My Favorite Blueberry Muffins

Ben and I have watched a lot of United States of Tara episodes on Netflix lately.  I love this show.  It appeals to me as far as the visuals, writing, and especially the psychology.  I am fascinated by psychology.

On the show, Tara has dissociative identity disorder.  She struggles with several different alter personalities.  One reason I find the show interesting is because I feel like we all have alters to some degree.  Most of us don't act out our alters in uncontrolled fashions.  We act differently between sets of friends, work vs. personal time, or even different time periods in our lives.

Several of Tara's alters are her at a younger stage.  She has one where she is a teenager and one where she is 5.  I think we can all say that we have changed through the years.  Think about how different your behavior may be between you as a kid vs. college vs. now.  Some of us have less variation.  Others probably have extremes.  I sometimes think of the different time periods and also cities I lived in as my alters.


This recipe reminds me of my Asheville alter.  I found the recipe while I was living in Asheville in 2004.  it's hard to believe that was 8 years ago.  I was 24, single, and loving the small mountain town lifestyle.  I hung out with friends and was surrounded by music.  I attempted new things like ultimate frisbee.  I took hikes, frequented festivals, and enjoyed every local restaurant I could find.  And I dreamed of being with someone like Ben.  This was about a year before we started dating.

I've mentioned my favorite Asheville bakery previously, West End Bakery.  I loved walking down to the bakery and picking up their spelt blueberry muffins.  While this recipe is not spelt, I find the same qualities that I like in a blueberry muffin.  I've loved blueberry muffins my whole life.  This love has made me a bit picky. I have altered this recipe to be less sweet and more blueberries with some cinnamon.

Here is to my Asheville alter!

Blueberry Muffins
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 cups blueberries (use as many as you want.  I like lots of blueberries)

Directions:
1.  Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in large bowl.
2.  In liquid measuring cup, measure 1/3 cup oil.  Break egg into measuring cup.  Add milk until you reach 1 cup.
3.  Mix oil mixture with dry mix.
4.  Add blueberries and mix by hand.
5.  Pour batter into muffin tins.  Use liners if you like.
6.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

This made 6 jumbo muffins

Panir

Panir is a traditional Indian cheese, and it is one of the easiest cheeses to make.  It can be done in two hours, from start to finish with things normally found in the kitchen. You can even make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge.  It is not salted, so it will not last much longer than a week.  If you store it, make sure you put it in a ziplock bag, so that it doesn't pick up any smells or flavors from your fridge.  Panir can be used in the same way that firm tofu can.  It has very little flavor on its own, and picks up the flavors of whatever it is cooked in.

Here is what you need:

• 1 gallon whole milk (do not use organic milk or any other ultrahigh pasteurized milk)
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice

Start by heating the milk until it comes to a rolling boil.  Stir as the temperature increases to prevent from scorching the milk.

Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice once the milk boils.  Stir for five minutes.  Almost immediately, you should see the milk begin to curdle.  The milk will separate into curds and whey.  If the whey still looks milky, add another 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and stir in.  The whey should be almost completely clear after stirring.

curds after 5 minutes of stirring

Once the curd separates, drain into cheese cloth placed over a strainer and allow to drain.  if you don't have any cheese cloth, you can use a towel or old t-shirt (just make sure its clean).  Press the cheese slightly to help expel more moisture from the cheese.  You can either leave the cheese to drain in the cloth overnight, or press it for more immediate results.  You can either save the whey (it makes a great fertilizer for the garden) or dump it down the drain.

curds draining

expelling more whey

Julie and I were planning on using the cheese in dinner that night, so I pressed the cheese.  Since most people don't have a cheese press sitting in their house, here is an easy way to press the cheese.  With the curd wrapped in the cloth, set it on a plate, then set another plate on top of it.  Fill the gallon jug from your milk about 3/4 way full and set it on your second plate.  The weight of the jug will cause the cheese to expel more whey.  Every half hour or so, check the cheese and pour off any whey that has accumulated on the plate and flip the cheese.  After 1.5 to 2 hours, your cheese is ready to go.

finished product

pressing the cheese

Making cheese is addictive.  It can be as simple or complex as you want.  There are lots of cheeses you can make in an hour or two, or cheddars or grating cheeses that take several hours to make and months to age.  Enjoy!

Curried Saag Panir: Part 1

Ben and I took to the kitchen Friday.  We had an evening of cooking together.  And when I say evening, I mean the entire evening.  We started cooking around 3:30.  We finally sat down to eat around 8:00.  It just meant I had to drink that much more wine while we cooked.

Ben loves to make cheese.  We decided to combine our cooking to prepare an Indian dish called Curried Saag Panir.  Ben started off by making the panir, a fresh cheese common in Indian food.  The part 2 of this post will be a guest blog by Ben to show how he made the panir.  Much easier than I imagined.  Most cheese he attempts takes several months to come to age.  I do not have the patience for this type of cooking.  The panir was fantastic because it took about 1 1/2 hours total.  That's my kind of cheese.

The Curried Saag Panir turned out wonderful.  Indian food is full of so many spices.  Each dish seems so much more complex than our typical fare.  However, most Indian dishes I have attempted seem to be time consuming.  Attempt this recipe if you have an evening to spend in the kitchen.

1.  combine 1 Tbl of turmeric with 1 tbl kosher salt.  Add the panir and toss until evenly coated.  Place the coated Panir on a paper towel.

2.  Heat 2 tbl oil over medium high heat.  Place panir in pan so that the pieces do not touch.  Brown the cubes on all sides.  Then place on a paper towel to drain.  Set panir aside.

3.  Dice up 2 tbl fresh ginger, 1 white onion, 3 serrano chiles, 5 cloves of garlic

4.  In same pan, add 2 more tbl of oil.  Saute onion, ginger, and chiles until soft (7 min).  Add Garlic and cook for 5 minutes.  Add 1 tsp cummin seeds, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 1/2 tsp curry powder, and 2 tsp turmeric.  Lower heat to medium and cook for 2 more minutes.

5.  Add thawed and drained spinach (2 10 oz. packages).  Stir in 1 tsp kosher salt.  Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.  Then remove from heat and cool slightly.

6.  Placed slightly cooled spinach mixture into food processor.  Add 1 1/2 cups milk.  Puree mixture with milk until their are small chunks.  Return the mixture to the pan and heat on low until it begins to bubble.

7.  Combine 2 1/2 cups plain yogurt with 2 1/2 tsp. cornstarch.  Add yogurt to spinach mixture.  Place cubes of panir on top of the mixture, cover, and cook for 2 minutes.  Gently mix the panir into the mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.

8.  Serve the Curried Saag Panir over basmati rice.

Chocolate Brownies with Peanut Butter Icing

I had such a bad craving the other day, that I had to make up a recipe.  After the holiday, my baking ingredients are running low.  Thankfully I had something to put some peanut butter and chocolate deliciousness.

This dessert is a bit decadent.  I don't recommend making it on a Tuesday afternoon with no one else to share them.  I'm now making a stride to cut down on my baking and sugar intake as a whole.  The holidays have tempted me to get a little out of control.  Ok, that is more like a lot out of control.

Brownie Ingredients:
 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Brownie Directions:
1.  Mix together oil, sugar, and vanilla extract.  Add and mix eggs one at a time.
2.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a seperate bowl.
3.  Stir flour mixture into the oil and sugar mixture. 
4.  Pour into greased 9x9 pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean

Peanut Butter Icing Ingredients:
3/4 cup peanut butter
2/3 to 1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 to 3 Tbl milk

Directions:
1. Combine peanut butter, sugar, butter, and salt.
2.  Add milk to reach desired consistency.

Once the brownies have cooled, place icing over the top of the brownies.

Lemony Pesto Pasta

I've wanted to try this recipe for a few months.  This weekend, I had my first venture in making fresh pasta.  It seemed like a great recipe to try along with the pasta.  The recipe turned out great.  Below are a few snap shots from the pasta making process.  I'll have to write more later.

Lemon Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:
8 oz. pasta
3/4 cup pesto
2 cups edamame
6 oz fresh spinach
3/4 cup sliced almonds
2 lemons

Directions:
1. Cook pasta and drain
2. Mix pasta with pesto until well coated
3. Place spinach in bottom of large mixing bowl.  Pour pasta over top of pasta.  Add edamame, spinach, almonds, and juice from 2 lemons.  Stir until well combined.

6 servings/ 12 points per serving

Shrimp and Grits

I've been working week nights which is a huge adjustment for me.  I don't work on Wednesday and this has become my only night to cook.  Ben suggested we try a new recipe and cook together.  When we cook together, I try to pick a recipe that may fall into Ben's favorites.  This time I chose Shrimp and Grits recipe I had pulled from a Bon Apetit.

The recipe we ended up cooking was a version of the original.  We forgot a few ingredients at the store like eggs and tarragon.  The shrimp and bacon mixture is amazing.  The grits were sort of bland.  The combo made for a delicious meal.  However, I imagine it would be better with an egg over top.

Grits:
1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 jalapeño, seeded, diced
1/4 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Shrimp:
1/2 cup 1/3" cubes tasso, andouille sausage, or bacon:  we used bacon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, optional:  we did not add
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, divided:  we did not use
16 large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
1/4 cup (or more) beer
1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock

4 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Birds Nest Breakfast Cups

The Little Birdie has a better picture

This weekend we celebrated Ben's 30th birthday.  A few friends came into town.  I tried to surprise Ben with a visit from his good college friend, Landon.  However, I ended up having to tell him the day before. It was a great weekend celebrating.

I made Birds Nest Breakfast Cups Sunday morning for an easy breakfast.  I found the recipe on The Little Birdie Blog.  It was delicious.  Everyone seemed to really enjoy them.  The Little Birdie recommended fixing them over the weekend for the entire week.  I think that is a great idea.  It would be an easy breakfast on the run.

I tried two different sizes, regular muffin tins and jumbo muffin tins.  The jumbo tins seemed to allow the best proportions.  Both were tasty.

Ingredients:
1 24 oz. bag of shredded hash browns
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbs oil
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese ( I used sharp)
Bacon bits or 8=10 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled (I used bacon bits)
Eggs
Extra shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.  Take your bag of hash browns and mix in the salt, pepper, oil and 1/3 cup shredded cheese.

2.  Divide amongst the cups in your muffin tin, making sure to grease tin beforehand.  They will seem like there is too much potato in the smaller muffin tins.  However, once they cook they shrink and you can push them down.

3.  Bake hash browns at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

4.  Once they're finished, take them out and lower the temp of the oven to 350 degrees.  Use the back of a spoon and gently push the potatoes down in the tins.

5.  Crack an egg into each of the cups

6.  Top with bacon and a sprinkle of extra cheese

7.  Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes or until the eggs are as firm as you like them.

Carrot Cake

With our laid back New Years Eve, we were in a much different mode on New Years day.  Our typical laying around watching bad TV was replaced by some culture.  We drove down to the Cincinnati Art Museum to see two different exhibits.  The first was Art Deco:  Fashion and Design in the Jazz Age.  Ben and I both enjoy Art Deco.  It was really interesting to see the fashion designs reflecting the building and other artistic designs of the day.

We also hopped over to the Trial by Fire glass exhibit by Darren Goodman.  Ben studied glass works in the Chech Republic and is always interested in seeing more.  Darren Goodman has a studio in Waynesville, OH.  I'm hoping we can check it out sometime.

Art Deco:  Fashion and Design in the Jazz age

Trial by Fire

Then we had the pleasure of catching up with some friends in Cincinnati and go out for Indian.  The spice was a little higher than I expected.  Culture and spice, it was a great way to start the New Year.

oh, and we made a carrot cake...yum!  When choosing a recipe that is bound to be unhealthy, why not go ahead and look up Paula Deen's.  At least it has a veggie as part of the recipe.  Listed below are the ingredients.  Find the recipe and directions at this link.

Grandma Hiers' Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinamon
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrot
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Bacon Pierogi

We had a very laid back New Years celebration this year.  We typically try to get together with our ASP friends.  The gathering this year was in North Carolina.  It just didn't seem possible after traveling to Mississippi and the arrival of our new niece, Sadie.  I'm sure I'll post more about Sadie later.  We decided to stay home and cook a meal together and relax, play some games, and watch Damages.  There are three seasons of Damages on Netflix and we are hooked.

The recipe Ben and I chose to make is for bacon pierogies.  I recently discovered Columbus Food Adventures and found this recipe on their website.  I keep hearing more and more about pierogies.  When I saw a recipe for a bacon pierogi, I knew we had to try it out.  Columbus Food Adventures is based in Columbus, OH.  They have tours in different parts of Columbus to try out different  restaurants.  They even have a taco truck tour.  We may have to take this tour.

The recipe came out well.  They were a lot of fun to make.  It is time consuming, so I wouldn't make them often.  After you boil them, you can freeze them to cook later.  It would be easy to make a large amount one day for many future meals.  I'll be excited to try other pierogi recipes.

Bacon Pierogi:

Dough
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup rendered bacon fat

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together. Knead until well combined. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8th-1/16th inch thick. Cut circles approximately 3 inches in diameter. We used a juice glass.

Filling
5 potatoes (we used russet potatoes and had too much filling.  I would use 2-3 russet or 5 potatoes of a smaller variety.)
2 onions, finely chopped
8oz mild cheddar shredded
1/4 cup of fresh chives chopped
1lb bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Boil and mash the potatoes but do not add any butter or milk.
2.  Sauté the onions in butter until soft and translucent. They should not brown.
3.  Bake the bacon on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil in the oven at 400° F for 20 minutes Drain/ dry the bacon fat and save for future use.
4.  Finely chop the bacon
5.  Combine all of the filling ingredients. We did this in a mixer.
6.  Taste the mixture and add extra seasoning, or chives to taste.
7.  Put a spoonful of the filling onto each circle and press the edges together to form a semi circle.

uncooked assembled pierogies

8.  Cook the pierogies in large pan of boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. They can be put in the refrigerator, freezer, or cooked at this point. They will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.  They can also be cooked from frozen.

Drop in boiling water

9.  Put more butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Heat the pierogies on each side for 4-5 minutes.

Final product