Orange Ricotta Tea Bread

Orange Ricotta Tea Bread

6

1 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, separated

2 ½ cups flour

Dash of cinnamon

¼ cup orange juice

1 cup ricotta

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 

2. Line a 14cm x 21cm loaf pan with baking paper.

3. In an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until pale. 

4. Add the sugar and orange rind, and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. 

5. Gradually add in the egg yolks, one at a time, on medium speed. 

6. Continue to beat until fully combined.

7. Mix in the sifted flour on low speed until just combined. 

8. Add combined juice and yogurt on low speed until just combined.

9. Beat the egg whites in a small clean bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. 

10. Gently fold a third of the egg whites into the cake mixture. 

11. Repeat with the rest of the egg whites.

12. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Persimmon Tea Bread

Persimmon Tea Bread

3

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

dash of cayenne

1 cup persimmon puree

1 cup canola oil

1 1/3 cups honey

3 eggs

3/4 cups chopped walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Grease and fit loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cayenne in a large bowl. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the persimmon puree, oil, and honey until well-combined.

5. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

6. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

7. Fold in the walnuts, stirring just until combined. Do not over-mix.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

9. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean.

10. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

11. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

*To make persimmon puree, remove the skin and seeds from about 5-6 ripe persimmons and puree in a food processor until smooth.

African Peanut Soup

African Peanut Soup

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 large red bell peppers, chopped

2 cups of shredded cabbage

1 small sweet potato, diced

1 large clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

8 cups vegetable stock

½ teaspoon crushed black pepper

1-2 teaspoons crushed red chili peppers

½ cup uncooked short-grained brown rice

1 to 1 and ½ cup of natural chunky peanut butter

Minced tomato, cilantro, and peanuts for garnish, optional

1. In a large soup kettle sauté onions, bell peppers, ginger, cabbage, sweet potato, and garlic in oil until the onions are just beginning to brown.

2. Add the tomatoes with the juice, stock, black peppers, and chili peppers and simmer uncovered over low heat for 30 minutes. 

3. Add the rice, cover and simmer for 15 minutes more. 

4. Stir in the peanut butter to desired consistency and taste until peanut butter is dissolved.

5. Heat to a simmer, garnish and serve.

Lavender Cardamom Nectarine Muffins

Lavender Cardamom Nectarine Muffins

2

1 ½ cup flour

1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Dash of cinnamon

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

¾ cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon lavender flowers

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 ripe nectarine, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together honey, sugar, and butter.

3. In a separate, small bowl, sift together flour, cardamom, and baking soda.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla to butter and sugar.

5. Cream together.

6. Gently stir in flour mixture until just combined.

7. Add lavender flowers and chopped nectarine and stir.

8. Spoon into muffin tins that have been greased.

9. Top each muffin with sliced stone fruit and sprinkle with lavender.

10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted and comes out clean.

11. Let cool and serve. 

Grape and Ginger Tart

Grape and Ginger Tart

3

1½ cup fine gingersnap cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons butter

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese

¼ cups sour cream

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 tablespoons finely slivered or chopped crystallized ginger

2 cups seedless green and red grapes, each cut in half

2 tablespoons apple jelly, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a medium bowl, with a fork, stir crumbs and sugar with melted margarine or butter until evenly blended and moistened.

3. With hand, press mixture onto bottom and up the side of 9-inch pie plate or 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

4. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Cool on wire rack

6. In a medium bowl, with spoon or fork, mix cream cheese, sour cream, cinnamon, sugar, and 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger until evenly blended.

7. Spoon filling into cooled crust; spread evenly.

8. Place enough grape halves, cut side down, on top of filling to make a single layer. Scatter remaining grape halves over pie.

9. With a pastry brush, carefully brush warm apple jelly over grapes and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon slivered crystallized ginger.

10. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.

11. Let tart stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Corn Chowder with Wild Rice

Corn Chowder with Wild Rice

4 large ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed (about 4 cups)

Cobs, reserved and halved

Chunk of Parmesan cheese rind

1 ½ cups sweet potato, diced

1 large Vidalia onion, diced

3 tablespoons butter

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 cups cooked wild rice

parsley chopped for garnish

1. In a stockpot over medium heat, combine cobs, Parmesan cheese rind, and 7 cups water, and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Remove cobs with tongs and discard; reserve stock.

3. Add sweet potato, onion, and butter to a pot.

4. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, paprika, and cook until potato and onion soften about 15 minutes.

5. Add garlic and rosemary, and cook for 1 minute.

6. Add corn kernels, 5 cups of reserved corn stock, pepper, and remaining salt, and bring to a simmer.

7. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.

8. Transfer pureed soup back into stock pot.

9. Stir wild rice. 

10. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

This is a post from my old blog "Steeping, reaping and cooking my way through life".  I hope you enjoy and Happy Father's Day to the fathers.  

My dad currently lives in San Diego, so I will not be celebrating the day with him.   

I tried to look up any interesting information about Father's Day, but could only find information that said in the early 1900s Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton celebrated it in Fairmont, West Virginia and Sonora Dodd is credited with the holiday becoming an official holiday in the United States.  No history about myths and legends.  It seems more recent in origin. 
So maybe I should start a myth about Father's Day?  What should it be about?  If it were my dad it would have Clint Eastwood in it and Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon.  He likes action and romance (he's Polish, who are known as the romantics of the North).  My dad was raised on a farm, so I got my love of gardening from him and he does drink tea (need to have the myth center around at least 2 of my 3 things I talk about in my blog).  
So hhhm here we go.  Ok, still trying to think.  Clint is a west coast/cowboy type of guy and we need him in something several hundred years ago.  For some reason Reese seems more period piece and dad really likes her more right now, so she's the main gal/love interest in this myth.  Maybe Clint as a Marco Polo type guy?  That at least makes it early enough to give it legend or myth like qualities.  Marco Polo also was in China and probably was in some rural areas where tea and gardening was happening.  We can make Marco a bad ass for dad's sake. 
Here we go.  You see Father's Day all started when Marco Polo (Clint Eastwood) went to the Wuyi Mountains in China to discover the origin of a magic elixir he had in Bagdad called tea.  He traveled far and wide to find the source of this exlixir.  He traveled to Ormuz and no luck.  He went to Karakorum and still no luck.  He went to Beijing where at least he was able to find some clues and a general direction.  Upon getting to Hangchow city after severals years of roaming he was warned that an evil man (Steve Buscemi, dad likes how he plays slimy guys so well)  illegally ruled the Wuyi mountains and is holding the rightful and just ruler's (Denzel Washington, dad likes him) daughter hostage (Reese Witherspoon).  The just ruler, Puer-eh offered vast sums of money to anyone who freed his daughter, Oolong.  Thousands died trying to save her and it had been several years since anyone tried.  Marco Polo heard all the stories about how the evil man, Coffee would torture the men who were only trying to save Oolong.  None of these stories dissuade Marco, he just said "I'm a badass!"  

In the meantime Puer-eh was at his wits end and was even going to try to save her himself.  This is when Marco Polo walks in the door and says, "I will save your daughter".  
Upon reaching the Wuyi Mountains Marco Polo sees a fireworks display and gets the idea to make a makeshift device that would use this gunpowder, he called it a gun.  Tons of gun fighting ensues or at least Marco does the gun fighting.  Since this weapon was never used before, Marco Polo was easily able to defeat Coffee and his army himself.  He is also able to rescue Oolong and return her to her father.  Puer-eh was so happy that his daughter was safe that he offered vast sums of money and his kingdom to Marco for saving his daughter, but Marco refused and only wanted to know more about the magic elixir called tea. His only other request was that Oolong escort him while he was learning about tea.  This seemed like such a small request that the daughter and ruler were happy to oblige.  Oolong escorted Marco to the tea growing areas and showed him the process of tea making.  During this time she became smitten with this just and kind man.  He had saved her life and could have anything he wanted, but all he wanted was to learn about tea and maybe look at the beautiful Oolong.  They slowly fell in love.  After Marco learned all he could about tea, he asked Puer-eh for his daughters hand in marriage.  Puer-eh saw how in love both Marco and Oolong were and was very happy to give his daughter to this kind man.  During the wedding ceremony they ate noodles to celebrate the festive occasion (the original spaghetti western).  Puer-eh gave the new couple a large tract of land to grow tea as a wedding gift.  

The new couple lived a happy life with many children on this tea farm.  They experimented with new ways to process tea until Puer-eh fell ill.  Marco and Oolong rushed to the ruler's bed to comfort him until he died.  Puer-eh praised Marco for saving his daughter and for saving his country from Coffee.  He also mentioned that he was worried about his country and wanted another just ruler to take his place.  Marco would hear nothing of it at first, he knew what Puer-eh was driving at.  Marco was completely happy on his tea farm with his family, but he also knew that a few of the Puer-eh's unsavory relatives were vying for the chance to rule the country.  So after a couple days Marco relented and told Puer-eh that he would rule the kingdom after Puer-eh dies.  Sadly Puer-eh dies soon afterwards.  

Shortly after Puer-eh's burial Marco is pronounced king.  The first decree Marco makes after his inauguration is to declare a new holiday to celebrate Puer-eh and all fathers who are just and kind.  He wanted the holiday to be June 19th to honor Puer-eh's birthday.  His second decree is to banish all Coffee from his kingdom (this is why Chinese people drink tea instead of coffee).  
Marco's life is good until one day Oolong has a particular hard labor and dies.  Marco is so distraught that soon after she is buried, he tells his oldest son (Mark Wallberg) that he is now king.  Once Lapsong Souchong, the oldest son is inaugrated Marco slips away one night.  He heads back to Venice to forget his life in China.  He tells the Venetians about his travels and the many things he learned, except anything having to do with tea and the Wuyi Mountains.  The one exception was the holiday called Father's Day.  He mentioned that the Chinese celebrate a holiday for fathers on the third week in June, he does not mention that he created the holiday.  The Venetians decide to adopt the holiday as one of their own.  
Marco eventually settles down and marries again, not even telling his second wife about his first wife.  Little does Marco know what a big influence he and his Chinese family were to tea.  Many tea names come from his family and coffee was never a big drink in China.

Tomato Red Pepper Soup

Tomato Red Pepper Soup

A fun and tasty twist on the classic tomato soup with grilled cheese.

7

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium red bell peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

3-4 cups plum tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

dash or two of cayenne

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

4 slices toasted multigrain bread

1 clove garlic

1 1/4 cups shredded aged white Cheddar cheese

1. Sauté peppers and onion in a large Dutch oven in melted butter over medium-high heat 10 minutes until golden and tender.

2. Stir in garlic and next 2 ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

3. Stir in tomatoes and next 5 ingredients.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes.

5. Stir in cream and basil; season with salt and pepper.

6. Grilled Cheese Croutons: Rub bread with garlic clove.

7. Place on a baking sheet; sprinkle with cheese.

8. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

9. Let stand 1 minute; cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

10. Top soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons.

Farro and Chickpea Soupsou

Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro is an ancient grain that is used in Italian dishes like salad and soups.  It is chewy even after cooking for awhile in a soup.  I hope you like this recipe and barley can be substituted if farro is hard to find.  Enjoy!

1 ½ cups farro, soaked for an hour or longer in cold water

tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely diced

2 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

3 bay leaves

1 garlic clove, peeled

a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind

2 cups of chopped tomatoes

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups chickpeas cooked

2 cups of Swiss chard

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced rosemary

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Drain the farro.

2. Heat the oil in a wide soup pot and add the onion, celery, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the garlic, cheese rind, drained farro, tomatoes, and stock.

5. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and simmer until the farro is tender about 20 minutes.

6. Add the chickpeas and Swiss chard.

&.  Cook another 5-10 minutes.

7. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

8. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle over some olive oil, add the rosemary, and grate in a little cheese.

Tipping the teapot while camping

I loved going camping in the summer as a child and have many fond memories of telling stories by the campfire.  Watching the memorizing fire and the smell fire brings me back to my childhood.

When you think of tea you may never think of camping, but many people like to enjoy a little quiet time in the morning before enjoying hiking, swimming, biking, etc....  Tea is the perfect drink to have during camping.  When you get up and revive the fire or re-stoke the smoldering fire from the night before. Put on a fire proof kettle with some water, then make your favorite breakfast and put some loose leaf tea in your strainer of choice or if the teapot has a strainer wait until the water is hot enough and pour the tea in the kettle.  When the kettle whistles just pour the water in a cup with a strainer for correct amount of time or pour the tea into the kettle and pour when properly steeped.  Relax and enjoy your breakfast, tea and the scenic view in a zen like peace.  Enjoy tea throughout the day to give yourself a healthy hydrate.

Jasmine Tea Infused Truffles

Jasmine Tea Infused Truffles

3

24 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

2 cups heavy cream

6 ounces of loose leaf jasmine pearl green tea

11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups cocoa powder, for rolling

3

1. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate together in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

3. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; heat until cream just comes to a boil.

4. Place tea in a medium bowl.

5. Pour cream over tea and let steep 10 minutes.

6. Strain cream mixture through a sieve.

7. In the bowl of the chocolate add 1 1/3 cups of the cream mixture, reserving any remaining cream for another use.

8. Using a spatula, mix together, starting from the center of the bowl and working your way to the outer edges until mixture is emulsified.

9. Add butter and mix until well combined.

10. Pour mixture into a prepared baking sheet, evenly spreading the mixture with an offset spatula; cover with plastic wrap, pressing down gently on the chocolate mixture to prevent a skin from forming.

11. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

12. Line the back of another baking sheet with parchment paper.

13. Uncover chocolate and invert onto parchment paper; remove the second piece of plastic wrap.

14. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and a ruler as a guide, cut chocolate into 1-inch squares.

15. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

16. Roll each square of chocolate between your hands to form a smooth ball.

17. Transfer chocolate balls to baking sheet; refrigerate for 1 hour.

18. Melt remaining 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

19. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish.

20. Place some of the melted chocolate in the palm of your hand and roll a chocolate ball in the melted chocolate to coat, then roll in cocoa powder.

21. Repeat process with remaining chocolate balls.

22. Transfer truffles to an airtight container, stacking truffles no more than 2 to 3 inches high, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

23. Bring truffles to room temperature just before serving.

Creamy Lemon Squares

Creamy Lemon Squares

3

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

½ cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup flour 

4 large egg yolks

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

¾ cup fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 

2. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

3. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper.

4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy.

5. Add flour, and mix on low just until combined.

6. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan; prick all over with a fork.

7. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

8. In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth.

9. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

10. Cool completely in pan.

11. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days.

12. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.