0 Rum Raisin Apple Cake

For the past couple months I've been buying tons of apples from the farmers' market every weekend. I can get varieties that are not available in the supermarket. Arkansas Black, Philo Gold, Wickson, Connell Red, Northern Spy and Spitzenberg just to name a few. Sadly the local apple season is coming to end and I'll have to go back to eating supermarket apples that have been in cold storage for who knows how long before showing up at supermarket for sale.

I recently brought home some red Rome apples from the farmers' market. They were so crisp and juicy. They were labeled as "dry farmed" and I'm not sure if that had anything to do with how delicious they were. Red Rome apples are perfect for this rum raisin apple loaf cake.

This cake is one that I can whip it up in no time at all. It's full of apples and rum soaked raisins. The recipe is from Francois Payard's "Simply Sensational Desserts". I modified it just slightly. The original recipe says to cut the apples in wedges of 2 different sizes and lay them nicely into the cake batter so that when it bakes you'll see the perfect wedges of apples neatly tiled up next to each other. I decided to simplify it by just dicing the apples and mixing them into the batter.

Soaking the raisins in rum keeps them moist and adds a nice flavor to the ordinary raisin. Even if your raisins are very fresh to start, I still recommend soaking them. There's just something magical that happens when you let dried fruit sit in a little bit of booze. But if you are pressed for time you can skip the soaking step and just add the quantity of rum and dry raisins directly to the batter. Either way, the rum is not overwhelming. There's just enough to remind you that it's there.

The area of cake immediately surrounding each apple nugget stays slightly moist from the juicy apple and provides a nice contrast to the cakier parts of the cake. Someone even said it tasted like bits of custard surrounding the apple.

Even though it's optional I highly recommend brushing the baked loaf cake with the apricot glaze. Although the cake is already very moist and will keep well, the glaze helps retain moisture longer. And it adds a lovely shine to this simple cake.



Thanks to everyone for comments about their favorite vegetable in my zucchini post. And the winner of the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook giveaway is Claire. She also loves zucchini. Congratulations Claire!


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0 CHICKEN POZOLE VERDE

oh yesss...
i have found a new favorite.

CHICKEN POZOLE VERDE


served as a soup or a stew, a main course or a starter, this one is a winner. the verde broth is so good it would work well with any meat. tonight i had it with some fresh Tilapia and it was delicious. this yummy verde base might be something i would make ahead and freeze (haven't tried the freezing yet) in portions. you could just throw in some rotisserie chicken or pulled pork or white fish and call it a day. a delicious day.

this Pozole is so good i just couldn't wait for the condiments. actually, i would suggest trying it this way first to get the full flavor of the stew itself. sometimes one can get carried away with all the extras that you lose sight of the original.

.

hominy...what a fabulous little nugget that i must have forgot about. i haven't had it in years. i wasn't expecting it to bring such a great flavor to the dish. i couldn't pin point the flavor until i realized it was kind of like someone had infused, fresh off the press, corn tortillas into ever bite. you know that aroma and taste of a warm tortilla brought home from the tortillaria when the bag is still warm?

.

note about the chicken...i would suggest that you not try to save time or calories by using boned skinned breasts. your broth will be better and your chicken will be more moist with bone and skin on. to skim the fat i strained the broth through paper towel and it worked quite well, making this soup on the more healthy side. all good stuff.

CHICKEN POZOLE VERDE

with many thanks to Anya Von Bremzan and Food and Wine.

Ingredients
7 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups water
4 chicken breast halves on the bone, with skin
1 pound tomatillos, husked and halved

1 small onion, quartered
2 poblano chiles—cored, seeded and quartered
2 jalapeños, seeded and quartered
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Three 15-ounce cans of hominy, drained
Finely shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped onion, diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and lime wedges, for serving

Directions
In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, skin side down, cover and simmer over very low heat until they’re tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and shred the meat; discard the bones and skin. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid and reserve.
In a blender, combine the halved tomatillos with the quartered onion, poblanos and jalapeños, smashed garlic, chopped cilantro and oregano. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the side. With the machine on, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Season the tomatillo puree with salt and pepper.
In a large deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the tomatillo puree and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 12 minutes.
Pour the green sauce into the cooking liquid in the casserole. Add the hominy and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shredded chicken to the stew, season with salt and pepper and cook just until heated through.

Serve the pozole in deep bowls, passing the lettuce, radishes, onion, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and lime wedges at the table.

this soup/stew keeps really well, and as any soup just deepens with flavors the next day. this can definitely be made ahead and enjoyed all week.

0 COLLARD GREENS AND BLACK EYED PEAS

these collards are the real deal, made with the simmering ham hocks and all. well, they're about as real as i know how being that i'm a girl who grew up in Newport Beach, CA. so now that i just admitted that, maybe they aren't so real after all, but the dish came out reeeeally tastey, and i can't wait to use those ugly ham hocks again...the rich smokey flavor is delicious and would lend itself to so many things. ya just don't get that same depth when you use just bacon. as you can see in the photo, i did use some bacon, but that was just because #1 i had some already cooked, and #2 because i thought it needed somemore meat action.

the broth...or liquor, as it's called, is a whole 'nuther story! i found myself slurpping up the last drops like a thirsty puppy. if you've ever worked with smoked ham hocks you know what i mean, but this was my first time. as a matter of fact, i just went to the market across town this morning to pick me up a few more of these babies. i can't wait to get started with them and try something new. i'm thinkin' some kind of smokey stew or thick rich soup.

the black eyed peas?...well, i did kinda cheat on those. i used canned, so the only one i cheated was myself. i think one of the main flavors of southern style beans is the slow soaking and cooking and infusing the flavor of the broth, or liquer, that they're cooked in...so, yes i did cheat myself out of that step. i wanted my collards that night and the beans should be properly soaked over night. i couldn't wait. i know you can put the said beans in a pot, bring to a boil and remove from heat and let sit for an hour or two, but still i went for the can...i didn't miss anything, but i bet they would have been just that much better. next time.

this is what i did for these...
COLLARD GREENS AND BLACK EYED PEAS

adapted from B. Smith Cooks Southern Style

Southern-Style Collard GreensYields 8 servings
Collard greens are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. This recipe is reminiscent of my mother's. She seemed to let her greens simmer away for hours! I make mine with ham hocks, which help tenderize the greens and add flavor, along with a little brown sugar to take away any bitterness. A lot of Southern families serve their greens with a side of bread to dip in the cooking broth, known as pot-likker. The broth is packed with vitamins and refers to the leftover "liquor" in the pot, after your greens have cooked. It not only tastes good — it's really good for you!
4 smoked ham hocks, 1 large onion, thinly sliced, 3 bay leaves, 4 pounds collard greens, Chicken stock or broth, or water, as needed, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Rinse the ham hocks and score the skin in several places. In a heavy 8- to 10-quart pot, combine the hocks, onion, and bay leaves with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the hocks are falling apart.
2. Remove the ham hocks from the cooking liquid and reserve the meat, discarding the bones, skin, and fat. Strain the cooking liquid, skim off the fat (i like to use cheese cloth with a strainer because it seems to grab some of the fat as well as strain thouroughly), and return it to the pot.
3. While the ham hocks are cooking, remove the stems from the collard greens and roughly chop; set aside. i rolled the leaves together and made 1 inch slices. your preference i suppose.
4. Add enough chicken stock or water to the cooking liquid to make 6 cups. Add the chopped collard greens, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and reserved ham. here is were i added the black eyed peas. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the greens are very tender. Serve immediately.

"immediately" is B's rule...i had no idea, being this was my first time with greens, how long this was going to take and i was done quite a bit early, so i ended up reheating and, of course, no harm no foul. i even think they were better and better each day they hung out in all the smokey ham hock goodness. i also added some precooked crispy bacon...for good measure. you know my rule...a little, or alot, of bacon never hurt anything....

0 FRUIT SALAD IN NOVEMBER?

with all this talk about pumpkins, sweet potatoes, roasts and slow cookers let's not forget about our beautiful fruit...while it's still here..hangin' in there..getting VERY EXPENSIVE!

just yesterday i had to buy some blueberries...$4.99...YIKES!!!! and they were rather small and flavorless, i might add. honeydew melon was over $6 bucks...even good old strawberries are 4 bucks....errrrrg

i know, i know...apples are IN !...well.....apples are ALWAYS IN!!!

don't get me wrong. i love apples..have one just about every day, but in this house everyone expects a nice little fruit salad with lunch. specifically, a fruit salad prepared by ME. all through summer these fruit salads were unbeleivable. raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, MANGO, papaya, peaches. ooooh there was sooo much to chose from, but now it's getting to be a bit hard to keep up with the expectations.

i thought all was lost 'till i sliced into this unasuming, hard to the touch, Tuscan Sweet melon this morning and thought i'd died and gone to fruit heaven. is this thing beautiful or what?!...the sweet aroma alone almost bowled me over. it was just the right crispiness. i prefere my melon on the semi crispy side, but quite often they haven't developed their flavors yet...this one was perfect. AND only about $2.50. the kiwis?..3 for a dollar...and i found raspberries on sale 2 baskets for $3.00. as i said i had to splerge on the blueberries. needless to say, fruit salads are still going strong in this house...what is everyone else doing for fruit? here in California we always have the variety, it just get soooo expensive. should i kill the fruit salad everyday ideas? i don't think that would fly.

for now i'll stick with the melons and what ever is on sale...this week i'm good and it's not bad for a fruit salad in November.

0 I Heart Zucchini

I love zucchini. I eat it year round. It's my absolutely favorite weeknight vegetable since it's so easy to prepare. Just slice them up and put them in some boiling water with a pinch of salt. I could eat it every night. And I actually make zucchini bread because I really like it not just because someone had a bumper crop of zucchini.

Zucchini bread was one of the first things I ever baked on my own. When I was 15 my best friend Nora gave me a recipe for zucchini bread and she said it was easy and delicious. I thought it was strange to have zucchini in a dessert, but I tried it and she was right about it being delicious. All through my high school years I made zucchini bread over and over again. I remember sitting at the dining room table grating the zucchini by hand with my mom's old box grater. Even to this day I grate zucchini by hand. I know it's faster to use a food processor, but I like doing this particular task by hand.

But whether you love zucchini like me or just tolerate it, when zucchini is combined with chocolate it can't be bad. When I saw this chocolate zucchini cake recipe on the King Arthur Flour website I just had to make it. It definitely uses more chocolate than zucchini. I think the zucchini is more for moisture and texture than flavor. But every once in a while you'll encounter a green fleck which I find rather pretty. Regardless of the reason, it's a good way to add more vegetables to your diet.

GIVEAWAY

I am giving away the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Bakingcookbook. (The cookbook has a whole wheat flour version of this chocolate zucchini cake too.) Please leave a comment on this post before 11:59pm PST on November 12, 2009 and be sure to mention your favorite vegetable. I will select one comment at random. I plan to contact the winner by email so please make sure you have a valid email address associated with your user ID. Unfortunately I can only ship to U.S. addresses. My sincerest apologizes to my international readers.



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0 The UGLY Scary Halloween Candy GOOEY Brownie

so UGLY

so GOOEY

soooo GOOD

so FUN!

what do you do with all your leftover Halloween candy? besides sit around eating it one piece at a time untill you can feel the cavities drilling holes in your teeth? OR, do you find yourself waking from a sugar coma with malt balls stuck in your hair?

well, i thought i'd get rid of mine in one fell swoop...

gather up all the "unwanteds" (of course, i kept out the Reeses and the Heath Bars) and throw them in a brownie.

better yet..

for REAL effortless quick candy disposal...grab your favorite brownie mix...mine is Ghirardelli's Triple Chocolate

mix 1/2 of it in the dough

bake for just 12-15 minutes under the correct full cooking time

remove from oven and top with the other 1/2 plus some mini marshmallows never hurt

back in the oven for approx 12-15 minutes

let cool completely before cutting.

cutting them in neat little brownie size squares is kind of a difficult task, to say the least. mine got a bit to melted because i underestimated the brownie cooking time and the topping was in just a bit too long. it's all good...just made them uglier...

and we all know ugly can be a beautiful thing.

as you might guess, the topping is quite gooey, crispy, sticky and just plain ol' hard to cut through without smashing the brownie cake. it really depends on what kind of candies your throwing in.

mine was Malted Milk Balls, Candy Corn, Hershey's Cookies and Creme and the mini marshmallows. the marshmallows were a great add because they ended up getting a little toasty like a camp-fire treat. the candy corn melted and the milk balls deflated. the cookies and creme disappeared into the chocolate abyss.

i must say...i kinda threw this together as a joke. i thought if i pagage them with the "UGLY" disclaimer i could just say "i warned you" if they didn't go over to well, but i already got 3 rave reviews..."best thing ever". and "please slip me another one of those ugly things tomorrow if you have any left" and another said "it was "PUNK ROCK BAKING at it's best"

so...the Reeses and the Heath Bars are next up on the chopping block...

0 Spicy Chicken Feet in a broth of liquid Gold

LIQUID GOLD...

the chicken feet might be an acquired taste, but the broth is all worth it.

CHICKEN FEET !!???...

not for the faint of heart, but don't run away. a bit scary looking, but oooh sooo

finger lickin' good..? sorry, i had to say it.

ya see, chicken feet don't scare me. i remember my grandma eating them way back when they actually came with the chicken you were buying at the regular market. she would throw everything in the pot, feet, gizzards and all, but the feet were always hers when all was done (maybe because she didn't have to fight anyone for them?). does that make me sound old or what?!...back when i had to walk 10 miles in the cold rain in the early morn' just to get to school. yeah right...

needless to say...wasn't Grandma's chicken soup always THE BEST?...did ya ever think it could have been the FEET?...

anyway, you all know i love tot try the odd, the out of the ordinary, the ultimate UGLY foods, so i decided i had to find some chicken feet. not an easy task. once again i was told i would have to special order them and it would be a 5lb. min. 5lb's is a bit much for lil' ol' me. then i remembered the PIG FEET delima...same thing, BUT i found them at my favorite Mexican market, Northgate #9 in Santa Ana. a bit of drive, but well worth the trip. i always find great stuff there.

BINGO!...some nice fresh feet just waiting for me to experiment with.

this first time i thought i would just go basic, but with a little heat, of course.

WHAT TO DO

or this is what i did...

if you are not used to cleaning chicken feet, it can be quite tricky and i must admit, quite strange. first, you have to rub the feet with salt to clean them. i used Kosher salt. then rinse. put them in a large pot of boiling water and scald for 5 min. let them cool enough to handle. next, cut off the claws (this is kind of weird because you feel like you're cutting the tips of fingers off) and trim off the hardend unwanted spot normally seen beneath the feet. i should have taken a pic of this, but it's like a dogs' paw-pad?. you'll see it, just clip the hard part off with some scissors. then rinse. now the chicken feet are ready to be cooked in any way you want...

i had read in quite a few articles that the broth made with chicken feet is fab, so i wanted to start out like i was making a good basic broth. let me interject here that...

THE BROTH IS LIKE LIQUID CHICKEN GOLD!

aprox. 2 lbs chicken feet

water to cover about 1 inch.

the basics..onion, celery, carrot

(i used 1 or 2 1/4'd yellow onion, then added the chipolini onion later)

4-5 cloves garlic, smashed

1 bay leaf

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

5 dried arbol chilis

these are approx. measures because my broth is a little different every time, but always similar flavors. just add pretty much whatever you want for your end result.

i was going for a more spicey Mexican flare rather than grandma's homestyle broth.

bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours untill tender...ask me how tender?...i guessed. there were quite a few feet in there so i just kept checking on them. you want the cartilidge to get tender because that's mainly what you're after. i'll bet it was about 2 hours. when done to your liking strain. i like to strain though cheese cloth, it gets all the tiny what-nots and grabs some of the fat on the way through. put everything back together and you're ready to dig in...

now...eating these, what now resemble little hands, is a whole 'nuther story...i don't think there is a proper way or even a slight instruction on how you should eat these.

just put one in your mouth and start sucking...

they are quite tedious to eat, but alot of fun. i would definitely say don't eat these with anyone you're trying to impress or anywhere in public, for that matter.

JUST TRY 'EM....

if you can't deal, all is not lost....you'll be left with some incredible, always useful, rich golden broth that can be stored away for a rainy day...and it might stir up some fabulous old memories of your sweet Grandma, or at least someone's Grandma.

ps...check this out...actual HEALTH BENEFITS....the fountain of youth found in feet!!!

taken fron an article by Robert Reames

Chicken feet. This is one whose health benefits you may be unfamiliar with. As far as joint health goes, this is probably one of the most outstanding foods that you can eat. It is loaded with readily absorbable protein, collagen, calcium and cartilage to maintain, repair and build overall joint integrity. It's absolutely incredible for your skin as well. Kung Fu martial artists have used this for centuries to enhance overall joint integrity and strength. Could this be a fountain of youth? Healthy joints give you the mental and physical energy to be at your best for a lifetime.