Batter-Splattered

The testing of new recipes has been rather sparse around here lately.

The kitchen hasn't been a total wasteland though. I paused to admire thirteen perfect bay leaves. Today, I made a roast. And yesterday, I made tortilla soup and a cake for mom's birthday...

...topped with dark chocolate truffles that looked very much like breasts, what with the wee little  nipples and all. I fished them out of bags of good stuff destined for stuffing our Christmas stockings and I used them to decorate the top of what was otherwise a rather boring-looking chocolate cake. The layers were filled with half a jar of my red currant jelly -- I needed something rather fancy for the top. As the cake was being sliced I said I had more truffles if anyone wanted one but didn't get one with their wedge of cake. "Oh no," my mother assured us earnestly as she licked frosting off one finger. "I gave a teet to everyone."

So, I have been cooking here and there but really now, I ask you, how can a person such as myself get much of anything blog-worthy done with a pup like this in the house?

chasing her tail:

Surely you agree with me that wrestling on the floor takes precedence over seeking out new recipes online and digging through cookbooks. I'm sure I'll emerge from the smitten stage at some point, but for now looky:

For the record, I did not throw snow in the dog's face just so I could take a funny photo of her, but those who know me well will know I'm lying.

Baked Corn with Thyme

It's hard to believe that a dish with so few ingredients can taste so good. And it's easy to prepare to boot. Sometimes simple really is better. This is a cross between a pudding and a casserole. It puffs up a little, browns a little, and the corn and thyme are a perfect combination. It is, of course, best with fresh and crisp sweet corn but frozen or canned will do in a pinch.

Baked Corn with Thyme

1-1/2 cups fresh corn (cut from about 3 ears) or thawed frozen
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

In a bowl stir together the corn, the cream, the thyme, and salt and pepper or taste, spoon the mixture into a buttered 6-inch baking pan or gratin dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Bake the corn mixture in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 25 minutes, or until it is crusty around the edges. Broil the corn mixture under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are toasted.

My name is Molly and I'm addicted to Etsy.

Deck the kitchen of your favorite chef with these cookin' handmade or vintage gift ideas from Etsy:

 

 

Secret recipe cards.

Handthrown porcelain pebble cup.

Pretty blue magnets for the fridge.

Potholders.

Vintage glasses.

Curvaceous vintage cream and sugar set.

Handknit washcloth / towels / hotpads.

More recipe cards.

Awesome spice rack.

Classic Cranberry Nut Bread

'Round Thanksgiving time -- this post is obviously long overdue. I know, you've moved on and you're thinking you're so over Thanksgiving and you're either taking a break from decorating the tree or you just got back from hell on earth (as I like to call shopping malls this time of year -- I know whereof I speak, I was in Old Navy yesterday and found myself muttering, "Why are there so many of these toddlers toddling around like drunks in the toddler clothes section?"), but humor me, I was too busy moving and puppy training to post sooner... As I was saying, 'round Thanksgiving time, I made two recipes from the back of the packages of cranberries I bought (I have a weakness for back-of-the-package recipes) -- the whole berry cranberry sauce (very good!) and the Classic Cranberry Nut Bread (also, very good).

The bread has orange zest and orange juice. Combine those with the chopped cranberries and you wind up with plenty of tartness to balance the sweetness of the sugar in this dessert bread. The batter goes together a bit backwards compared to other bread recipes -- you stir the wet ingredients into the dry rather than the other way around, and there aren't very many wet ingredients to speak of, just the OJ. I was a bit skeptical as I worked on it, but it all came together beautifully.

I made two different loaves -- that's Banana Banana Bread there in the background of the photo above. First I thought I'd take most of each loaf to work with me the next day. But then I lost the spirit of the season and decided to keep them all for myself. I'm mean, I know, but those punks can make their own bread.

Classic Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).