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Archive for October, 2011

Pumpkin Bagels

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

Bagels were a staple in my house growing up.  They’ve always been a favorite for easy weekend breakfasts as well as brunch with friends and family.  Homemade bagels are surprisingly easy to make and you be creative with the flavors. Since pumpkin is the star ingredient of fall cuisine it makes a perfect seasonal bagel that you won’t find in many shops.

If you’ve ever made soft pretzels, the process for preparing homemade bagels is quite similar.  You combine ingredients, kneed the dough, let it rise, shape your bagels, let it rise again, and finally you boil and bake them.  As with most bread recipes there are many steps but none of them are difficult.  For this recipe I got borrowed some basic ingredient ratios from Emeril Lagasse’s homemade bagels recipe.  I was thrilled with the results.  The outside has a wonderful crunch and the inside is soft and chewy.  The spice levels hit all the right notes.  Pumpkin powder is optional, but I love using it.  It’s all-natural and enhances both flavor and color.  I first discovered it when I made pumpkin challah bread, and it’s been a staple fall ingredient ever since.

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Lavender Shortbread Cookies

I’ve had dried lavender burning a hole in my pantry for ages, so I decided it was time to make something yummy. Once I started looking for ideas, I was amazed to discover that there’s an entire cookbook dedicated to lavender. This book is full of delicious sounding savory and sweet recipes, divided by seasons. I plan to start making my way through The Lavender Cookbookas soon as I get my hands on a copy. But for the moment, I’ve modified my current shortbread recipe to make cookies.

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Apple Doughnuts with Caramel Glaze

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I’ve been trying to come up with new and unusual ways to use apples since I have to get through another 15 lbs of them (35 lbs between two trips to the farm).  I’ve made apple butter, apple pancakes, apple pie, apple cookies, apple chutney…so many apples.  Since I’ve been on a sweets kick, I decided to make donuts in my new deep fryer (thank you, wedding registry).  You can make these without a deep fryer, just use a large pot and a high smoke point oil (see temperatures below).

A few notes: under the ingredients, I list the apples as either grated or diced.  I decided to dice them so I could bite into big chunks of apple, but I recommend grating them.  I think the apple flavor will be more pronounced throughout the doughnut and they will be easier to roll if you’re not used to working with sticky dough.  This dough is very fluffy and sticky, so keep the palms of your hands oiled and keep a small bowl of flour handy.  Try not to incorporate too much additional flour, because that will make the doughnuts dense.

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Pistachio Cardamom Cookies

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I was inspired to make these cookies after visiting my favorite dessert spot in Baltimore, Pitango Gelato.  I always get their pistachio flavor, and when I saw they were offering cardamom gelato, I got one scoop of each.  The flavors paired wonderfully together.  And these cookies are equally fabulous.  The cookie is soft and chewy.  The pistachio and cardamom flavors shine.

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Return to Larriland Farms

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I just can’t stay away...

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Raw Almond Milk

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I recently watched the documentary ‘Forks Over Knives’ and it was a life changer.  The movie provides some stunning scientific evidence supporting the relationship between animal product consumption and disease.  I want to live a long healthy life!  I’m nowhere close to maintaining an exclusively plant-based diet, but I’m making changes.  For example, I’ve never been a big meat eater but I consume quite a bit of dairy.  To offset this, I’ve been alternating between milk and non-dairy alternatives.

Out of the wide array of non-dairy milk alternatives available, my favorite is almond milk.  It has a mild, smooth flavor and works great in cereal, coffee and smoothies.  I have yet to try baking with it but I’ve heard many success stories.  I decided to try making my own to see how it compared to store brands such as Almond Breeze.

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Apple Chutney

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I love making chutneys.  They’re simple to make and pair perfectly with chicken or pork for a tasty weeknight meal.  Many chutney recipes use raisins; I decided to use dried cherries instead.

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Caramel Apple Tartlets

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I recommend using a tart apple such as Granny Smith.  This recipe makes 6 tartlets, using 3 inch tart molds such as these.


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Thanksgiving Pie Petit Fours

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

I remember last Thanksgiving quite clearly.  I was eager to impress my family with my new culinary skills and brought both an appetizer (Pear and Blue Cheese Tart) and dessert (Chocolate Kahlua Roulade) to dinner.  My uncle was hosting, and Thanksgiving at his house is always a treat.  He and my aunt are amazing cooks and they always prepare an impressive array of dishes.  Like most people, I usually eat too much at dinner and then struggle to make room for dessert.  I believe last year there were three pies, a cheesecake, and two roulades.  That’s when I got the idea for Thanksgiving pie petit fours.  Individual bites of pie!  No need to miss anything.

This recipe requires Petit Four Moldswhich are available at a variety of online stores and gourmet shops.  All of the recipes I’ve listed here are for half the original pie. You can also quarter the recipes, depending on how many you plan to serve.  If you’re like me, you’ll make extra so that there are plenty of pretty tarts to serve.  I eat the ugly ones!

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Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Galette

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

2011 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

We had many requirements at culinary school, one of which was to assist 3 recreational cooking classes.  I loved doing this and volunteered often.  One particular evening I assisted a pastry class where the students were making an assortment of tarts.  The chef described a galette as a “rustic tart” and then smirked, stating:

“I love the word ‘rustic’.  It means it doesn’t have to be pretty.”

She had a point.  When using tart molds, I often spend quite a bit of time making sure the dough is perfectly formed.  Patience and practice yields perfection.  Galettes are much easier, and their imperfections are what make them beautiful, in my opinion.  They’re great for beginners and experts alike.

This tart has a wonderful balance of flavors and is perfect for fall entertaining.  The apple enhances the sweetness of the butternut squash and the pecans offer a nice crunch.  The shallots and goat cheese are savory and rich.  You can get 6-8 appetizer servings, depending on how big you want your slices.

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