What's Baking: S'mores Brownies


I'm heading down to Chicago this weekend to meet up with some of my favorite girls -- a group of eight women I met at grad school -- geez, I just did the math! -- ten years ago. We try to get together a few times each year (earlier this year we met up for a mini-vacay at the beach), and this time we're meeting up to celebrate our friend's impending birth of her first child. Since I'm driving down to Chicago, I figured I might as well bring along a dessert to share. (Food and wine are a highlight of many of our get-togethers). I've had my eye on s'mores brownie recipes of late. (Darn you, Pinterest!) Though many of the recipes I looked at relied on boxed brownie mix, I opted to take it up a slight notch by baking the brownies from scratch. This makes up for all the super-processed ingredients on top, right? All in moderation.


S'mores Brownies
(printer-friendly version)
aka Where My Girls At? Brownies
makes 12 large brownies

For the brownies:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 1/3 cups raw granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

For the s'mores topping:
2 cups miniature marshmallows
4 graham crackers, broken into chunks
1 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, cut into 12 segments

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Set up a double broiler by placing a bowl over top a simmering pot of water. (The bowl should fit the pot tightly and should not touch the water.)
3. Add the chopped chocolate and cubed butter to the bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Once the chocolate and butter is nearly completely melted, remove the bowl from the pot. Continue stirring the chocolate mixture until smooth.
5. Stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
6. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold in the flour.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepped pan.
8. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean.
9. Let the brownies cool for a minute. Heat the oven to 500 degrees and set to broil.
10. Cover the brownies evenly with the mini marshmallows. Sprinkle the graham cracker chunks over top the marshmallow layer.
11. Place in the oven, 4-5 inches from the broiler. Broil for about 30-45 seconds, or until the marshmallows are golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
12. Remove the brownies from the oven. Place the chocolate segments over top the graham cracker/marshmallow layer. Allow the brownies to cool before cutting into squares.

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Made From Scratch: Chocolate Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping


Oh, man -- chocolate magic shell ice cream topping -- does that bring back childhood memories or what? I recall squirting this magical concoction over my vanilla ice cream a few times during my childhood; that and ordering the "chocolate dip" soft-serve cones from the local Whippy Dip. How does it turn solid so quickly? What's in this stuff, anyway? Turns out, it's pretty easy to make your own chocolate magic shell at home -- all it takes is two ingredients -- some chocolate (I used chocolate chips) and some coconut oil. Melt 'em together, give 'em a little stir, and you've got yourself a delicious ice cream topping with a fun little secret. Enjoy!

Chocolate Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping (printer-friendly version)
makes about 2 cups

12 oz (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chips (I used Guittard, my favorite brand)
1/3 cup organic coconut oil

1. Make a double broiler by placing a bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. The bowl should fit tightly and should not touch the water.
2. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir with a heat-resistant spoon or spatula.
3. As the chocolate begins to melt, stir in the coconut oil.
4. Once nearly all the chocolate chips have melted, remove the bowl from the double broiler and continue to stir the chocolate and coconut oil together until the mixture is smooth.
5. Let cool for a few minutes.
6. Spoon the topping over ice cream -- "ooh" and "ahh" as the magic happens.
7. Store leftover topping in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave to return it to its liquid form before using.

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What's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker Ratatouille v. 2.0


I watched Ratatouille over the weekend (who doesn't love a rat chef named Remy?) and figured I might as well make up a batch of the eponymous French entree for dinner this week. Since I'm lazy, I opted to make it in my slow-cooker, so my version is not quite as tear-inducing (or elegant) as Remy's. But it's still quite flavorful and a great accompaniment to a cold Northern Wisconsin autumn night.

Slow-Cooker Ratatouille v. 2.0 (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 eggplant, chopped into small cubes
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 small can low-sodium vegetable juice
1 8 oz can low-sodium tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

1. Add all of the ingredients into a 4-quart slow-cooker bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
3. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
4. Serve with French bread or over couscous, quinoa, or rice.
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What's Baking: Apple Crisp


Our goal this weekend was to hit up an apple orchard to score ourselves a big pile of apples for saucing and for use in other autumnal recipes. As we headed down to the nearest orchard (about an hour's drive south), I paged through the Joy the Baker Cookbook, which I recently picked up from the library. A recipe for Joy's "Man Bait" Apple Crisp caught my eye, and I immediately knew that I would be setting aside a few of our soon-to-be-purchased apples to make this recipe. I made a few adjustments, including halving her original recipe, but the great thing about crisps is that they're pretty hard to mess up.

Apple Crisp (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

For the apples:
6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into slices [I used McIntosh]
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom

For the topping:
1 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Add the apple slices to the baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Sprinkle over top the apple slices. Use your hands to combine the sugar mixture with the apples.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped pecans, and oats. Add in the unsalted butter, and use your hands to combine the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. Add 3/4 cup of the topping to the apple slices. Use your hands to combine the ingredients.
6. Cover the apples with the remaining topping, spreading it evenly.
7. Bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the apples are bubbly.
8. Let cool for a few minutes. Serve warm with a (generous) scoop of vanilla ice cream.

(adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook)
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What I Learned to Do: Harvest Wild Rice

{rice plants}

Wild rice is a plant unique to the Northwoods region  -- in the United States, it's mainly found in rivers and lakes in northern regions of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. Historically, wild rice has held an important role in western Great Lakes Native American culture. The Ojibwe people call wild rice "manoomin," which translates to "good berry." Wild rice has long been a staple -- both nutritionally and spiritually -- to the Ojibwe and other Lake Superior region Native Americans. Because of its importance, local tribes are still very much involved in the wild rice harvest. On managed waterways, representatives of area tribes, referred to as "rice chiefs," work together with DNR staff to determine when the rice is ripe and thus when the season can open (this occurs on a case-by-case basis; all lakes don't open for the season at the same time). The wild rice season typically opens mid- to late-August and lasts for about three to five weeks.

Harvesting wild rice is a quiet activity -- if you're lucky, the only sounds you'll hear are the paddles hitting the water, rice stalks hitting the hull of your boat, ducks scurrying out of the way, and the gentle knocking of rice kernels onto the floor of your canoe. There are no motors, no heavy mechanized equipment. Just you, your partner, a boat, and your ricing sticks. 

Rice harvesting usually takes two people -- one person to navigate and paddle the boat, the other to take charge of actually gathering the ripe rice seeds. Gathering the rice requires primitive equipment -- only wooden "flail" or "knocking" sticks (typically made from cedar) are allowed; one is used to carefully bend the tall rice stalks over the boat; the other is used to gently "knock" the rice kernels into the canoe. The other key piece of equipment is a valid wild rice harvesting license. In Wisconsin, only state residents are permitted to harvest wild rice. The cost of a license is $8.25 per household.

{canoes}

D and I learned the process of gathering wild rice as part of a outdoor adventures series community course taught by Wil Losch and Rae Lundburg through Nicolet College. Our day began at 8:30a when we met the rest of the participants at the college campus. After quick introductions, we made our way via caravan to Big Lake in Three Lakes, which would be our rice harvesting location for the day. This particular lake had opened for the season to wild rice harvesters just two weeks prior to our class.

{wild rice open season}

Once we arrived, Rae and Wil gave us a crash course on the basics of harvesting wild rice. Rae showed us how to use the ricing sticks.

 {Rae demonstrating the knocking technique}

And Wil demonstrated how to use the long push-pole. (D and I opted to use paddles in our canoe.)

{Will explains how the long push-pole works}

Soon enough, we were in our canoe and pushed out into the lake. We soon discovered that we had missed the peak of the harvesting season -- much of the rice plants had already been picked over by earlier harvesters -- whether human or waterfowl. 

{long view of the rice plants}

D navigated the boat away from the boat launch and we found ourselves a patch of rice plants that were full of the dark ripened seeds. 

 {paddling man}

I went to work, using my newly learned skills to gently harvest the rice kernels and plop them into our boat. I think a lot more plopped back into the lake. Which really isn't a bad thing, as they'll hopefully grow to be a part of next year's wild rice harvest. Wil encouraged us to be greedy and harvest as much as possible -- the truth is, as hard as we might try to clear all the plants of their seeds, only about 10-15 percent of the total seeds are harvested by humans each year -- meaning there's plenty left for wildlife and natural reseeding.

{using the knocking/ricing sticks to harvest wild rice kernels}

After just a few hours' time of gathering rice, we didn't have all that much to show for it. Much of what landed in our boat were empty hulls, something Rae referred to as "ghost rice." In the end, we added our "haul" to the community bag of rice; after the rice is finished (which involves drying, parching, hulling/dancing, and winnowing) the plan is to divvy up the final product amongst all the class participants.

{our morning "haul"}

After our few hours of "hard" work, we were greeted with cups of warm cream of rice soup and a sweet wild rice dessert concoction to enjoy, all courtesy of Wil's wife. Both dishes were quite delicious. 

{enjoying a wild rice dessert after a morning on the lake}

One of the more interesting facts I learned about wild rice is that much of the "wild rice" you find for sale in grocery stores is actually cultivated rice that is grown in rice paddies. Signs that what you're purchasing may not be truly "wild" rice include a dark black color (naturally-grown wild rice tends to vary in color, from light brown to black) and a uniform shape (naturally-grown wild rice tends to come in a variety of sizes). Another sign is a low price. If the cost is less than $5/pound, there's a good chance it was not hand-harvested from the wild. Due to the intensive labor required to hand harvest and finish naturally-grown wild rice, it is typically much more expensive. 

In the end, though we may not have harvested much rice, we did get to enjoy an experience unique to the Northwoods, and we hope to use our newly-acquired skills to harvest wild rice on our own next year. 

More Information:

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What's For Dinner: Cornbread Chili Bake


Whenever I make chili, I tend to make a ton of it. So, sure, I could eat a bowl of chili for lunch and dinner until it's gone, or I could use it another recipe, and pretend it's a whole new thing. Cassie at Back to Her Roots posted a recipe for a chili-cheese bake recently, and I thought I'd give it a whirl myself, given I had a whole lot of chili on hand again. I changed things up a bit by opting for a cornbread topper rather than Cassie's flaxbread version. If you're feeling extra decadent, add a layer of shredded cheese over the chili before covering it with the flaxbread batter.

Cornbread Chili Bake (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

3-4 cups leftover chili, heated
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups organic skim milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the heated leftover chili into the bottom of the dish.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Stir in the honey, beaten egg, skim milk, and canola oil.
5. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
6. Spoon the cornmeal mixture evenly over top the chili layer.
7. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched. [Note: if you don't preheat your chili, first bring it to room temperature, and then increase the cooking time to 45-50 minutes.]
8. Let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

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What's Baking: Banana Bread with Coconut and Mini Chocolate Chips


I probably should just rename this blog "A More Banana Bread Filled Life" as I seem to bake a loaf on a weekly basis. As is typically the case, we had some rather blackened bananas on the countertop -- I swear, bananas ripen at an amazingly fast pace in this house -- so I deemed it necessary to start the morning off with a quick round of bread baking. I added in some shredded coconut and mini chocolate chips I had on hand to round out today's version of my favorite quick bread.

Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes one large loaf

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
3 super-ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease (use cooking spray or rub with butter) one large (9-inch) loaf pan.
3. In an electric mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and coconut.
5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and mashed banana to the butter-sugar-egg-vanilla mixture. Stir between additions by hand.
6. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the bread center comes out clean.
9. Remove the bread from the oven and place pan on wire rack. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
10. After 10 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.
11. Cut a slice (or two!) to eat and then wrap the remaining loaf in aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to a week.
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What's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker Black Bean Bulgur Chili


I have a feeling I'm going to be making a lot of chili this autumn. It's only just past the middle of September, and already I'm reaching for warming comfort food. Looks like I may also need to start reaching for the car keys and driving over to the Y for 6 a.m. spin classes...

I was on the search for a new chili recipe to try out this time around and as I paged through a few different cookbooks I have on hand, I found several different recipes that called for using bulgur as a protein replacement for meat. (Bulgur, a grain which originates in the Middle East, has about 6 grams of protein and 8 grams of dietary fiber per cooked cup.) So, here you go -- super filling [and meat free!] bulgur chili with black beans!


Slow-Cooker Black Bean Bulgur Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 cup bulgur
2 cups hot water
1 orange pepper, de-ribbed, de-seeded, and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 14.5-oz can roasted diced tomatoes
2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder
1 cup organic vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine together the bulgur and hot water. Let the bulgur sit for 15-20 minutes. After the time has elapsed, drain off any remaining liquid and squeeze out any excess water. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute the chopped onion and pepper over medium heat until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place the sauteed veggies into a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
3. In a small skillet, saute the chopped mushrooms over medium heat until lightly browned and softened. Add to the slow cooker bowl.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and black beans to the slow cooker mixture.
5. Season with oregano, chili powder, ground ancho chile pepper, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
6. Stir in the cocoa powder and veggie broth.
7. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Serve with a variety of toppings such as oyster crackers, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, or fresh chopped chives.

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What I'm Drinking: Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet


Supper Club culture is alive and well up here in Northern Wisconsin. And it just seems right that every meal starts with an old-fashioned. Personally, I prefer a brandy old-fashioned sweet (which apparently if I'm not mistaken is the Wisconsin standard), while D opts for a whiskey old-fashioned sweet. I tasked D with making our evening libations while I cooked up dinner this evening. This is how he made mine:

Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet (printer-friendly version)
makes one cocktail

2 sugar cubes
1 orange slice (plus an additional orange wedge for garnish)
1 homemade maraschino cherry
Angostura bitters
1 oz brandy
3 oz club soda

1. Add the cherry, orange slice, sugar cubes, a splash of club soda, and three dashes of Angostura bitters to the bottom of an old-fashioned glass. Muddle the ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add ice to the glass.
3. Top with brandy and club soda. Give it a little stir.
4. Garnish with an orange wedge and serve.
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What I'm Working On: A Tale About Wild Rice


On Friday, I got a call letting me know that spaces had opened up in a wild rice harvesting class that D and I had signed up (and been waitlisted) for through Nicolet College. I have a lot to say about our experiences (and about wild rice itself), but first I need to put ink to paper. (Er, that or fingertips to keyboard, but that doesn't sound quite as romantic.) So, in the meantime, how about I re-link to a wild rice recipe from last year to whet your appetite?



Wild Rice with Toasted Pecans and Dried Cherries (printer-friendly version)
makes four to six servings

1/2 cup pecans, chopped
4 scallions (green onions)
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cup wild rice
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons filtered water
1/2 cup dried cherries

1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, toast the chopped pecans over medium heat. Toast for about five minutes, or until the pecans become fragrant. Shake continuously while toasting to prevent the nuts from scorching. Remove the toasted pecans from the skillet and set aside.
2. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the green parts from the white parts.
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan (that has a lid) over medium heat.
4. Add the scallion whites and saute until soft, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the wild rice and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6. In a separate saucepan, combine the vinegar, dried cherries, and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, about two to three minutes.
7. Transfer the dried cherry mixture to a bowl and stir in the cooked rice mixture, scallion greens, and chopped toasted pecans. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve warm or room temperature.

(adapted from this Everyday Food recipe)

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What I'm Snacking On: Toast (Yeah, Toast!)

Sometimes when I'm hungry, all it takes is a toasted slice of bread and some simple toppings to satiate my appetite. I almost always pick up a loaf of French or sourdough bread from the grocery store at least once a week, as I love to have fresh bread on hand. (Though I think it's fair to say that, given my love of all-things-bready, I might be in need of a carb-intervention.)

I also typically have a fridge stocked with some interesting ingredients that need to be used up, so I decided to top a couple of slices of bread with some different flavor combinations. First up: toasted French bread with fig butter, melted gruyere, fresh arugula, and a drizzle of honey. Holy yumtown.


And of course, an oldie but a goodie -- simple bruschetta on a toasted slice of French bread with pesto, a Wisconsin-grown sliced tomato, a few fresh mozzarella pearls, and some freshly-torn spinach leaves. (Look at me, all wild-and-crazy by substituting spinach for basil. That, or I didn't have any fresh basil on hand...)



The great thing about toasted French bread is that your options for toppings are nearly endless -- whether you want something sweet (such as a simple slather of ricotta cheese, a drizzle of honey, and a few fresh berries), or something savory (such as melted provolone and some thinly-sliced sausage) -- you're only limited by the ingredients you have on hand and your own imagination. Yeah, toast!
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What I'm Snacking On: Herbed Garlic Greek Yogurt Dip


I meant to make this dip on Sunday to enjoy with the day's football games, but life happened and I only managed to make game day chili. However, what do you know, now it's Thursday and there's another football game on. Since the Packers are playing (Go Pack Go!, etc.), I figured I might as well make the dip for tonight's game. However, what I forgot to remember was that the game is only aired on the NFL network (which we don't subscribe to) ... I'm sure a sports bar wouldn't mind if I brought along my own snacks, right? (Ha!) Ah well, I'm sure it will work just as well as a pre-game snack. Whatever the case, with its fresh ingredients and nonfat Greek yogurt base, this dip is a healthy alternative to the tubs of pre-prepared dips you can purchase at the grocery store. And with just a few ingredients, it's super easy to make, too.

Herbed Garlic Greek Yogurt Dip (printer-friendly version)
makes one cup

1 cup plain Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani 0%)
2 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed (or finely minced)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients.
2. Spoon the dip into a container with a lid.
3. Chill in the fridge for one hour (or overnight) to allow the flavors a chance to meld together.
4. Serve with chips or dip-friendly veggies such as carrots, celery, or broccoli florets.


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What's Baking: Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins


Ah, gotta love frustrating mornings. Sometimes, when I'm feeling just a bit too flustered, I find that spending 20 minutes in the kitchen baking can improve my mood dramatically. I've always found the careful measuring, sifting, and stirring required by baking recipes to be particularly soothing. So, today, after a rather frustrating morning in which I determined, that no, it wasn't déjà vu, and instead my writer had in fact reused art in all the wrong places, I took a quick break to bake up two batches of mini muffins. Fortuitously, yesterday I had taken several bananas out of the freezer and placed them in a bowl in the fridge to thaw -- so I already knew what my key ingredient would be. Since I've made about 1,000 loaves of banana bread lately (slight exaggeration), I decided to go completely wild and crazy and make up a batch of mini muffins. These little muffins provide the perfect portion to accompany a calming cup of green tea.

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes ~44 mini muffins

1/3 cup unsalted butter (5 1/3 tablespoons)
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened finely shredded coconut
2 cups mashed banana (four ripe bananas)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
3. In an electric mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and shredded coconuts.
5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and mashed banana to the butter-sugar-egg-vanilla mixture. Stir between additions by hand. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Remove the muffins from the oven and place pan on wire rack. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.
10. The muffins can be stored in a tightly-closed container for several days, or freeze to enjoy later.
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What I'm Snacking On: Black Sesame Seed Crackers


Since I mastered the art of baking flatbread the other week, I figured I'd take it one step further and bake up a batch of crackers. Of course, I couldn't make plain crackers, as I opted to add in a healthy handful of black sesame seeds to the mix. These crackers took about 20-25 minutes to bake in my oven, but I think they should really only take about 15-20 minutes to crisp up. (The crackers will continue to firm up after you remove them from the oven.) My 1960s stove appears to be starting to show its age -- it is routinely warming to about 200 degrees hotter than the temperature to which I'm setting it, and it also is not staying consistently at the set temperature once it has warmed up. Nothing could be more frustrating to someone who likes to bake a lot! So, if my oven does not get into line soon, I may have to stop including recipes for awhile until I can ensure that the temperatures and cooking times I'm providing are accurate and can be replicated.

Black Sesame Seed Crackers (printer-friendly version)
makes about three dozen crackers

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and sesame seeds.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the water and olive oil.
4. Stir to combine.
5. Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto a lightly-floured work surface. Knead the dough a couple of times.
6. Split the dough into three balls. Wrap each in a piece of plastic wrap. Chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
7. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Working with one dough ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll the dough as flat as possible into a rectangular shape. (Add more flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.)
8. Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut the crackers into squares. (Depending on how even your rectangle is, you may have some funky-shaped crackers along the edge of the dough.)
9. Sprinkle the crackers with Maldon salt.
10. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown. Watch them carefully at the end of the cooking time, as they can go from "done" to "burned" very quickly.
11. Remove the crackers from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
12. Crackers can be stored in a tightly-closed container for up to one week.
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What's For Dinner: Game Day Chili


There is a definite chill in the air these days. It looks like autumn really is right around the corner. I am looking forward to jumping wholeheartedly into the days of sweaters, boots, and puffy vests. And of course, with the arrival of fall comes the beginning of the football season. Let's face it, I am a fickle fan, and typically adopt whatever team I'm located nearest to. So, while in the past I may have rooted for the Bengals, Bears, or Broncos, I am now a HUGE Packers fan. (Don't tell my Chicago friends.) Of course, by "huge," I mean I'll watch the games and pretend like I care what the outcome is. (Don't tell my Wisconsin friends.) But, regardless of who's playing, I still want to prepare a delicious spread of food to go along with the game. For the Packers' season opener yesterday, I made D and myself a slow-cooker-full of veggie chili.

Game Day Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes 6+ servings

1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz-can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz-can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz-can diced tomatoes (preferably no salt added)
1 8-oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic into the 4-qt bowl of a slow cooker.
2. Stir in the rinsed beans.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes (including the juices) and tomato sauce.
4. Season with cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.
5. Place the cover onto the bowl and cook on high for 4.5 to 5 hours.
6. Serve with toppings such as crackers, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, and freshly chopped chives.
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Five More Things I Learned in Alaska

I'm still processing everything I experienced and learned in Alaska -- plus I think I'm still on Alaska Standard Time ... so how about another list to end the week? 


1. Gravlax (raw salmon cured in a mixture of salt, sugar, and herbs) is delicious! And so easy to make. Add some homemade crackers, a fresh vegetable relish, and a simple cream sauce -- and you've got yourself a ready-to-serve appetizer.


2. Stuff a whole (scaled and gutted) fish with fresh herbs and a few slices of lemon, season it with salt and pepper, and it's ready for the grill.


3. Sustainability was written into Alaska's state constitution. The state mandates that “fish…be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle.”


4. Butter makes everything better.


5. There's always room for dessert. Always.
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Five Things I Learned in Alaska


{Newsflash: Alaska is big. Real big.} [via]

1. Alaska is huge. I mean, sure, I knew before this trip that Alaska was ginormous, but seeing an image such as the one above really puts the state's size into perspective. And to think that just the islands at the southeastern tip of the state are gorgeous . . . I'd love to see what the rest of Alaska has to offer.

{Kristy rocked fishing on the rough seas; me, not so much}

2. For me, Dramamine had no effect when fishing on rough seas. On our second day out, I decided head out with the "rough water" fishing boat rather than go with the "calm water" crew. Having gotten slightly seasick the day before, I knew I was playing with fire, but having drugged myself up with Dramamine in plenty of time, I thought I'd be okay. (The day before I'd only taken a Dramamine tablet just before getting on the boat.) I got about three or four casts out on the second day, and then was done. In my defense, the waters were really choppy, with 3-foot waves. Luckily, lying down in the cabin was enough to quell my nauseousness, and I managed not to chum.

{Ginger gum was a lifesaver}

Having said that, I must say that ginger gum and candied ginger is awesome. It really helped to take the edge off on the first day of fishing. On the second day, I think I was too far gone in terms of seasickness, but eating some candied ginger did help to settle my stomach for a short time. The candied ginger was so delicious that I think I might need to make up a batch just to have on hand for a little sweet-spicy snack.

{Chef Patrick and Chef Dan show us how it's done.}

3. Watching two professional chefs cooking in the outdoor kitchen was an amazing experience. And even better than watching them at work was getting to eat everything that they made. And, oh my, eat we did. I can say without a doubt that I ate more seafood over the past four days than I have in my entire life. And it was all delicious. And incredibly inspiring. Also, I really need to take a knife skills class.

For those of you that live in the Boston area, you must go to The Oceanaire Seafood Room, home to Chef Dan Enos. (He's hilarious!) And for those of you who live in the Anchorage area, you should definitely head to Bridge Seafood, home to Chef Patrick Hoogerhyde. (You won't meet a nicer guy than him.)

{mountain o' crab}

4. Before this trip, I'd never eaten crab or shrimp. (A casualty of growing up in the landlocked Midwest, where "fresh off the boat" seafood either doesn't exist or comes at a high price.) Though I tried several types of shrimp and crab while in Alaska, I have to admit eating these sea creatures is a bit too interactive for my taste. I like to know where my food comes from and I don't think we should ever gloss over the fact that we are eating formerly-living creatures -- but I'm really not one for cracking open legs and claws. This is the same reason why I don't like to eat things off the bone such as ribs or turkey legs. I do have to admit that the shrimp and crab legs were quite tasty. Maybe I could just get D to crack 'em open for me while I look away? (I'm sure he'd love to see king crab on the dinner menu at home...)

{accommodations at the Talon Lodge}

5. If you're traveling to Sitka and plan to go freshwater or saltwater fishing, you should stay at the Talon Lodge, located on private Apple Island. The accommodations were cozy and comfortable, the meals were delicious, the views were stunning, and lodge owners Phil and Gwen -- along with their entire staff -- were incredibly friendly and welcoming. 
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Where I'm At: On a Plane (or Chilling in an Airport)

{via}

To say my trip to Alaska was amazing (read: a-mah-zing) would be a major understatement. My time in (just a tiny portion of) the state was incredible -- from the people I met to all that I learned and experienced -- I am so glad that I accepted the invitation to travel there. However, the one downside of traveling to Alaska (from a small town in Northern Wisconsin) is that it takes five flights to get from Point A to Point B. And though I'm leaving on Wednesday, I won't arrive back in to 'sconi until late in the morning on Thursday. But, that's definitely a small price to pay for a trip of a lifetime. I'd say "once in a lifetime," but there's no doubt that I'll return to Alaska someday. 


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What I'm Doing: Watching Salmon Spawn


I thought I'd hop in really quick today and give you a little peek at what I've been seeing while here in Alaska. Today a group of us went hiking in Sitka, and among the sights we saw were salmon in the midst of their spawning migration upriver. In some parts of the river, it was a bit of an intense scrum as the salmon tried to swim past one another upstream on their way back to their spawning grounds. Many fish were dead by the side of the water; either having never made it back, or having been washed back downriver by recent rainstorms after successfully attempting to reproduce further upstream. Quite an interesting thing to see in person -- particularly after having spent several days fishing in the ocean and some members of our group having had the luck to catch a few salmon while out on the open water.   
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Where I'm At: Sitka, Alaska


I'm spending my Labor Day holiday in Sitka, Alaska at the invitation of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). While here, I'm learning various seafood cooking techniques, heading out onto the open water for fishing (yesterday I caught three rockfish on the line and three crabs in my crab pot!), and exploring what this region of Alaska has to offer. This afternoon we're learning about Alaska's sustainable fisheries and management practices and this evening we will be tasting a variety of Alaskan crab species. I can't wait to share everything that I learn with you! 
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