sweet potato buttermilk pancakes

Soak together overnight:

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup yogurt or buttermilk
  

In the morning, stir in:

• 1 cup cooked sweet potato (or drained contents of 1 pint jar of canned sweet potatoes)
  
• 1 egg
• 2 T melted butter 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans 
  

lentil shepherd's pie

 Trying to recreate a dish I used to make decades ago, with ideas from here (which was way too much food, so scaling down).

potatoes

• about 1.5 pounds, peel (partially) and boil until soft, then mash and add
• butter, milk, sour cream, salt & pepper

filling

•  (optional: rehydrate a few shiitake 20-30 minutes, then toss stem and chop caps; hold onto the soaking water)
  
•  chop and cook an onion and some carrots and then garlic (or garlic powder) until soft
•  add about 3/4 cup of dry brown or green lentils 
  
•  add some tomato paste and Bragg's amino acids (plus 1/4-1/2 tsp marmite if desired)
  
•  add herbs de provence or thyme/rosemary/marjoram/whatever's good and pepper
•  add about 2 cups of stock (or mushroom soaking water)
  

Simmer about 30 minutes.  Then add in

• frozen vegetables such as green beans and let cook about 10 minutes.

Oil pan and put lentils in with potatoes on top.  Cook at 425 about 15 minutes.  

****

leftovers notes: I halved the recipe from the linked site because it makes quite a bit.  Making the larger amount works well to freeze the lentil filling in pint jars (approximately).  When I want three servings of the shepherd's pie, I make some mashed potatoes, thaw the filling and put it in a bread pan and top with potatoes.  Bake at 400 covered about 15 minutes, then uncovered another 10 or so.  Cheddar cheese on top is a special treat!

things to make

Have some overripe persimmons that I just pureed and I think I'll freeze them to use up this way later - -https://natashaskitchen.com/persimmon-bread-recipe/ 

-https://www.proportionalplate.com/persimmon-cake/ 

-http://onehungrybunny.com/healthy-persimmons-bread-recipe/

-https://www.davidlebovitz.com/persimmon-bread/

Lentil shepherd's pie.  Used to have a recipe I really liked but it's long lost.  Will play with these.

- https://minimalistbaker.com/1-hour-vegan-shepherds-pie/

-  https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easy-lentil-shepherds-pie-vegetarian/

I want to make a ginger cake with the pound of fresh ginger I recently bought.  I'd wanted to candy ginger but ... long story.  

- keto ideas from here https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/gingerbread-cake/

- https://www.proportionalplate.com/fresh-ginger-root-cake/

Sweet potato pie

https://www.asweetpeachef.com/sweet-potato-pie/

 

Frozen green beans

https://lynnecurry.com/2012/02/best-frozen-green-beans/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sauteed-green-beans/

Corn tortillas

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

sweet potatoes in tomato sauce with chickpeas and brown rice

 The other day I made tchieboudjenne, and .... it wasn't nearly as good as I remember from Senegal (not surprising).  But my favorite part was the big chunks of white sweet potato that had cooked in the tomato sauce that the broken rice was then also cooked in. So I'll try to recapture that, changing rice to brown and adding garbanzos.  Not sure the best time to add them so will try this way. 

• 2 white sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1/3 c oil
  
• Onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic
• scotch bonnet pepper or similar hot flavorful pepper
  
• small can tomato paste
• bouillon, salt, pepper
• garbanzos, 1 jar
  
• 1 c brown rice 

Heat oil and slowly cook onions.  When onions are translucent, add the tomato paste and cook about five minutes (stirring to avoid burning). Grind together in mortar garlic and pepper* and add; cook for a couple minutes.  Add bouillon and pepper (and salt).  Add 4 cups water, bring to simmer. 

Add in the sweet potato chunks and cook until tender, then use slotted spoon to remove and set aside.  

Add rice to tomato mixture, lower heat and simmer covered to cook about 45 minutes.  

Stir in a can of garbanzos and let sit for about ten minutes.  Eat with chunks of sweet potatoes.

*I don't have a mortar/pestle and I don't want to go to the grocery store, so I'm going to use a food processor to very finely chop up the garlic cloves and 1/2 bell pepper I have in fridge. 

Stollen

Solstice is still month away and winter came early and hard.  Chunks of ice is the best way to describe outside (the hovering around the freezing mark is the worst).  I've been missing the Germany where I spent a couple of winters and the amazing holiday markets and foods.  I would stab someone for a hot Currywurst right now, TBH.  

I don't need a lot of sugar in my life, though I may still make cookie plates to share with folks I'm fond of. I stumbled upon this Stollen recipe and it coincided with a planned week off from work so in I go.  Blanching almonds, candying citrus peels - I'm all in.  Next time I'll make the marzipan from scratch also.  I bought the good rum after a chat with the fellow at the liquor store (which I couldn't even find despite standing right next to it and having passed it dozens of times - teetotaler life - I like the taste of alcohol but find no need to inebriate).  So, it's rising now and I plan to make three loaves of it - one to try now and the others to age and gift. If it's as good as I expect, I'll make more and gift them all around. 

Ingredients 

For the Dough:

• 1 cup lukewarm whole milk
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) , at room temperature so it's very soft
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon ground mace (recommended but can substitute nutmeg)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 ounces marzipan (homemade or storebought)  

For the Fruits & Nuts:

• 9 ounces raisins
• 6 ounces candied citrus peel (preferably homemade), finely diced
• 3 ounces blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup quality dark rum
  

For the Glaze & Dusting:

• 1 stick unsalted butter , melted
• powdered sugar for generous dusting

 

Instructions 

• Place the raisins, candied citrus peel, and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it.  Stir to combine.  Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.
• Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.
• Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the yeast/milk mixture.  Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together.  Knead the dough for 7-8 minutes.  Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour.  
• Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough).  Knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined.  If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves (or three thirds).  Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness.  Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval.  Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough.  Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics in original post linked above).  In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen.  Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan.  Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics).  Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet.  Cover the stollen loosely and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy.  At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).  
• Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden.  You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F.  Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm.  Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides.  Let the stollen cool completely.  You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.
• The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap then foil) and left to "ripen" in a cool place for 2 weeks. The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture. Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.  **Marzipan recipe (from here)  200 g. almonds (blanched and dried a bit)
  150 g. powdered sugar 1/4 tsp orange blossom water1 tsp almond extractup to 3 tsp water  In food processor, grind up almonds until fine.  Add almond extract and orange blossom water and powdered sugar and mix until combined.   Add water one teaspoon at a time until mixture comes together as a crumbly dough.   
   Put out onto counter and use hands to press into a log (or 3 logs if making Stollen).  Add water scantily as needed.  Store in dark/cool place. 
  
  

date cocoa nut balls

 These are terrific.  Not too sweet, with lots of "superfoods" like nuts and dark cocoa and dates.  Also a good way to use up some old dates and nuts and nut butter that is too solid to combine by hand.  I needed a powerful snack for an upcoming intense day and these are so much better than any kind of packaged snack. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans (toasted)
  
• 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 7 to 8), cut into quarters
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• Scant 1/2 cup maple syrup (more like 1/3 c)
  
• 1/2 cup nut butter
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• I also added in some chunks of dark chocolate with blueberries at this point
  
• 1/2 cup whole almonds (toasted)
  

For topping/rolling the balls:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 Make the date balls: Place the walnuts and dates into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, and pulse several times until well combined. The pieces should look like a rough crumble.

Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt and pulse until the mixture is smooth and thick; it will start to peel away from the edge of the bowl.

When this happens, stop the food processor; if it keeps whirring away, it may get stuck because these ingredients are, well, sticky! Keep a close eye on this, as it will come together quickly.

2 Add the almonds: Add the almonds and pulse a few times to incorporate them. You want them sort of irregularly sized, so that some pieces are still pretty crunchy and offer a variety of textures.

3 Roll the date balls: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Place the coconut in a small bowl and the cocoa powder in another bowl.

Scoop out the mixture, roll it into golf-ball shapes, and roll in the shredded coconut or the cocoa powder (or leave plain).  

4 Chill and store the date balls: Transfer the date balls to a baking sheet with wax paper and chill them for a few hours or overnight, if needed. Once they've firmed up, transfer to a plastic lidded container and keep in the fridge.

AA's oatmeal bread

This recipe is from the aunt of a childhood friend, and we used to eat this bread in her mother's funky house with butter and homemade jam slathered atop.   Usually I only make sourdough these days but I was feeling a little nostalgic for this fall apart good bread, and I have work calls every morning which is making the sourdough process difficult.  Plus it's good to see that I don't lose my yeast bread skills. :)

Heat (not to boiling):

• 2 cups liquid (originally all water, but I like it 1 c water, 1 c milk - next time I'll use up powdered milk)
• 1-2 T honey (she called for 1/2 c)
• 2 T butter 

Mix in a bowl:

• 1 c oats
• 1 T salt

Add warm liquid to oats and let set about 1/2 hour.

Proof yeast: 2 T (packages) yeast in 1/3 c. water w/dash of sugar

Add yeast water to oats when at appropriate temperature.  

Add flour until kneadable (4-5 cups, so about 240 g. wheat ground, then white bread or all-purpose flour).

Knead, let rise, punch down and shape into two loaves, let rise again.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40ish minutes.