if you're so lucky)
Cut in matchsticks all of the following or whatever you have on hand, enough for a 2" layer on the bottom and to fill the empty spaces around the roast, sides and top :
- Carrots
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Onions
- Rutabaga
- Fresh beans
- Peas
Salt and pepper
2-3 sprigs thyme
1 Tbsp brandy
Scant 1/4 cup water

1. With about a Tbsp fat, sear all the sides of the beef until brown.
2. Liberally coat the inside of crockpot with more bacon fat.
3. Layer the 2" of veg at the bottom.
4. Set the seared beef in the middle of the pot, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Tuck in the vegetables around the side, along with the thyme sprigs, and cover the beef with the remainder of the veg, until the pot is nicely filled but the lid still fits.
6. Pour in the 1/4 cup of water.
7. Add 1 Tbsp brandy over all.
8. Do not open the pot while it's cooking.
9. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours.
10. NOTE: the veg will come out as mush, so best to plan on a different side and reserve these veg to make Leftover Roast Vegetable Soup.

Pork Liver Pâté - Untested

https://www.strykerfarm.com/pork-liver-pacircteacute.html#/

 1 ½ lb pork liver (about half a liver)
milk
4 Tbsps butter
2 onions (340gr), thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup port or brandy
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp black pepper

1. Remove any connective tissue, the white portions. All that should remain is the richly colored organ tissue. Cut the liver into 1 inch cubes. Place it in a bowl, cover with milk and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. Meanwhile start to caramelize the onions. This might take more than an hour anyway. Add the butter, onions and pinch of salt to a large pan. Take heed of the word “caramelize”, not saute. Cook them on a low heat, slowly. This truly transforms the onions and draws out the natural sugars. Stir them every so often so they brown, but don’t burn. 
3. When the onions are a rich caramel color and have almost disintegrated, add the minced garlic. Let the garlic soften a bit.
4. Pull out the liver, drain the cubes from the milk and add to the onions.
5. Cook the liver until the cubes are firm to the touch and the juices runs clear. Deglaze the pan with a slosh of port or brandy. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor (you might have to do this in batches).
6. Add the port or brandy, my grandmother always preferred port, and the cream. Whip everything to a super fine mousse.
7. For a fabulously creamy and smooth pâté, you’ll need to do one final and seemingly superfluous step. Scoop out the blended mousse into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Using a flexible spatula, push the mousse through the sieve. At first it seems like nothing is happening, but then you notice a strange play-dough like phenomenon happening under the sieve. Eventually you’ll push through all the pâté and have separated any larger bits.
8. Use a butter knife to scrape off the pâté into your jars. I used five 4 oz mason jars.
9. Serve the pâté chilled and spread on crackers. Thinly sliced shallots are a tasty topping.

Spicy Sausage and Kale Pasta for 4 - Testing

I increased this recipe by about 1/4 for a slightly larger group.

15 oz hot Italian sausage

10 oz. kale leaves, massaged and thinly sliced

7 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

3 T olive oil

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

470 gr Rotini pasta (or use your favorite chunky pasta)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan; squeeze sausage out of casings and crumble into the pan, cooking until the sausage is nicely browned. Turn the heat down.
2. Meanwhile, wash and massage the kale and cut into thin slices.
3. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook for about a minute, then add the kale. Cook until the kale is all wilted, stirring constantly to prevent garlic from browning.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, leaving the pan uncovered. This will increase the flavour by concentrating the liquid and further contributing to browning.
4. Now, start the water for the pasta and bring to a boil. The kale needs lots of time to soften while cooking. NOTE: Save 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the sausage/kale mixture, adding as much pasta cooking water as you think you need for it to be moist enough.  Add the Parmesan cheese and serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.

Sweet Braised Rutabaga - Test 3

https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/root08476c19s001r004/honey-braised-rutabagas

1 - Made this as a half-recipe and it turned out quite nicely. It was just enough for 3 people at a half recipe, so a full recipe would likely be suitable for 4-6 people. As in I could have had more, but there was just enough for the 3 of us. 

2 - It's wonderful how this dish continues to surprise people. Made it for a table of 6 and everyone really liked it. Introducing rutabaga to the world!

3 - It continues to amaze.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

3 Tbsps butter

2 lb/910 g rutabagas, ends trimmed, peeled, and cut into ¾-in/2-cm cubes

2 cups/480 ml. chicken stock

3 Tbsps honey

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the pan bottom. 

Add the rutabagas, stock, honey, and salt and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat so the liquid just simmers; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rutabagas are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes.

Uncover the pan, increase the heat to high, and boil the braising liquid, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a syrup consistency and coats the rutabagas, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in the nutmeg and season with pepper.

Caramel Walnut Tart - Test 1

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/walnut-caramel-tart

1 - This was an instant hit. It's best served the next day.

175g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

85g butter , cut into small cubes

50g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

For the filling

200g caster sugar

100g butter , cut into small pieces

200ml whipping or double cream

200g shelled walnut halves

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the flour in a food processor with the butter and sugar, and mix until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp cold water, and pulse to make a firm dough.
2. Have ready a 24cm tart tin. Briefly knead the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then roll out to a round about 5cm larger than your tin. Lift onto the tin with the help of your rolling pin, then press into the corners using your finger. Do not trim the pastry. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking parchment and baking beans. Chill for 10 mins. Blindbake for 10 mins, remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5 mins more.
3. To make the filling, put the sugar in a large pan with 3 tbsp cold water. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved, increase heat and bubble until the syrup has turned a rich caramel colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it has dissolved, then stir in the cream. Return to the heat and boil hard, stirring until the sauce is thick enough to leave a gap on the base of the pan when you draw your spoon across it. Stir in the walnuts.
4. Fill the pastry case with the nut mixture, levelling it with a fork. Return to the oven for 8-10 mins until the filling is bubbling. Cool for 10 mins before removing carefully from the tin. Serve warm or cold. I prefer it served the next day.

Broccoli, Walnut Pasta - Testing

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/broccoli-walnut-and-blue-cheese-pasta 

1 - A very good first try. I felt there was too much lemon juice - I couldn't taste the cheese and it was too acidic for me. Ben noted the creaminess of the cheese, and also couldn't taste it, but didn't find there was too much lemon. Next time, I will use less lemon.

200g penne pasta

250g broccoli florets

2 tbsp olive oil

handful chopped walnuts

100g blue cheese , such as dolcelatte, cubed

1 1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Cook penne; 4 mins before the end of cooking, throw in broccoli florets. 
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil, add a handful chopped walnuts and fry gently for 1 min.
3. Drain the pasta, adding 4 Tbsps cooking water to the walnuts. 
4. Return the pasta to the pan, add the walnuts and creamy blue cheese. Gently stir on the heat, just to melt the cheese. 
5. Squeeze over lemon juice to serve.

Apple Walnut Bake - Testing

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/walnut-apple-dessert/

1 - Very good, but I'm going to try it in a smaller baking dish for a thicker experience of the apple. Just from a 9x13" to a gratin dish to start.

8 cups sliced peeled apples (about 6 medium or 700 gr)

2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided

1. Place apples in a greased 13x9-in. gratin baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. 
2. In a bowl, cream butter and remaining brown sugar. Beat in eggs. 
3. Stir in flour and 1/2 cup walnuts. Spread over apples. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
4. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until the apples are tender. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

Yellow Turnip (definition)

Yellow Turnip is another name for rutabaga or swede.

Swede (definition)

Swedes are another name for rutabaga or yellow turnip.

Angel Food Cupcakes - Untested

https://bakingmischief.com/small-batch-angel-food-cupcakes/

2+3 Tbsps sugar divided

3 Tbsps (21g) cake flour

Pinch of salt

2 large egg whites at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp warm water

1/8 tsp vanilla extract or a couple drops of almond extract

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Serve With

Whipped cream

Strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with 6 liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the flour, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar, egg whites, water, vanilla, and cream of tartar and whisk until foamy. With a handheld electric mixer, beat on high until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes--eggs should be white and glossy, and when the beaters are lifted straight up, peaks should stand on their own and curl over at the tip.
4. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the top of the egg whites and use a silicone spatula to fold flour into the egg mixture until just incorporated. Repeat twice more, being careful not to overmix and deflate the eggs.
5. Fill your prepared cupcake cups about 80% of the way full and smooth tops (discard any extra). Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until cupcakes have pulled away from the edges of the cupcake pan, are very lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
6. Cupcakes can cool in the pan. If desired, once cooled, pipe a circle of whipped cream around the top of the cooled cupcake and fill with chopped fruit. Enjoy!
7. Notes
8. Approximate nutritional information is for cupcakes only. Does not include whipped cream or fruit. The cupcakes in the photos used about 2/3 cup whipped cream total and come in at just under 90 calories a piece.Preheat your oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with 6 liners.
9. Into a medium bowl, sift together 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the flour, and salt.
10. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar, egg whites, water, vanilla, and cream of tartar and whisk until foamy. With a handheld electric mixer, beat on high until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes--eggs should be white and glossy, and when the beaters are lifted straight up, peaks should stand on their own and curl over at the tip.
11. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the top of the egg whites and use a silicone spatula to fold flour into the egg mixture until just incorporated. Repeat twice more, being careful not to overmix and deflate the eggs.
12. Fill your prepared cupcake cups about 80% of the way full and smooth tops (discard any extra). Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until cupcakes have pulled away from the edges of the cupcake pan, are very lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
13. Cupcakes can cool in the pan. If desired, once cooled, pipe a circle of whipped cream around the top of the cooled cupcake and fill with chopped fruit. Enjoy!
14. Notes
15. Approximate nutritional information is for cupcakes only. Does not include whipped cream or fruit. The cupcakes in the photos used about 2/3 cup whipped cream total and come in at just under 90 calories a piece.

La courge au gratin - Testing

from French Country Cooking by Elizabeth David, pg161

1 - Reasonably successful on the first try. The only thing I'd like to do is standardize the amount of salt, since I didn't put in enough. In such a dish, how the heck do I know how much is enough salt before it's baked?

2 - I made it again, and decided to add a couple extra egg whites, if only because whisking a single egg white to stiff peaks seems like so much effort for so little! It made a more souffle like thing, but quite good nonetheless. The thing is the moisture from the pumpkin - next time I'll try squeezing out extra liquid since this time there was a small amount of liquid soaking the bottom. Not horrible, but I want to see if it would be better with less of it.

1lb pumpkin

1oz butter + more for the topping

1/2 cup milk

1 egg + 1 egg, separated + 2 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt  

Pepper, to taste

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1. In slightly salted water boil the pumpkin. Press the flesh through a sieve to remove the skin and make smooth. Drain off any excess liquid (maybe even squeeze some out?)
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the pumpkin flesh and mix together.
4. Beat in the milk the first egg, the extra egg yolk and season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. (The last time I made this it was really quite liquid. The egg whites incorporated well when I folded them in, regardless).
5. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and gently fold into the pumpkin concoction.
6. Pour into a gratin dish, dot the surface with butter, and pop in the oven until the top starts to brown, about 20 minutes.

Pork Pot Roast with Apples and Rutabaga - Testing

https://prepdish.com/recipes/one-pot-roasted-pork-with-apples-rutabaga/

1 - Oh my god such a headache! No, the recipe does not work if following the instructions. It takes at least double the time to cook the meat, and at least triple to cook the rutabaga. And to think, it was just to figure out how to use up the pork chops! I have no idea what I want to do with this, so I'm just leaving it for now.

770g/27oz rutabaga, peeled and 1" dice (OR sub radishes or potatoes)

2 medium apples, 1" slice (330 grams)

4 Tbsps lemon juice (or 2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar + 2 Tbsps water)

3 Tbsps butter (OR sub olive oil)

1 popcorn kernel

1 lb boneless pork chops 

2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar

½ tsp dried rosemary

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Sprinkle rutabaga and apples with lemon juice to prevent oxidization.
3. In an oven safe skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter.
4. Meanwhile season the pork chops with the salt and pepper.
5. Set the popcorn kernel in the oil; when it pops, remove it and sear the pork chops.
6. Sear the chops for 1-2 minutes per side.
7. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan dump the cubed rutabaga on top. Season again with salt and pepper.
8. Top with apples and the rosemary.
9. Cook, covered for, 30 mins. Remove cover and cook for an additional 15 mins.

SUBSTITUTIONS

BUTTERMILK

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/buttermilk-substitutes#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2

To make 1 cup of buttermilk substitute, add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add milk to the 1-cup line (237 ml) and stir. 

LEMON JUICE

- Apple cider vinegar : In baking, half the amount of lemon juice topped with water. Ex: 2 Tbsp lemon juice = 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar + 1 Tbsp water.

VEAL

https://myconsciouseating.com/veal-substitute/

https://missvickie.com/veal-substitute/

https://richardpantry.com/veal-substitute/

- Pork loin

- Pork belly

- Pork loin chops

- Pork sirloin

- Pork sirloin chops

* Pork shoulder chops and pork rib chops are relatively tougher than veal

For Ground Veal, a 50:50 ratio of ground pork to beef.

LAMB

- shoulder = Pork shoulder (picnic) or Pork leg roasts

Fresh tomato sauce on Pasta - Testing

https://cookieandkate.com/spaghetti-with-fresh-tomato-sauce/

1 - I have made this twice now, and have discovered that fresh basil is a must. It is very simple, very light, and very much full of flavor. Of course, as with all things, the quality of the ingredients makes a big difference, so use tomatoes from the garden ripened to their peak.

1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar, optional
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 very small garlic clove (or ½ medium clove), pressed or minced
8oz spaghetti or angel-hair pasta or rotini/fusilli or penne
Optional but recommended: ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1. Core and coarsely chop two-thirds of the tomatoes. Halve the remaining tomatoes down the middle and discard the tough top part where the tomatoes met the stem, if it exists. Rub the cut sides of the tomatoes against the large holes of a box grater set in a large bowl. Leave the tomato pulp in the bowl and discard the skin.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, several twists of freshly ground black pepper and the pressed garlic to the bowl. Mix well. Let the mixture marinate while you cook the pasta.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and then cook the pasta just until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
4. Drain the pasta, then immediately return it to the pot. Pour in all of the tomato sauce and a small splash (about ¼ cup) of the pasta cooking water. Cook over medium-low heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, tossing often (gentle now!), just long enough for the tomatoes to soften a bit and for the starchy tomato water to coat the pasta.
5. Remove from heat and toss with (optional) Parmesan and (mandatory) basil. Serve immediately.

Spice Pairings

 There tend to be cultural norms in terms of herb and spice pairings for foods. I've started the following list of  potential substitutes to play with.

APPLES

1. ANISE

Sweet

2. CARAWAY

Savory

3. CARDAMOM

Sweet

4. CHINESE FIVE SPICE

Savory and sweet

5. CINNAMON

Sweet (enhancer)

6. CLOVES

Sweet

7. CORIANDER

Sweet and Savory

8. GINGER

Sweet

9. LAVENDER

Sweet

10. MINT

Sweet

11. NUTMEG

Sweet

12. ROSEMARY

Savory

13. SAGE

Savory (maybe sweet?)

14. VANILLA

Sweet

15. Poudre Douce

Sweet

Soul Cakes - Untested

https://www.facebook.com/pariogallico/posts/2425831351054595

ALSO, if Frankensteining might contribute, look at:

https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2011/10/soul-cakes-original-halloween-treat.html

https://culture-crunch.com/2020/10/15/gateau-dames-soul-cakes-de-la-toussaint/

250gr plain wheat flour
100gr sugar (or less!) 
210gr unsalted butter
2+ Tbsp sherry or brandy
1/3 tsp Mace
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp (or less) Cloves
About 5gr fresh or "ready" yeast (ale yeast or ale barm if you have is even better!)

OR 1.65gr dry active yeast
Good handful of dried chopped fruits (raisins here, but use prunes as a cheaper alternative) 

1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast and spices together.
2. Rub in the butter first, then the lard.
3. Add the brandy and mix it all til you reach a dry / shortbread dough consistency that comes together. If too dry and crumbly, add lard, butter... or brandy! Too soft, add flour.
4. Form biscuits about 5mm-1cm // 1/4", trace a cross on them like a hot cross bun (apparently traditional but not mentioned in the original recipe) and bake them in the oven at 180c (fan) for about 20-30mins or until golden.

Enjoy! 
P.S: warm soul cakes dipped in hot milk or tea-like beverage is DECADENT. Try it! 

Seed Cake - Testing

https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/2019/03/12/seed-cake-recipe-thomas-tusser/?fbclid=IwAR19psqYjJQUs5pBLYJ7fR6AJW5wfxAt4fyahsVBqkFR0Sq87qGh_IUy-EI

https://goodcheapeats.com/bilbos-seed-cakes/

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/dessert-cake/victorian-seed-cake.html

1- I have made this using the Shakespeare and Beyond recipe, but it was perhaps a bit dense. While I appreciate using egg white as the leavening agent, the dough to incorporate into it is perhaps too stiff to prevent bursting too many of the little air bubbles in the whites. I shall try some of the other versions that don't require egg whites. 

1 cup flour

7 tsps caraway seeds

1⁄2 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp mace

(optional - 1⁄4 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon)

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) butter room temperature (8T)

1 tsp rosewater or vanilla essence

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 whole egg 

2 egg whites

1 Tbsp sherry

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F with the grill in the middle of the oven. 
2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment (or prepare some greased muffin tins for individual servings). 
3. Stir together flour, caraway seeds, salt, and mace. Set aside. 
4. In a large bowl, cream butter, rosewater, and sugar, either by hand or with a mixer. 
5. Stir in the whole egg and sherry, then add the flour and spice mixture. Set aside. 
6. Using a mixer, whisk the egg whites until you get to the stiff peaks stage. 
7. Very gently fold the whites into the cake batter - it's ok if the batter looks clumpy. 
8. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and put the pan on a baking sheet to go in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes until golden and set in the middle (25-30 minutes if baking in muffin tins). A cake tester will come out clean when it is completely cooked.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the springform pan.

Pico de Gallo salsa - Test 1

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_tomato_salsa/

 
2 to 3 medium fresh tomatoes (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), stems removed
1/2 medium onion
2 serrano or 1 jalapeño pepper, stems, ribs, and seeds removed (less or more to taste) (can substitute with 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch dried oregano (crumble in your fingers before adding), or more to taste
1 pinch ground cumin, or more to taste

1. Roughly chop the tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions. Be careful while handling the chili peppers. Use a plastic baggie or disposable gloves to handle them, or wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours.
2. Set aside some of the seeds from the peppers. If the salsa isn't hot enough, you can add a few for more heat.

Phyllo dough - Untested

 https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/easy-homemade-phyllo-recipe-beginners/

Duck confit - Untested

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/confit_de_canard_aux_68185

https://www.marieclaire.fr/cuisine/magrets-confits,24126,1192214.asp

https://www.cuisineactuelle.fr/recettes/magret-de-canard-confit-193746

https://www.magret-canard.com/magret-confit

https://www.toques2cuisine.com/2013/11/magrets-de-canard-confits.html

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/recettes/6785-cuisses-de-canard-confites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz-QDklgQ0I

Flour Tortillas - PUBLISHED

https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/homemade-tortillas/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/157642/homemade-flour-tortillas/

https://mexicanfoodjournal.com/whole-wheat-tortillas/

https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-whole-wheat-tortillas/

1 - This seems to be working just fine!

2 - Really very good. I do wonder about yeast or sourdough, but I don't mind the baking powder. Rolling them out a bit larger, 7 to 8" instead of 6 to 7" seems better.

3 - Yes, 7-8" is indeed better.

4 - Recipe is easily halved.

5 - Trying to cook half and refrigerate the other half.

3⅓ cups (460g?) white flour (internet says 1 cup flour = 130g)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
⅓ cup neutral vegetable oil or lard
Up to 1 cup warm water

1. Combine the dry ingredients, then make a well in the center and add the oil and up to ¾ of the water. Stir well until all dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough begins to come together to form a shaggy ball. Add some more water if it seems like it isn't sticking together.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes or until the dough is nice and smooth. 
3. Divide into 16 equal portions (about 50gr) and form each piece into a ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes (or as much as 2 hours).
4. When ready to cook the dough, heat a large pan over medium heat. 
5. On a floured surface roll each dough piece into a rough circle, about 7 to 8" inches in diameter (don’t stack uncooked tortillas on top of each other or they will stick together).
6. When the pan is hot, place one dough circle into the pan and allow to cook 45 seconds to 1 minute or until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. If browning too fast, reduce the heat a bit. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few pale golden brown spots on the underside of tortillas, increase the heat a bit. Flip to other side and cook for 15-20 seconds. The tortillas should be nice and soft but have a few small brown spots on the surface. 
7. Remove from pan with tongs and stack in a covered container or zippered bag to keep the tortillas soft. 

Skirlie - PUBLISHED

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/skirlie-recipe
https://hamlynsoats.co.uk/recipes/skirlie/
https://www.food.com/recipe/skirlie-scottish-oatmeal-and-onions-17654

1 - This is a squirrelly recipe. Most often I've seen it as a toasted, parched grain with onion recipe, but once it's been parched it can then be turned into white sausage or stuffing or dumplings. I've only toasted it with very good (if over-toasted) results, and I'm keeping it at 'testing' until I try applying these other forms. Generally, it appears to be a roughly 2-to-1 ratio of ingredients.

2 - Completely beguiling over Rumpledethumps!

3 - As a topping, this is the recipe! Now I'd like to test the pudding and stuffing options.

2 oz butter (or bacon fat or beef suet)

1 onion, finely chopped

4 oz pinhead (synonyms: medium or steel cut) oats 

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Pepper, to taste

1. Melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion until lightly browned.
2. Add the oatmeal and stir slowly until all the fat is absorbed; the onion should become dark and just crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

FOR PUDDING and STUFFING:

After adding the oatmeal, cook for 5 minutes then add 2-4oz chicken stock, then keep stirring for about 8 minutes, until the oatmeal is cooked but still retains some bite.

Pudding - press together and roll into logs. Cut into rounds. Heat up? Eat cold? Fry up?

Stuffing - Serve immediately, hot, the way bread stuffing is served when not baked in the bird.

Tarte mousseline aux mûres - Untested

https://www.cuisineaz.com/recettes/tarte-mousseline-aux-mures-6643.aspx

300 g de mûres

400 g de pâte sablée

35 cl de lait

1 œuf

2 jaunes d'œuf

100 g de sucre

100 g de beurre

4 cl de kirsch

2 c. à soupe de farine

4 c. à soupe de sucre glace

le jus d'un citron

1. Préchauffez le four th.7 (210°C).
2. Mettez les mûres dans une jatte, arrosez-les de jus de citron et d’une cuillère à soupe rase de sucre. Mélangez et laissez au frais.
3. Etalez la pâte sur un plan de travail fariné. Garnissez-en un moule à tarte beurré et piquez la pâte avec une fourchette. Enfournez et faites cuire le fond de tarte 15 min.
4. Portez le lait à ébullition.
5. Pendant ce temps, fouettez l’oeuf et les jaunes avec le sucre jusqu’à obtention d’un mélange mousseux. Ajoutez la farine puis une louche de lait bouillant, en fouettant toujours.
6. Reversez le tout dans la casserole de lait et faites cuire à feu doux 5 min en maintenant un léger bouillonnement et en mélangeant. Retirez du feu, versez la crème dans une jatte et ajoutez le beurre en parcelles et le kirsch. Mélangez bien et laissez refroidir.
7. Versez la crème refroidie dans le fond de tarte, disposez les mûres en les enfonçant légèrement et saupoudrez de sucre glace.
8. Servez aussitôt.

Tarte aux mûres sauvages - Untested

 https://cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fr/recette/338090-tarte-aux-mures-sauvages

1 Pâte feuilletée ou brisée ou sablée

1 bol Mûres fraichement cueillie (600gr?)

2 Oeufs

(3/4 cups) 20 cl Crème fraîche

1 tsp vanilla

3 c à s Sucre

1. Étaler la pâte sur le moule et piquer le fond pour éviter les "cloques".
2. Mélanger les deux œufs avec la crème, le sachet de sucre vanillé et les 3 cuillères de sucre.
3. Mettre les mures sur la pâte à tarte puis verser le mélange œufs-crème-sucre par dessus les mûres.
4. Cuire 20 minutes à 220°C (therm.7-8) dans un four préalablement préchauffé.

Blackberry bundt - Testing

https://tideandthyme.com/blackberry-yogurt-cake/

https://www.seriouseats.com/blackberry-sour-cream-bundt

1 - The yogurt/buttermilk alteration worked just fine. Once again though, the frozen blackberries caused for the cake to take nearly double the time to bake.

2 - This just takes so much longer than an hour to bake. And using a toothpick doesn't work to test its done-ness, the cake is too deep. I need a skewer.

2 3/4 cups (14.8oz/420g) plus 1 Tbsp.

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup (210g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs (228g egg white?)

2 tsps. vanilla extract

2 Tbsps. lemon juice from one lemon

2 tsps. lemon zest from one lemon

8 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1/3 2/3 cup buttermilk

10 ounces fresh blackberries

1. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your bundt pan and set aside.
2. Set aside 1/4 cup (35g) flour. 
3. In a large bowl whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the eggs, scrape down the sides and beat again. 
6. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and zest, mixing until fully incorporated. 
7. Mix in the flour mixture. 
8. Fold in the blackberries and transfer the batter to the bundt pan.
9. Bake for 105 minutes (will take much longer with frozen fruit) or until the cake is golden brown, springy to the touch, and a skewer (to poke in deep) comes out clean. 
10. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Warm apple buttermilk custard pie - Untested

 https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/warm-apple-buttermilk-custard-pie-0

Streusel:

⅓ cup all purpose flour

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 ½ tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:

5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 ¾ cups fat-free buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
3. To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
4. To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cookig spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, sitrring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
5. Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

St. Hildegard’s von Bingen's Cookies of Joy - Untested

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/medieval-cookie-recipe?fbclid=IwAR0Rl6UZQHqDaxAPBrZIJmIk5Co0eu0yEF8seayhmYHLChXxqbnxYvr8f1I

3/4 Tbsps butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup raw honey

4 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups spelt flour (you can usually find it in the baking aisle or the gluten-free aisle)

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1. Melt the butter, then add it to a medium bowl with the sugar, honey, and egg yolks. Beat gently, then fold in the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate the dough for an hour.
2. Flour a surface and then roll out the cookie dough until about a 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into small circles using a cookie cutter or an upturned glass.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, or until a golden-brown. Let cool, then enjoy.

Radicchio recipes to check out

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/rainbow-chard-and-radicchio-saute-362533

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-lettuces-with-creme-fraiche-and-avocado-51242230

I thought I could use this recipe as a base and change it to my liking (ie no avocado)

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-spicy-sausage-radicchio-and-sun-dried-tomatoes

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/seared-sweet-potatoes-with-sausage-and-radicchio-51260650

Same here. Can I replace the sweet potato with something else? Squash, maybe?

https://food52.com/recipes/25692-olive-oil-poached-eggs-with-italian-chicories-and-speck

https://food52.com/recipes/75741-torta-di-radicchio-radicchio-cake-with-white-chocolate-glaze

This is just weird, which is enough for me!

https://food52.com/recipes/26877-bagna-cauda-toasts-with-radicchio-egg-and-avocado

https://food52.com/recipes/24332-charred-radicchio-wedge-salad

https://sabrinacurrie.com/recipe/what-to-do-with-radicchio-and-recipes-to-use-it/

The second recipe.

Kohlrabi Linguini - Test 1

https://www.falklandkitchenfarm.co.uk/recipes2/2020/5/28/sicilian-kohlrabi-linguine-with-thyme-white-wine-and-creme-fraiche

1 - This was delicious. If anything, I was too stingy with the amount of leaves I put in. No, I tell a lie. I put in 12 oz of pasta because the original recipe didn't specify how much and I was cooking for 3 eaters. With 8oz of pasta, the quantity of kohlrabi would have been perfect. Oh, and I used whipping cream instead of creme fraiche which worked just fine.

2 - 2021-12-04 I made the mistake of substituting the creme fraiche with half&half. And I was in a hurry, so the wine didn't reduce enough and the cream curdled and the kohlrabi was over done. Not really a carefully executed test. 

3 - 2022-10-29 Ronnie made this last night and realized my testing system works! I've made several changes to the recipe to make things more clear. The onions are now not put in to 'sweat' but to cook on low temperature to avoid browning, but until they are soft. And the kohlrabi leaves, instead of putting them in for the last 4 minutes of cooking the pasta, are put in along with the pasta.

4 - The original recipe was enough for 2 people, 3 for a light meal. I've been doubling it, but I often screw up the quantities because I just forget to make the change. So I'm increasing the quantities outright for 4 people, therefore from 8oz of pasta to 1lb.

400gr of kohlrabi bulb, keep the leaves  

1 Tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling

1 onion, finely chopped

5-6 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsps picked thyme leaves

1 1/2 cup white wine

1 1/3 cup crème fraiche (see Note)

16 oz linguine

Parmesan shavings to garnish

Salt and black pepper

1. Remove the kohlrabi leaves and set aside. Peel the bulb using a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin and chop into a 1/4" cubes. 
2. For the leaves, remove the tough stems and slice the leaves thin like fettucine noodles.
3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium low heat. At this temperature, slowly cook the onions, garlic and most of the thyme (leaving a few sprigs for garnish) until perfectly soft. Keep the temperature low and stir frequently to avoid browning - this will take a while.
4. Meanwhile fill the pot you'll use to cook the pasta with salted water and bring to the boil. 
5. Add the diced kohlrabi to the boiling water and blanche for 3 minutes. Save the water to cook the pasta, and remove the kohlrabi using a slotted spoon.
6. Once the onions have softened nicely, add the blanched kohlrabi to the sauté pan. 
7. Add the white wine, bring to a simmer and cook until it achieves a syrupy consistency. Remove the pan for the heat, wait one minute then add the crème fraiche. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
8. Cook the pasta and the kohlrabi leaves for about 9 minutes. Once cooked, drain and add the pasta to the sauce and toss together well to coat the noodles.
9. Serve the pasta in a bowl, topped with the kohlrabi leaves, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and some parmesan shavings. Drizzle with olive oil.

NOTE: While crème fraiche is preferable, you can substitute with heavy (whipping) cream, Table (18%) cream or even with plain yogurt (avoid fat free yogurt like the plague!).

Penne with Radicchio, Spinach, and Bacon - Testing

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/penne-with-radicchio-spinach-and-bacon-241093

1 - Ok, so not with radicchio. Ben had a hard time eating this because of the bitterness of the radicchio. Perhaps better suited for someone else. I feel, however, that it's an interesting version of the Arugula Pasta, so I'd like to try it again but with another green. 

1 whole head of garlic (with about 12 to 14 cloves)

1+1 Tbsps olive oil, divided

1 lb penne

8 oz bacon (about 8 slices), cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 cup low-salt chicken broth

6 cups (packed) SOME OTHER GREENS coarsely torn Treviso, Chioggia, or Tardivo radicchio leaves (from about 2 medium heads)

3 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves, torn in half (about 10 ounces) CHARD?!?

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, torn in half (about 10 ounces)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut off top 1/2 inch of garlic head, exposing cloves. Place garlic head, cut side up, on sheet of foil and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Wrap garlic in foil. Roast until garlic is soft, about 40 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze garlic into small bowl.
2. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook bacon strips and chopped onion in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add chicken broth, remaining 5 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, and roasted garlic. Bring mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally. Add radicchio, spinach, and basil and stir to combine. Simmer just until radicchio and spinach wilt, about 1 minute.
3. Drain pasta and return to same pot. Add radicchio-spinach mixture to pasta. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper; toss to coat. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper and serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

Ensalada de col (Mexican spiced coleslaw) - PUBLISHED

https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/mexican-cabbage-slaw-with-cumin-lime-dressing/

1 - Made it for a group and it was very much appreciated. Accompanied pork carnitas on fresh corn tortillas with salsa.

2 - Converting things from cups to mass where I can.

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ of a small onion (2oz/62g) chopped, preferably red

½ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsps lime juice, about one lime

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups (400gr) shredded cabbage (can be a mix of different brassicas, shredded)

1. Put everything except for the cabbage in a mason jar and shake like a cocktail. The succussion will emulsify the ingredients very quickly. Allow the dressing to sit while prepping the rest of the salad so that the flavors can combine. 
2. Combine dressing with the cabbage and serve. You can also do this the day before and allow for the cabbage to wilt a little in the dressing.

Apple Cinnamon Bread - PUBLISHED

https://lamouffettegourmande.blogspot.com/2015/12/pumpkin-bread.html

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/cinnamon-swirl-apple-bread.html

1 - I'm combining my pumpkin bread recipe with apple instead. I'm hoping it's an easy transfer of ingredients to just throw in some sort of vegetable matter to make a bread.

2021-10-19 My experiment worked, it made a nice loaf, and I judged it rather harshly because it isn't as rich in flavour as the pumpkin bread. I must say the brown sugar thing made it more complicated than it needed to be. I will look to my other recipes with streusel and try that instead, and just for the topping. Oh, and the whole baked apple thing might be easily replaced by apple sauce, perhaps drained?

2 - This has change a whole lot. The streusel is on top now, and that seems to work just fine, thank you very much. 

1½ cups apple sauce, drained in a sieve of extra moisture before measuring

¼ cup melted butter 

½ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 + ½ tsp ground cinnamon (maybe try coriander?)

1½ cups flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cloves

STREUSEL TOPPING

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed Brown Sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1½ Tbsps. butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Sieve any extra moisture from the apple sauce before measuring the 1½ cup.
3. Melt the butter and whisk into the apple sauce
4. Add the sugars and then whisk in the eggs.
5. Without stirring, add the flour, cinnamon. salt, baking soda and cloves.
6. With a wooden spoon mix the batter just until combined.
7. Grease a bread pan with butter and pour in the batter.
8. In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar and and cinnamon until evenly combined. Rub in the butter.
9. Sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter.
10. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Fatsup with Kohlrabi - Test 1

https://www.everydayhealthyrecipes.com/polish-kohlrabi-soup-zupa-z-kalarepy/#recipe

1 - I added bacon. The soup as written makes for a good base, but doesn't really stand out. With the rendered lardons, the added fat and umami make the flavour of the soup.

2 - I decided to name this for the famous Uberwaldean national dish. The bacon completely transforms this dish, and then there's butter added, so the new name is perfectly suitable! I didn't have fresh dill and added some dried dill weed instead, which was fine, but I'd really like to try it with the fresh stuff. I have not yet tried it with sour cream).

3 - Again very good, but Ben felt it had too much of a brassica tang and tried some soy sauce which seemed to work. I don't want to use soy sauce too much in my European cooking, so I would like to try something else that contains a lot of umami, such as mushrooms. What I propose is to soak shiitake mushrooms and use the broth as well as the mushroom, to see if the chewiness of the mushroom would work with the soup.

1-3 oz dried shiitake mushrooms

4 oz bacon cut into lardons

1 kohlrabi (150gr) peeled, cubed, leaves finely chopped

6oz/170g onion (1 medium) finely chopped

2oz/60g carrot (1 medium) peeled, cubed

7oz/200g potato (1 medium) peeled, cubed

1 Tbsp oil 

1L vegetable stock (just over 4 cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsps parsley, finely chopped 

2 Tbsps dill, finely chopped

1 Tbsp butter 

1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 500mL of boiling water for 20-30 minutes. Reserve the liquid! When easy to handle, cube the mushroom caps finely.
2. In a soup pot, over medium-low heat render the lardons until browned and crisped. 
3. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.  Add the rest of the vegetables along with the parsley and cook for a few minutes stirring often, until they just start to soften.
4. Top up the shiitake liquor with water to get 500mL. Add another 500mL of vegetable stock, pepper to taste, stir, cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the chopped dill and cook for 3 more minutes. 
6. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed, stir in a tablespoon of butter in each bowl and serve (either as it is or with a dollop of yogurt/sour cream).

Hungarian Kohlrabi Soup - Untested

https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2011/01/09/hungarian-kohlrabi-soup-kalarabeleves/

1 Tbsp butter or veg oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or veg broth to make it vegetarian)

1 cup water

1 pound kohlrabi with leaves

1 sweet potato

1 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper

1. Saute the onion in large skillet with 1 Tbsp butter for 1 minute. Add garlic and carrots. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and continue to cook covered for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a big saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, boil a small pan of water. Trim, peel, and dice the kohlrabi. Peel and dice the sweet potato. Wash the kohlrabi leaves then boil for 1 minute. Drain, cool, and chop. Set aside.
3. Once the broth is pureed, add the remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, water, kohlrabi, and sweet potato. Cook until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in some hot soup. Whisk mixture together then pour back into the rest of the soup. Cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Add kohlrabi leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

German Kohlrabi Soup with Potatoes - Test 1

https://whereismyspoon.co/creamy-kohlrabi-soup-with-potatoes-german-kohlrabi-recipe/

1 - Makes a delicious soup with gentle flavours. The red chilli flakes do little more than make the soupl look nice, so next time I'm going to try applying cayenne or paprika to see.

700 g/ 1.5 lbs kohlrabi (about 2-3 depending on size)
500 g/ 1.1 lbs potatoes (floury or all-purpose potatoes)
1 medium onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
750 ml/ 25.3 fl.oz/ 3 ¼ cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 heaped Tbsps Crème fraîche
Juice from 1 lemon (2 Tbsps or to taste)
1 tsp sugar (?)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Salt and Black pepper, to taste
Small bunch of parsley
Optional: Pinch of cayenne/paprika/smoked paprika red chili flakes

Optional: Pinch of nigella seeds

1. Remove the stems and the leaves of the kohlrabi. Keep the leaves separated as they will be only added to the soup towards the end of the cooking process.
2. Place the kohlrabi bulb on a cutting board and slice off the top and bottom, removing the small woody part at the bottom of the kohlrabi bulb as well. Peel the skin with a knife or vegetable peeler the way you would peel an apple. Discard the skin. Cut the kohlrabi bulb and the stems into cubes.
3. Peel and cube the potatoes as well. Finely chop the onion.
4. Heat the oil in a soup pan and cook the onion for about 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Add the cubed vegetables and cook for about another 4 minutes, stirring a few times in between.
5. Add the vegetable or chicken stock, bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer the kohlrabi soup for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the chopped kohlrabi leaves during the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.
6. Add the cream cheese to the soup and blend the soup with an immersion blender. Reheat the soup gently without bringing it to a boil again.
7. Add salt, pepper, sugar, nutmeg, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste again and adjust the taste with more lemon juice and more spices.
8. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and maybe some red chili flakes and nigella seeds.

Sicilian Kohlrabi Pasta - Untested

https://allthingssicilianandmore.com/kohlrabi-with-pasta-causunnedda/

https://allthingssicilianandmore.com/a-wet-pasta-dish-with-kohlrabi/

Clean the greens and separate them into manageable pieces; peel the kohlrabi root and cut into bite sized pieces.

Boil them in salted water (add strips of fresh pork rind if you wish or, hey, how about parmesan rind instead?). The water will be used as the broth to cook the pasta so calculate the amount of liquid carefully. When the vegetables are soft, drain them, but save the water and the rind. Cook the pasta in the water. Return the vegetable to the water and the pasta. Add chopped chilli or chilli flakes. Now for one of the most important parts: dribble with your finest extra virgin olive oil and serve. It should resemble a wet pasta.

Grated pecorino is placed on the table as an option.

The Ragusani also cook the causunnedda with dried  borlotti beans in winter and with fresh borlotti beans when in season.I n spring fresh broad beans are used.

Fresh cherry tomato pasta - Test 3

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-15-minute-burst-cherry-tomato-sauce-56390060

https://www.marthastewart.com/904229/pasta-fresh-tomato-sauce

1 - An instant hit. We tried it cold as well, but all the subtlety of flavour disappeared. Having such a flavourful tomato such as Jaune Flamme definitely contributed, so the quality of the ingredient is important.

2 - Simple, light, quick and tasty. A winner.

3 - Upgraded it to Test 3 but with a caveat. It's October, I've used some of the last of the tomatoes, and I can taste the difference. We grew Jaune Flamme which are very sweet, so this is what I made the sauce with all summer. But tomatoes need heat to get their full flavor, and these are late so not very sweet with slightly tougher skins. Key to making this an excellent dish, since it is so simple and really showcases the flavor of the tomato, is to use cherry tomatoes at the height of their season.

1 pound pasta

Salt

½ cup olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

30oz cherry tomatoes (at the peak of their season)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Freshly grated Parmesan (for serving)

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain and set aside until the sauce is ready.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" skillet or wide heavy saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic, allow to just start to soften, then add the tomatoes, pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and release their juices to form a sauce, 6–8 minutes.
3. Place the pasta on a large serving plate and pour the sauce on top to serve, with Parmesan in a bowl to sprinkle on top.

English Pickled Beets - Untested

https://www.food.com/recipe/english-style-pickled-beets-by-the-jar-127008

https://bellyfull.net/how-to-make-roasted-beets/

 
As many red beets as you need, of similar size, left whole

1 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

8 allspice

650 ml malt vinegar

2 bay leaves

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp horseradish

PER PINT JAR (500 ML JAR)
1⁄2 tsp pickling salt

Preheat oven to 400F with rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Trim leaves from beets leaving about 2 inch stem stubs on beets. Scrub beets thoroughly. Leave long tap root attached.

Wrap the beets loosely with foil (no need to dry them first) and transfer them to the baking sheet.

Roast until you can easily slide a skewer to the center of a beet without any resistance, about 1 hour for medium sized beets. If your beets are really small they will cook faster; start checking after 30 minutes. 

Take out of the oven and let cool till easy to handle. Slip off skins and trim off tops and long tap roots. Small beets may be left whole for packing into jars. Large beets can be cut into chunks.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan lightly dry-roast the peppercorns, coriander and allspice on low heat, or until they become fragrant.

Add the malt vinegar, bay leaves and brown sugar and horseradish to the saucepan and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins.
Into the bottom of each pint jar place 1⁄2 tsp pickling salt. Pack the beets into the jars. Fill the jars with hot malt vinegar to within 1/2 to 3/4 inch from jar top. Wipe rims of jars and seal with lids.

Process in a boiling water bath according to the canner manufacturer's instructions. Set the jars in a draft free place to cool. Check seals before storing. Store for at least 1 month before using to allow the flavors to develop.

Morning Pak Choy Eggs - Test 1

https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/155148-speedy-side-dish-bok-choy-and-egg-stir-fry-with-ginger

1 - This was quite nice. Served over Indian Rice. However, the serving suggestions are totally wrong. SUPER quick to make.

2 - Had it with bread instead of rice. It was fine, but rice is better.

Per Person

Savoury Rice

2 bok choy

2 eggs

1/2 inch fresh ginger, cut into small julienne strips

2 tbsp + chicken stock

1 salt to taste

1 pepper to taste

Mild vegetable oil

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

1. Wash the bok choy well, and slice into 1/2" strips, including stems.
2. Beat the eggs, add a small amount of salt, pour into a frying pan with heated oil, and stir. Remove from the pan while they are still halfway cooked.
3. Add a little bit more oil into the same pan to fry the ginger. When fragrant, add the bok choy, and stir-fry over medium heat.
4. When the boy choy is coated with the oil, add the chicken stock, cover with a lid, and steam-fry for about 1 minute.
5. Remove the lid. Return the eggs to the pan and mix quickly. Taste it and adjust the flavour with salt and pepper. Plate over rice and drizzle with the sesame oil if you like.

Pac Choy and Potato Hash - Testing

https://www.seriouseats.com/spicy-potato-bok-choy-and-shallot-hash-hangover-helper-recipe

1 - It was good but steamed. I want to look at other pan-fried potato recipes I have where it browns. Although the steamed stuff was good, I wonder about the difference of having crisp potatoes with charred bok choy. 

Per serving

1 small onion, finely chopped (4oz/115g)

2 Tbsps + 1 tsp mild oil

1/2 pound (about 2 medium) potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters then sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 pound baby bok choy, roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 finely sliced serrano or Thai bird chili

1 tsp hot sauce, or more to taste

Salt and ground black pepper

2 eggs

Fresh salsa (Hot sauce, Sambal Oelek, or hot pepper relish for serving)

1. Cook until onions just start to soften then add potatoes. Cook until brown on the bottom (about 6 minutes), then break up to brown evenly, stirring (about 15 minutes more).
2. Add garlic and bok choy. Continue to cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are all well browned and charred in spots, about 4 minutes longer. Add sliced chili and hot sauce. Cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer hash to a warm serving platter and keep warm
3. Wipe out skillet and add remaining teaspoon oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add eggs and cook until desired level of doneness is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Place eggs on top of has and serve immediately with hot sauce, Sambal Oelek, or hot pepper relish.

Another Chocolate Chip Cookie

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookies

1 - Way too sweet. It left my mouth feeling sour after eating them. I wonder if I could get away with only the brown sugar and omitting the white sugar? I think there is plenty of flour...

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg whites; beat 1 minute. Add flour mixture and chips; beat until blended.
4. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Blackberry Jam - Testing

1 - It was as I was actually making this that I discovered that the real secret was just getting the fruit up to the required temperature for jamming, and this seems to depend on two factors: the amount of sugar added, which affects how long it will take to reach the gelling stage. Less sugar means that it will take longer, while more sugar means it won't take as long.

I'd like to make this an easily scalable recipe. So I took a recipe and tried to convert it. So I started out with :

9 cups blackberries

5 cups sugar

3 Tbsps lemon juice

and I did this calculation :

9x10 - 90/9 - 10/10 - 1 cup blackberries

5x10 - 50/9 - 5.5/10 - .55 - 1/2 cup sugar

3x10 - 30/9 - 3.33 - .33 - 1 tsp lemon juice

It seems to hold up. Now, to test it.

1. Run the blackberries through a food mill to remove the seeds, continuing until you have 1 cup of puree.  Reserve the blackberry puree and discard the seeds (I give them to our chickens).
2. Put the blackberry puree, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Be sure there are several inches of headspace to allow for foaming.
3. When it starts to boil, clip on a candy thermometer, reduce it to a rapid simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the thermometer reads 220F/105C. This can take upwards of 30 minutes, less if you add more sugar, longer if you have less sugar.
4. You can also do the plate test.
5. Ladle the jam into sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and wipe the rims clean before sealing.
6. If you're not sealing the jars the jam will keep in the fridge for several months.
7. If you're using the water bath canning method process the jars for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove the jars, let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours, then store in a dark cool place.  Jam will keep for up to a year.