building

Russell worked on the Teahouse and the columns for his forge this weekend.  Eight batches of cob is now the record.  Having help helps!  Thanks Irene!

He has been experimenting with glass blocks.  

There is cob all the way to the roof but not necessarily all the way through.  All this wonderful required a favorite sweet.

Homemade vanilla creme pies.  I take our favorite oatmeal cookies and make a vanilla frosting.  I try to find two cookies a similar shape.  Spread one with frosting and put the other on top.

My beloved Mister thinks these are better then store bought and that we should always have some in the house for breakfast.  He makes me smile.

tortas de aceite or olive wafers

I found tortas de aceite at a liquor store in town that has a specialty grocery in it.  These crisp breads are just a little bit sweet and I like them so I decided to try to make them.  Basically, it is a yeasted baked tortilla with a bit of sugar and anise.  Mister of mine calls them lembas bread after the Lord of the Rings.  I am not sure that one bit can fill a grown man's tummy for a day but it is a very nice light sweet.  I have actually changed the recipe I found to use sourdough and cinnamon.  Anise is not favored in our home and I do not buy yeast anymore.

Tortas de Aceite

2 tablespoons sourdough starter (or 2 large teaspoons yeast)

2 1/3 cup flour plus more for rolling

12 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

sugar for topping

cinnamon or anise seeds for topping

The night before mix sourdough starter, water, and 1 cup of flour together.  If you are using yeast, you can mix the yeast, water, and 1 cup flour together here as well.  Let sit a minimum of eight hours.  Let it get nice and bubbly.  Take out two tablespoons of starter for your next batch of bread.

Add the olive oil and salt.

Mix very well!!!!  See how that looks?  It took a bit of work (yes, I do not have a stand mixer, just my wooden spoon!)

Add 1 1/3 cup flour.  The dough should look similar to above.  It will feel similar to tortilla dough.  Let sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make eight roughly even balls.  Roll them out to six to eight inches.  The larger they are rolled out, the crispier they will be come.  Mister decided he liked a little bit thicker.  Thinner is yummy and fun but they do have a tendency to shatter when you try to eat them.

Once you roll them out, place them on a cookie sheet that either has parchment paper or one of the silicon mats on it.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon or sugar and anise seeds.  I find rubbing the sugar in a little bit helps.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.  They should look similar to the top of the page.  Very yummy!

margaritas just because

Someday's an adult beverage just sounds like the ticket.  And I have to admit that I have become much more of a homebody.  Why go out when what you make at home is better then out?

The one exception up to this point is margaritas.  I occasionally like one.  Not a big one.  Just a small one.

I pulled up google.  Did a search and research.  Pulled out my dust bottles (tells you something does it not?) and decided to give it a try.

Margarita

½ lemon

½ lime

3 shots simple syrup (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water brought to a boil for one minute and cooled)

2 shots tequila

1 shot cointreau, grand marnier, or triple sec

Squeeze the lemon and lime in a cocktail shaker or large mason jar.  Plop in fruit too.

Add simple syrup.

Smash together with muddler.

Add tequila and cointreau.

Cover and shake well.

Strain over ice.

Sit and enjoy with your beloved in you most comfortable at home chair.  Pretty spetacular!

pumpkin pie for me!

I really do not like cake so I always asked for pumpkin pie for my birthday.  And then I started to make it myself.  I have actually started to modify the recipe (do not look at the crust, I am playing with that too.  What else is new, huh?).  I start with Libby's pumpkin pie recipe:

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/LIBBYS-Famous-Pumpkin-Pie/detail.aspx

I changed the white sugar to brown sugar.  Added a tablespoon of vanilla and increased the ginger to 1 teaspoon.  It is pretty fabulous.  Just the thing for all celebrations!

And see what Russell has been working on:

Paring knife.

Camp knife.

The paring knife works like a dream on potatoes.  They are both for sale if anyone is interested.  Just let me know.  Maybe the will find a home in my kitchen.....  I get all the seconds and rejects!

Shepherd's Pie (with gluten free variation)

Russell really does not care for turkey.  This might be different if we were raising turkeys ourselves but not for what we can get from the grocery store.  I was planning making curry for Thanksgiving dinner but we were given some venison sausage and I made shepherd's pie.  This my go to recipe.  It started from a recipe in Sunset magazine but it much too fussy.  I simplified it.  My one suggestion, though I know it is not possible, make this night before and reheat.  I truly gets that much better with sitting.

Shepherd's Pie

2 onions, finely chopped

2 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons flour or potato starch

1 1/2 pounds ground meat - in this case I used venison sausage.  I have used ground beef, pork, or turkey.

2 tablespoon Dijion mustard (make sure it is gluten free if you need to)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup vegetable broth

1 10 to 16 ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables - chose the mix your family likes

2 1/2 pounds potatoes

1 cup butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 to 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Peel the potatoes and put in a large pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Lower the temperature and cook until a fork can go into them easily.

Put a LARGE skillet or casserole dish on medium heat.  Add two tablespoons olive oil and heat.  Put in the onions.  Lower the heat and cook until golden brown.   You are caramelizing them.  This should take up about 15 minutes, plus or minus a bit.  Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and cook for two to three minutes.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the meat to the onions and brown it very well.  Add the rest of the oil if it is needed.  Add the Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle the flour or potato starch over the meat mixture.  Cook for two or three minutes stirring.  Add the broth.  Continue stirring as it thickens.  If it gets too thick add more broth or water.  Add the vegetables and mix through well.  

Turn off the heat.

If and when the potatoes are done (see how my days go ;) ), drain them.  Set the pot back on the stove and add the butter, cream cheese, and parmesan.  Mash with all your might!  Add a bit of heavy whipping cream to make them smoother and mash some more.  You do not want them too runny so add a the heavy whipping cream a little at a time.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat mixtures.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until brown and bubbly.  I should have put a baking sheet under the skillet to catch all the drips.

Serve.  You might need to get out of the way of the descending herds.....