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The August 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by LizG of Bits n’ Bites and Anula of Anula’s Kitchen. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make pierogi from scratch and an optional challenge to provide one filling that best represents their locale.
I've always wanted to make pierogi, but, until now, I never had an actual recipe to try. Thanks to Liz and Anula, I can cross these off of my to-make list.
I chose the Russian style pierogi, and made a filling of ground beef, minced onions, and minced mushrooms, bound together with sour cream. Sort of like beef stroganoff.
The rolled dough was so thin, I could see through it, but it was nice and pliable, and forgiving.
My daughter and I were really hungry the night I made these, so, while I filled the pierogi, she crimped the edges with a fork. It was nice to have her help.
We decided to eat them fresh from the boiling water, although I did manage to save a few to fry. Well, the fried ones were so good that they disappeared before I could say 'get the camera.'
While, at first, pierogi might seem a bit labor-intensive, with practice they can be made more quickly. They can also be frozen for future use, so I think it would be a great project for family and friends; sort of like making tamales together.
I apologize for the lack of stunning plating and photography, but we were hungry and these were so delicious that they literally begged to be eaten immediately. The next time I make these, I will try the cottage cheese dough, and perhaps a slightly sweeter filling.
Please stop by the Daring Kitchen to catch an eye-full of beautiful pierogi.
This week we were treated to a cool, rich ice cream, courtesy of Katrina of Baking and Boys.
It's been a cool summer here in southern California, but that's the way I like it. Foggy mornings, pleasant days, and cool evenings. I'll never understand why everyone here wants hot, sunny weather. It's miserable! Plus, none of the houses come with air conditioning, so the internal house temperatures can reach 90 degrees or above, with no relief.
Yep. I'll take my foggy mornings and my ice cream.
The only change I made in the recipe was how I mixed everything together. No zillion bowls for me.
I mixed the chopped bittersweet Valrhona chocolate and the hot cream in one bowl. Then I combined the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, and pinch of salt in my saucier, and cooked it until the mixture reached 172 degrees F., upon which I poured it over the ganache.
After chilling, the resulting ice cream base was mighty thick, like pudding. My trusty ice cream maker did a lovely job of converting the pudding to ice cream. This is really rich, so one little ball is all you need.
It's likely we'll eat most of this ice cream, but I'm saving a small portion for another project, about which I'll post in a week or so. For the recipe, head over to Katrina's blog; for comments and ice cream variations, go to the TWD blog.
Mea culpa.
I should have posted this last Friday, but I've been suffering from blog-writer's block for a few days.
I'm slowly walking my way across Virginia. I breezed through Williamsburg and Jamestown; I'm following some river right now. Slow and steady.
My longest walk was last Wednesday. That was opening day for our county fair and also dollar day. Instead of parking close and paying $10, I parked in the downtown parking garage for free, then walked the 15 minutes to the fairgrounds, where I stood in a quick-moving line, and got in for $1.
This year I entered two different cookies in the fair, so I was curious how they fared. One of the two received an Honorable Mention, so I was pleased with that. I ran into some friends in the Home Arts Building, so we chatted for awhile before moving on. I spent two hours, total, at the fair, seeing what appealed to me, then I left and walked back to my car.
Next week I'm going to increase my daily walking goal. Each mile walked is a piece of fabric earned, and I'm doing fairly well. I've chosen a quilt design and will go through my stash this coming weekend to select the fabrics. Time to start the process.
At the rate I'm going, I'm wondering if I'll make it to the next state by September.
Check out Tallgrass Prairie Studio for event information.
When I first saw this week's choice for Tuesdays with Dorie, I was somewhat dismayed.
Carrots?
Raisins?
Coconut?
In cookies?
Who is going to eat these in this household?
Maybe I'll pass.
But then, I stopped and had a very stern talking to myself.
Why are you participating in this baking group? Isn't one of the main reasons to push your boundaries, bake outside of the box, extend your comfort zone? Maybe bake something you wouldn't ordinarily choose and find that you like it?
Why yes.
So, that is what I did.
I finely shredded the carrots, using an attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. It makes quick, quick work when shredding or grating substantial amounts of vegetables.
Then I substituted currants for raisins. To me, currants are like dainty raisins. They're subtly present, but they don't smack you in the face.
The pecans were chopped and toasted, and just a smidgen of coconut was tossed in.
I couldn't decide which size of scoop to use, so I opted for the smaller one, and ended up with 5 dozen cookies, plus a few extras, which were immediately consumed for testing purposes. I also kept a watch on the baking times since these were smaller cookies, and removed them when they matched Dorie's description for doneness.
While I'm not a fan of carrot cake, I did find that I really liked these cookies. They were cake-like in texture, which I love, and the toasted pecans added a most delicious flavor. The carrots, coconut, and currants (the 3 Cs) contributed a moistness and some texture. I do like a bit of chew to my cookies; thin, flat ones leave me unsatisfied.
Thanks goes to Natalia of gatti fili e farina for pushing me out of my cookie comfort zone. These were a hit and will definitely be made again. Next time, though, I will add more ginger since it was barely noticeable. You can find the recipe on Natalia's blog.
Be sure and stop by the TWD blog and read about the other bakers' opinions.
P.S. The coconut*currant/raisin*cooked carrot-hating daughter actually said the cookies were tasty, although I doubt she will eat any more than the two she consumed. Good sport. Welcome home from Alaska.
Exercise.
We would all benefit from it, but why is it so difficult to do?
I need exercise to offset my lifestyle.
1. I bake and cook a lot. By rights, I should weigh 1000 pounds. But I don't.
2. I work from home and am on my computer about 90% of my waking day. A sedentary job.
3. Other than baking and cooking, my primary non-working interest is quilting. Another sedentary task.
I've heard recently that a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy.
The experts also say that if you stick with a physical activity for 3 weeks, then it becomes part of a routine that you can't live without. Oh, really? Tell that to my brain processing center.
Of all the physical activities I'm able to do, walking is my favorite. However, whether I walk for 3 weeks, or 3 months, or 1 year, if I stop for even a day or two, my brain and body forget about it and don't miss it even one iota. It's as if I have never walked at all, or had any interest in it.
So much for the experts.
I'm always looking for that one 'carrot' that will motivate me. Perhaps I have found it now. At least it's worth a try.
There's a quilting blog I follow, Tallgrass Prairie Studio, that inspires me. Jacquie issued a challenge this week -- become less sedentary, walk across the US, and earn fabric. Now, that just could be the right motivator. Most quilters I know are fabric junkies, myself included, although I readily admit that my fabric addiction started long before I began quilting.
It's a pretty cool deal.
1. You can't let the group down, so it's important to put the miles in each day.
2. You sign in to a really neat website that monitors your progress across the US. Since I only began on Wednesday, I've barely made it to the outskirts of the first town (Yorktown, VA). This research group has been studying exercise behavior for many years. I'm sure I filled out one of their surveys some time in the past.
3. You earn a piece of fabric for every mile logged. That's motivation for sure! I certainly need to pick up the pace.
We're encouraged to post our weekly results on Fridays. In three days I've walked 5 miles. Not very impressive, but I'm still trying to find my groove and carve some extra time out of my day. I must say, though, that the three motivators make a difference.
Next Friday, I'm hoping to be nearer to the next town. Currently, I'm 7.58 miles away from Williamsburg, VA. That's my goal for next week -- get to Williamsburg and beyond.
Lastly, my dog is thrilled. She lives and breathes to walk. And sniff.
Fabric and quilts, here I come.
July's Bread Baking Day was hosted by Andrea of Family & Food & Other Things. For the 32nd event, Andrea chose Italian breads as the theme.
This theme gave me an opportunity to go through my Italian cookbooks, looking for an interesting bread to bake. I found the perfect one, Pane di Nove Cereali, in my Il Fornaio Baking Book. I adapted the recipe to match my ingredients and bread baking style, so I ended up baking Pane di Dieci Cereali.
The dieci cereali must first be soaked.
Then, after mixing, kneading, and two rising periods, the dough is shaped into a boule and dipped in oats.
After the final rise, it is baked to a golden brown.
Following a seemingly forever wait, the bread can be sliced, buttered, and tasted.
Verdict? Nutty, hearty, and delicious.
Pane di Dieci Cereali
Place 1/2 cup ten-grain cereal (or nine or seven) in a small bowl and pour 1/2 cup cool water over the top. Let sit for 1 hour.
Measure 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour, 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast into a large bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup lukewarm water, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and the cereal mixture. Stir together until a stiff dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. This may take up to 20 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl, turning so the top surface is coated with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature for between 1 and 2 hours, or until doubled.
Deflate the dough by folding the edges into the center, then turning it over so the top is smooth once again. Re-cover the bowl and let the dough rise a second time until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and once again, fold the edges toward the center. Working in a circular motion, around the dough ball, keep stretching and folding until the top is smooth and tight. Mist the top surface with water, then roll the top and sides in 1/2 cup of oats that have been spread on the work surface.
Place the loaf on a piece of parchment that has been liberally dusted with flour. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven and a baking stone to 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle some corn meal on a baker's peel, then transfer the loaf to the peel. (I placed my parchment on the prepared peel before I put the loaf on, so it was already to pop into the oven.)
Mist the loaf several times during the first 5 minutes in the oven. Continue to bake for a total of 40 minutes, until it is golden and has reached an appropriate internal temperature (between 190 and 200 degrees F). Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Bread Baking Day was started by Zorra, and is hosted each month by a different, talented breadbaker.
