Cherry Cobbler (Primal/Paleo)

After deleting some irrelevant backposts, this is my 100th! Now on to more important things... cobbler. Every year we buy twenty pound boxes of peaches from a local farm and eat them all. I usually have grand intentions of canning, drying, and otherwise preserving them but instead we just eat, and eat, and eat the flesh while it's juicy and sweet. A few years ago I made a peach cobbler. I had never really been into cobbler. There are so many different kinds, but this kind is the sort where it's like cake batter poured over spiced, syrupy peaches and I was in love. Right now it's cherry season! There are stands popping up all over the road sides selling baskets of plump, colorful rainiers and deep red, sweet bings. I knew I had to do something with the pounds and pounds taking over our refrigerator. I thought back to that perfect peach cobbler, and had a go at it without grains or refined sugars. It turned out perfect the first time; those are the best types of experiments, especially since this one (full disclosure) started out with the intention of pie!
I used a combination of rainiers and bings, and I'm so glad I did. The filling is definitely indulgently sweet, so the rainiers were a nice pop of tart surprise amongst the sweet bings. I have a feeling you could do whatever the hell you want to this recipe (within reason) and it would still work. So feel free to adjust the levels of sweetener to fit your tastes, or exclude the tapioca flour entirely if you're not tolerant of that much starch. Also, this cobbler was lovely and indulgent fresh out of the oven after dinner, but even better cold the next morning with bacon. I can't wait to try this with my first box of peaches!

Cherry Cobbler

primal / paleo / grain-free / gluten-free 

Yield: 6-8 servings

For the filling:

1.5lbs cherries

2-4T honey or sweetener of choice, to taste

1T lemon juice

2T tapioca flour or thickener of choice

1/4c water

For the topping:

1 1/2c blanched almond flour

1/2c tapioca flour

1/4t sea salt

1t baking powder

1T cinnamon

5T grassfed butter

3T sweetener of choice*, or to taste

1 egg

1/4c hot water

*If granulated add with dry, if liquid add with liquids (see recipe)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan, add the ingredients for the filling and cook over medium-low heat until thick and bubbly (about 3-5 minutes). Pour into baking dish of choice (8x8, or individuals). 

In a small bowl stir together the flours, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and sweetener of choice if it's granulated. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the egg and sweetener of choice if it's liquid. Add the hot water, stirring until combined; spoon the topping over the filling, spreading to cover.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the top. Let cool slightly then enjoy! Store in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Grapefruit Mint Popsicles (Paleo/Primal)

If you're making my 5-Minute Strawberry Sorbet you're halfway to these refreshing popsicles! 

Popsicle molds are great to have on hand; they are perfect for quick and refreshing summer treats. I like to use ours to make "Fudgesicles" and fruit pops. I often use the pulp from whatever we are juicing, along with a little bit of the juice itself, to make quick and nutritious popsicles. This recipe, with grapefruit, strawberry, and grapefruit mint is super refreshing, simple, and tart. Feel free to add a bit of sweetener if you deem it necessary, or up to 1 ounce alcohol. If you don't have grapefruit mint, you can of course substitute whatever kind of mint you have growing in your herb garden.

Isn't mint the best to grow?! As long as it's contained in a pot it's lovely and you basically can't kill it. I have several varieties growing in my garden including grapefruit mint, spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint.

Strawberry Grapefruit Mint Popsicles

primal / paleo / gluten-free / sweetener-free

Yield: (4) 3-ounce popsicles*

8 ounces strawberry puree

approx. 10-12 strawberries

4 ounces grapefruit juice 

approx. one grapefruit

4 grapefruit-mint leaves

Use a food processor to puree fresh or frozen strawberries, then measure 8 ounces into a bowl (I like to start with frozen strawberries and use any leftovers for 5-Minute Strawberry Sorbet). Add 4 ounces of grapefruit juice. Finely mince the mint and add it in.

Mix thoroughly, pour into popsicle molds, and freeze for about 2-4 hours or overnight before serving (depending on the temperature of your freezer). Enjoy!

*If you have different size molds simply adjust to suit in a ratio of 2 part strawberry to 1 part 

grapefruit with 1 mint leaf per popsicle

Melty goodness!

5 Minute Strawberry Sorbet (Primal/Paleo)

Easiest recipe ever and no ice cream maker required! I'm sure you're all familiar with banana ice cream (maybe some of you even owned this contraption). This utilizes the same method, blending frozen fruit in the food processor, but produces a perfect strawberry sorbet. The strawberry flavor is super condensed and the sorbet is lightly sweet, smooth, and so satisfying! The variations are endless, as well. Add some frozen mango or pineapple for a tropical flavor, dark chocolate for indulgence, banana for a creamier strawberry-banana flavor, frozen yogurt cubes for tartness, rosemary or mint for complexity, or honey for sweetness. You could also use it as the base for popsicles... coming soon! 

5 Minute Strawberry Sorbet

primal / paleo / grain-free / gluten-free / egg-free / sweetener-free

Yield: 2 servings

10-12 large strawberries, frozen

Place the strawberries (or any other fruits you're using) in your food processor. Let thaw for about 5 minutes, just until starting to sweat. Pulse. Scrape down the sides of your processor. Pulse. Scrape. Repeat until the mixture is starting to move around the bowl with the blade and is smooth. 

Add any simple flavorings such as extracts, honey, chocolate, or herbs. Pulse to combine, serve, and enjoy!

Hello instant summer treats...

Snickerdoodle Cookies (Primal/Paleo/Small batch)

While snickerdoodle cookies are usually equated with both Autumn and the holiday season, this mildly sweet and light textured primal and paleo version makes them perfect for any time of the year. A smaller batch combined with a short baking time means summer cookies! With almond flour and honey in the dough and a cinnamon coating, these cookies are the perfect balance of sweet and spice. The tapioca flour ensures that these cookies come out of the oven super soft and stay that way for several days. 

Snickerdoodle Cookies
primal / paleo / grain-free / gluten-free / egg-free option

Yield: 18 small cookies

Adapted from: The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

1 1/4c blanched almond flour

1/3t sea salt

1t baking soda

1/4c tapioca flour

3T coconut oil, melted

1/4c liquid sweetener, I used honey

1 small egg*

1T vanilla extract

2t ground cinnamon

1t granulated sweetener, or omit if you prefer less sweet cookies

*Optional - omit for those with sensitivities

In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, salt, baking soda, and tapioca flour. Whisk away any lumps. In a small bowl combine the melted coconut oil with the honey. When emulsified, add the egg and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until thoroughly combined, and chill for 1 hour or until the dough is scoop-able.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

When the dough is firm enough to handle, working with a tablespoon of dough at a time, form into balls and roll in the cinnamon or cinnamon-sweetener mixture (I like to put the spice mixture in a small bowl, place the cookie ball on top, and rotate the bowl in tight, quick circles to propel the cookie ball evenly through the coating). Work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on the parchment or silicone lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden in color and fragrant. Let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then enjoy!

Fig Newtons (Primal/Paleo)

Fig Newtons
primal / paleo / grain-free / gluten-free / egg-free

Source: Adapted from Real Sustenance

Yield: 16 large cookies

Dough:

4T butter

1/2c honey, or other liquid sweetener

1t vanilla extract

2c blanched almond flour

2c tapioca flour/starch

1/4t baking powder

1/3t sea salt

Filling:

12oz dried figs

Juice of one large orange, about 1/3c

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Add the dried figs and orange juice to a medium saucepan. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, until the figs have softened. Transfer the contents to a food processor and pulse until a smooth filling forms.

Meanwhile combine the butter, honey, and vanilla in a stand mixer to combine. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a dough forms that holds together when squeezed in the palm.

Cut 3 pieces of parchment to the size of your baking sheet. Divide the dough in half, and form a disc with half the dough between two sheets of parchment. Roll out into a 1/4in thick rectangle: approximately 12x8in. Using wet hands, spread half the filling along the middle third of the rectangle to within 1/2in of the top and bottom edges. 

Using the parchment, fold one third of the dough over the top of the filling.

Peel the parchment off the top so it's flat on the counter again and repeat with the the other third of the dough so you have a fig newton burrito of sorts. Using your fingers, fold up and pinch together the ends of the dough so the filling is completely contained within the cookie.

Repeat with the other half of the dough. Slice each log into 10 cookies, allow 1in space between cookies, and transfer the parchment to a baking sheet.

Bake for 14-18 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom and around the edges, but still soft to the touch. Remove to a cooling rack and let come to room temperature. Store in an airtight container; they're at the best for the first 2-3 days. Enjoy!

Tapioca Pudding (Primal)

I've never liked pudding. I mean, really, it's weird. It's all gelatinous, and just kind of sits in your mouth. When everyone ate those little pudding cups in their lunches I never understood. That pudding in particular was kind of slimy and just...fake tasting. It jiggled. I don't like milk, so why would I like cooked, thickened, sweetened milk?! It wasn't until I was an adult that I actually tried real pudding. Even then, I was like.. meh, it's alright I guess.
When I first had tapioca, it was in boba milk tea. I was really confused. I didn't understand why anyone would voluntarily put chunks of things in their drink. To me, there is nothing worse than drinking what you think is a lovely liquid, and all of a sudden having to deal with a weird texture. I'm a texture person, and it was confusing. After I drank most of my tea, I kind of liked it.
When I first tried tapioca pudding I finally got it. I understood why people like pudding, and I understood why they like tapioca. There was some giggling involved; I was hooked.
One of the first things I thought of "primalizing" after my initial 30 days of strict primal eating was tapioca pudding. I had never made it before, but I instantly knew I could make it primal friendly. I remember exclaiming in excitement to Mikey, and him just kind of reacting like any sane person would: "...yeah? So?" That was a year and a half ago. Now it's time.
It's a rainy Spring day. It is gloomy and gray. The type of day that makes me feel Autumn, and crave all things pumpkin flavored. Or at the very least something satisfying with a hint of spice. It's a slow day. A day to stand in front of the warm stove stirring something hot, fragrant, and bubbly with a wooden spoon. This pudding is just that thing. Rich, and creamy, with just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Eaten hot right off the stove, it's satisfying. Chilled, and eaten cold, it's wholesome and lovely. With a spoonful of Chocolate Syrup, it's downright indulgent.

Tapioca Pudding
primal / paleo option / grain-free / gluten-free

Yield: 6 servings

1/3c, or up to 1/2c, small pearl tapioca*

3c whole milk, divided**

2 egg yolks

1/3c honey***

1/4t sea salt

1/2t cinnamon, or to taste

1/4t nutmeg, freshly ground, or to taste
1/2t vanilla extract

Begin by combining the tapioca and 1c of the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and soak for 30 minutes. Do not drain; add the remaining 2c milk, egg yolks, honey, and salt. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then reduce heat. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes and stir the mixture frequently using slow, gentle strokes. The pudding should have a nice consistency, and coat the back of a spoon. The tapioca should be soft, gooey, and slightly translucent. 

Add the vanilla extract and allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding. 

Enjoy!

*If you prefer a thicker pudding, use more tapioca pearls
**I haven't tried this, but you could try subbing almond/coconut milk to make Paleo

***I use 1/3c of honey for my sweetness preference but you can use up to 1/2c

What food texture did you find strange at first?

Chocolate Syrup (Primal/Paleo)

Who doesn't love chocolate milk? It's a simple, satisfying treat. A jarful of fresh, cold milk with just a teaspoon of this chocolate syrup stirred in is what I've been craving lately. For those who don't tolerate dairy, I imagine cold coconut milk would be equally delicious. It's also wonderfully versatile as just a chocolate sauce as well. I'm imagining it spooned over a Coconut Flour Brownie or a Primal Biscuit with some fresh strawberries and some freshly whipped cream.  How about as a dip for seasonal fruit or whipped into coconut cream? I'm pretty sure this sauce won't last long in our fridge.

Chocolate Syrup
primal / paleo option / grain-free / gluten-free / egg-free

1/2-3/4c local honey

1c raw cacao powder

pinch salt

1t vanilla extract

pinch cayenne, optional

Add 1c water to a saucepan with the honey, cacao, and salt. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then add vanilla, and a pinch of cayenne, if desired.

Store in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

Primal Cream Cheese Frosting (and Carrot Cake review)

Every year our friends host an Easter get together complete with an adult Easter egg hunt. On a side note, I have won every year... except for that one year I wasn't there. I take egg hunts pretty seriously ;) Moving on... Normally, my traditional cake for Easter is my Lemon Cake (80/20!). This year, though, every one attending was either paleo or primal, which I was really excited about. I wanted to make carrot cake, but could not decide which recipe to try: Elana's Pantry or Primal Palate. I ended up making both and using it as an opportunity for a taste test. I don't make a lot of desserts, so I knew if I made one cake for Easter and another 6 months down the road, I wouldn't be able to decide which I liked better. What better way to decide than just making two cakes at once, right? Right.

Ultimately, 80% of us preferred Primal Palate's recipe over Elana's. Elana's was fantastic - lots of spice, and plenty of texture from the raisins and nuts. The spices, though, were a bit overpowering for a traditional carrot cake flavor, and almond flour, of course, has a distinctive flavor that most people did not prefer for a carrot cake. Primal Palate's coconut flour version, though, despite lacking nuts or raisins, was more reminiscent of a traditional carrot cake. The fibrous texture of coconut flour lends itself very well to the texture of a carrot cake. I do think, in the future, I would add raisins and walnuts, because carrot cake isn't complete without them in my opinion!

To keep the playing field even, I made the same frosting for both cakes. I ended up doing Elana's in cake form, and Primal Palate's in cupcake form. I did attempt a dairy free "cream cheese" frosting, but ended up over the sink gagging, so let's just not talk about that... This frosting, though, is fantastic. It complemented both cakes perfectly, is rich and perfectly tart, and has just a hint of sweetness.

Primal Cream Cheese Frosting
primal / grain-free / gluten-free / egg-free

Yield: Enough for a two-layer 9in cake, or 24 cupcakes

16oz, or 2 blocks, cream cheese, room temperature

1/2c, or 1 stick, butter, room temperature

1/3c maple syrup

1T vanilla extract

1/2t ground ginger, optional

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a stand mixer, or with a handheld mixer, until fully incorporated.

While mixing, drizzle in the maple syrup and vanilla. Add the ginger. 

Whip until it reaches the desired fluffiness.

Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator (bring to room temperature before frosting).

What did you make for Easter this year? 

Powerballs (Primal/Paleo)

These are lovely little snacks. They're great for on the go: in your car, purse, workout bag, whatever! They are also sweet enough to satisfy a craving. We love to keep them on hand for quick fixes that feel more indulgent than a handful of nuts. These take less than 15 minutes to pull together and keep for weeks.

The best thing about powerballs is there is tons of room for flexibility; play around with it! You can use any nuts you prefer for a total of 12 ounces/1.5c (measured when whole). Sometimes I add chia and flax seeds as well. My sister likes to add coffee. You can pre-chop the figs if you'd like to ensure there are no chunks if you're particular about it but I prefer them to be added whole; I like the slight inconsistency. For substitutions, I'd keep at least half the dried fruit mixture as dates or figs for their binding ability. You can use any type of nut butter that you'd like. I use 80-100% dark chocolate, whatever I have on hand. If you are looking for some fancy presentation, you could roll them in chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or cocoa powder before refrigerating and serving. I have lots of ideas for variations such as nutella powerballs, chocolate covered strawberry powerballs, and PBJ powerballs...

Powerballs
primal / paleo / grain-free / egg-free

Yield: About 2 dozen

Guideline:
1-1/2c nuts
1-1/2c dried figs or dates
1.65 ounces dark chocolate
4T nut butter
1/4t sea salt

My go-to:

1/2c pecans

1c walnuts 

1-1/2c dried black mission figs
1.65 ounces 80%+ dark chocolate

4T sunbutter

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Using a food processor, pulse the figs or dates first until chunky. Add the nuts, pulse, then add pieces of the chocolate. Pulse again, then add the nut butter and salt. Process until fully blended, mixture begins chasing itself around the bowl, and you can form into balls. I use a 3/4 ounce disher (loosely packed) then roll with my hands to make about 22 balls, but you can make them whatever size you'd like. Store in the refrigerator.

What's your favorite primal or paleo friendly snack on the go?

Coconut Flour Brownies (Primal/Paleo)

This is a repost from last year. I made these a few times last year, but never got around to actually taking photos of them. These brownies are wonderful.

At the beginning of our primal/paleo journey, this was the first baked good I made after our first 30 days strict. My husband has a huge sweet tooth, and when he proclaimed them better than grain- and refined-sweetener-filled brownies, I knew they were a hit.

I made them again today to photograph them as I hadn't had sweetener or chocolate lying around in a long time and finally got around to purchasing some, and also to celebrate our four year anniversary. Not a bad excuse to make them ;)

Coconut Flour Brownies
primal / paleo / grain-free / gluten-free

6 ½ oz good dark chocolate (72%+)

4 1/2 oz butter (one stick + one tablespoon)

¾ cup granulated sweetener of choice

1/2 t vanilla extract

2 eggs

6 T coconut flour

1/2 t sea salt

1 c chopped walnuts/mix-ins

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.

Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment for easy removal.

Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat.

Remove from heat, and add sweetener of choice. Let cool before adding vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking until fluffy.

Stir in flour, salt, and walnuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until tester comes out mostly clean (the top may appear undercooked or shiny).

Cool in pan for at least 10-15 minutes, then lift the slab out by the parchment.

Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!

Have you tried baking with coconut flour before? How do you like it? 

Coconut Flour Brownies (Primal/Paleo)

Ever since we started eating primally two months ago, all I've wanted to do is start baking. I love baking, and with an added challenge it's way more exciting. I've started doing a few recipes here and there just to get a feel for the alternative flours. So far I've made: almond meal cookies, almond meal biscuits, vegan chocolate nut butter cake balls, almond meal and coconut flour cobbler with apple/pear/blueberry, coconut flour banana bread, and coconut flour brownies. Huge successes: cookies and brownies. Great but need minor tweaking: biscuits, cake balls, and cobbler. Need a good deal of work: banana bread. I found out I prefer almond meal cookies over grain flour and refined sugar brownies. I now know I prefer primal coconut flour brownies over regular brownies, which is really exciting for me guys. Because I crave brownies more than basically any other baked good.

Yesterday I got really hyped up about primal baking. And proceeded to research/order a ridiculous amount of primal/gf/alternative baking flours/additives. So much for that budget, huh? Worth it. While researching, I came across a website that describes some of the grain free/gluten free flour options. There was a recipe for coconut flour brownies I wanted to try. I'm just so curious about the quirks of coconut flour. It's like a game, and never the same. It's so finicky! So I had to try making something else with it since my banana bread was more or less a wet mess without much banana flavor (better with honey!). I didn't really want to go with a random recipe that had no reviews on some slightly sketchy looking website about grain/gluten free living. I like reviews. I want to know that if I'm being lazy enough to start with a pre-existing recipe, at least I'm starting somewhere off the ground to make it worth it. I was really interested in this, because I love zucchini and have a lot of it right now, but I didn't have all the ingredients. Somewhere along the way, I felt drawn back to the original recipe, because the more I thought about it, the more it resembled, perfectly, the method of preparation my boss uses in her amazing brownie recipe. I'm so glad I did, it was perfect.

Coconut Flour Brownies (Primal, Gluten-free, Grain-free)

Source: original recipe

6 ½ oz good dark chocolate

4 1/2 oz butter (one stick + one tablespoon)

¾ cup granulated sweetener of choice

1/2 t vanilla extract*

2 eggs

6 T coconut flour

1/2 t sea salt*

1 c chopped walnuts/mix-ins

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees (yup).

Grease an 8x8 dish and line with parchment for easy removal.

Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat.

Remove from heat, let cool slightly (I transferred to a different bowl) and add sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking until light.

Stir in flour, salt, and walnuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until tester comes out mostly clean.

Cool in pan for at least 10-15 minutes, then lift the slab out by the parchment.

Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!

*Added to original recipe

when primal meets vegan: "cake balls"

Yesterday it was my friend's birthday. We were going to do a get together with drinks and desserts. I really wanted to make him something specific he wanted, but he just kept being all real, talking about how my presence was enough, blah blah blah.

THIS GUY. 7 years ago.

ANYWAY, I decided I would try to make something vegan in addition to being primal for my vegan friend. This is what he looks like, also 7 years ago. Yeah, dad's gonna be so upset with me.

Sorry, dad. The only reason I added these photos is because I conveniently had them in a desktop folder to share when I recently copied them off my external hard drive.

You would think vegan combined with primal basically means to eat leaves and some tree bark. But you, my dear, are incorrect, it does not! So I was searching for recipes. A lot. Because I didn't have a lot of time to experiment. I had, maybe, an hour to figure something out before my pre-party plans began (not involving drinking, by the way, who do you think I am?). It was getting really challenging, so I decided to take a simple vegan recipe and just primalize it. Yeah I just made that word up. I found this chocolate cake recipe that looked fairly simple. So I went for it. It came out really yummy smelling and tasting (my mouth might be burnt). Then shit got crazy. They fell apart. It was messy. It's a funny story which you should ask me about when you see me next (in real life). Normally I curl up in a ball and cry until I'm dehydrated when things like this happen to me in the kitchen because I'm really perfect and never do anything wrong (oh haaayyy sarcasm). I was like, well, my options are to serve people cupcakes they can't even hold, let alone pick up, or serve cake crumbs in a bowl with a community spoon. I came up with something better: cake balls. I've never made these stupid things before, because they're trendy and silly, and a smaller, stupider version of cup cakes. No offense. Actually, take offense, I don't really mind--I don't like cupcakes. And I know I've cursed myself for life, cupcakes are out to get me, and every time I make them something goes wrong ever since I went around preaching how much I hate them. ANYWAY, back to cake balls. I pulled out my stand mixer to whip up some vegan/primal frosting (yeah, whip up, like it's that easy to make frosting primal AND vegan). I realized I didn't have, like, anything, to make this frosting with. But, thankfully I'm perfect, and genius (and rich), because I decided nut butter would work out super well. The still warm chocolate chunks in the cake, combined with peanut butter, made a fantastic glue to hold together these super rich vegan AND primal cake balls!

Mistake Spiced Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls
(Vegan and primal subs)

1 1/2 c flour of choice (AP for just vegan, or almond for primal)

1 c granulated sugar of choice (I used sucanat)

1/4 c raw 100% cacao powder (or cocoa)

1 t baking soda (check your labels for corn if primal)
1 t cinnamon (optional)
1/4 t ginger (optional)
1/4 t cloves (optional)
1/2 t nutmeg (optional)
1/8 t cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 t sea salt

1/3 c coconut oil (you can sub any oil if you're unconcerned)

1 t vanilla extract

1 t balsamic vinegar

1 c water

1/2 c chunks/chips of dark chocolate (check labels for dairy, whey and casein if vegan)

1/2 c, give or take, nut butter

Oven at 350. You know the drill. Prep about 10 muffin tins.

Melt your coconut oil in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract, balsamic vinegar, and water. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sweetener, cacao, baking soda, spices, and salt. Sift if you find it necessary.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chunks. If you are using a substitute flour, you can mix as much as you want, but if you used AP flour, mix just until combined.

Portion into muffins tins (I got 10 cupcakes out of this). Bake for 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, you could use a cake pan or loaf pan. A 9x5 loaf pan would probably take about 45 minutes. Your call, batman.

Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes and experience the amazing crumbling action that is this disastrous cake. Actually, I'm sure you could pull this off in a cake pan or loaf pan as a real cake if you let it cool completely and didn't care about presentation. Also, if you aren't vegan, throw an egg in there if you're going for real cake and not balls.

Now, I was short on time, so I mixed my ball batter together while the ingredients were still warm which created a dense, smooth cake ball. If you had time, and wanted lighter, more cake-like balls, I would recommend cooling the crumbles for as long as you can, preferably overnight, and mixing lightly.

Throw the peanut butter in there. Mix it all up. Use a disher to form portions, then roll in your hands. Store in the fridge, or alternatively, freeze, then let sit for about 10 minutes before dipping in melted chocolate.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping

1 9-inch pie crust 

Filling:

1/2-3/4 lb rhubarb, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2-3 cups strawberries, halved or quartered depending on size

1/2-3/4 cup sucanat, or unrefined sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

dash of cinnamon

1 egg

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

3/4 all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (or scant 1/2 cup sucanat + 1 tablespoon molasses)

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup cold butter

Combine the fruit with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Let stand at room temperature and allow to macerate for about half an hour, or up to an hour. Meanwhile, mix the egg, flour, cornstarch, and vanilla, then add to the macerated fruit. Also, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the pie pan with the pie pastry, then add the filling.

Make the topping by combining the dry ingredients and then cutting in the butter. Top the filling with the topping (dyoh).

Bake for 10 minutes at 400, then lower to 350 and bake for another 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

Somehow I don't have a photo of the finished product. It was a birthday gift that I rushed off to the recepients:)

Ridiculously Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These are Reese's Cup wanna-bes. They are amazing. They are really, ridiculously easy to make, and the flavor is the perfect balance of salty and sweet, with just a little bit of texture. Yum.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup butter

1 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate

Line either an 8x8, a 9x9, or a 7x11 inch pan with foil.

Melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioner's sugar. Add the peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs and stir again. Spread in the pan evenly.

Over low heat melt 1/4 cup butter. Add the chocolate, then stir until nearly melted. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth and shiny.

Spread over the peanut butter mixture. Pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cut in bars with a pizza cutter, serve and enjoy, then keep the leftovers in the fridge:)

Bob's Surprise Birthday Dinner

For his birthday, we told Bob we were going to make him a dinner of his choice. Instead, we planned him a surprise party (we still made dinner, though). Bob requested a comforting meal from his childhood: pulled pork sandwiches, potatoes au gratin, and kansas dirt cake. I've only ever made potatoes au gratin. Bob wanted his mother's recipes, though, so my little knowledge of these dishes flew out the window. We elected to have someone bring the potatoes, and I focused my energy on the pulled pork, the cake, and the decor!

I had no idea what cut of meat to use, of course, but my butcher happily told me. The conversation went something like this:

"I want to make pulled pork." -me

"So you want a pork shoulder?" -her

"I guess that is what I want!?" -me, relieved

"How much?" -her

"Uhhh..... four pounds?" - me, confused again

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork for Sandwiches

4 lb pork shoulder, or butt

24 ounces root beer

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon montreal steak seasoning

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt

16 ounces of barbeque sauce

In your slow cooker insert, put the pork shoulder and the root beer. Let it sit overnight.

The next morning, about 9 hours before serving, place the insert into your slow cooker, add the garlic, steak seasoning, and worcestershire, then cook on low.

About 9 hours later, drain and shred the pork. Mix the barbeque sauce in and place the shredded pork in the slow cooker on warm to serve.

Serves 10-12.

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Kansas Dirt Cake

by Pastor Bob's Mom:)

1 package oreos

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

1 cup powdered sugar

1 large container cool whip

Crush the oreos finely. Place about 2/3 into bottom of 10x15 pyrex and reserve the rest for the top. Mix the pudding powder and milk together. Whisk for two minutes. Put in fridge to set for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese and the butter/margarine. Then add the powdered sugar. Add the pudding to the mix, then fold in the cool whip. Pour over the crushed oreos.

Sprinkle the top with remaining oreos, then freeze for at least 8 hours before serving.

Serves a lot. Probably 16. Who knows. All I know is there's a LOT left in my freezer.

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Also, we surprised the hell out of him. Yay:)

Root Vegetable Chowder and Pumpkin Pie

Sunday, we had a dinner date with some friends. I got to do the coordinating, planning, menu choosing, and job delegating, of course, which was lots of fun. I chose a seasonal Root Vegetable Chowder, alongside salad and bread. Wine and sparkling water to drink, with my Pumpkin Pie and my Pumpkin Zucchini Loaf (recipe coming soon) for dessert rounded the meal off nicely.

Root Vegetable Chowder
with adaptations for slow cooker

2-4 chopped slices of bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium leeks, trimmed, white and green thinly sliced
1 lb (about 2) parsnips, peeled, 1/3 inch dice
3 medium carrots, peeled, 1/3 inch dice
4 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 lb (about 2 large) russet potatoes, 1/2 inch dice (peeled or not)2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

For stovetop:
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups milk
3 cups broth (or more, depending)

For slow cooker:
4 cups broth (or enough to cover)
1 cup half and half or light cream

Stove top directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon. Take out of the pan and reserve. Add olive oil to the pan and heat until rippling. Add the leeks and saute until tender, but not browned--about seven minutes.

Add the parsnips, carrots, garlic, and thyme. Saute for 5 minutes and then add the potatoes and flour. Stir to coat all--about one minute.

Gradually add in the milk and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occassionally for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the soup is thickened.

Optional: Take about 2 cups of vegetables out of pot, mash, and return to pot, mixing until combined.

Add the bacon back into the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve; sprinkle with parsley.

Slow cooker directions:In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon. Take out of the pan and reserve. Add olive oil to the pan and heat until rippling. Add the leeks and saute until crisp tender--about 4 minutes.

Pile the leeks and bacon mixture into the slow cooker along with the parsnips, carrots, garlic, thyme, potatoes, and broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are very tender.
Optional: Take about 2 cups of vegetables out of pot, mash, and return to pot, mixing until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir in half and half, test temperature, and either serve with parsley, or heat through on high setting to warm sufficiently.


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Pumpkin Pie
For the filling:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3 cups pumpkin puree (from scratch this is the yield from an 8 inch pumpkin)
18 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1 tablespoon superfine sugar

Put the flour in a bowl with the salt and butter. Cut in the butter. I prefer to rub with my fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs (easiest way is to use the food processor).

Stir in the sugar and then add about 2-3 tablespoons of water and mix to a soft dough. Then knead the dough lightly on a floured surface. Flatten it out into a round, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

Roll out the pastry thinly and line a 9-inch deep pie pan. Trim the excess dough from the sides and reserve. Prick the base of the pastry shell with a fork. Cut as many leaf shapes as you can from remaining pastry and make vein markings (I use the back of a knife). Brush the edge of the pie pastry with water, and stick the leaves all around the edge. Overlap slightly. Chill while you prep the rest. If you have enough remaining pastry, cut out some large leaves (I like three) or if you have extra leaves left over, set those aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a baking sheet inside.
Mix all of the filling together well in a stand mixer. Pour the filling into the pie pan and smooth the top. The filling will be quite runny, but don't worry :)

Place on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes then arrange remaining pastry leaves on the top in a decorative manner. Bake for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set (a tester comes out clean from the middle), and the pastry is golden.

Serve with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream.

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Pie pumpkin

Pumpkin Puree

(Better than canned!)

Start off with a pie pumpkin, or any type of baking pumpkin. Don't use a jack-o-lantern type pumpkin; the meat inside is pretty dry, and does not really have a good flavor. Pie pumpkins are about the size of a cantaloupe, although mine was a tad bigger. For recipe purposes, a 15 ounce can of pumpkin is about 1 3/4 cup densely packed pulp.

Wash the pumpkin off, and trim to stem as short as you can get it. Take your largest (and sharpest!) knife, and cut the pumpkin in half. I like to start close to the stem, go down one side, and back up the other side, just to be safe. The stem will be the hardest to cut through so take your time and be careful.

Once you have halved your pumpkin, scoop out the stringy "guts" (save the seeds!) Since pie pumpkins are denser, their "guts" are a little different than jack-o-lantern pumpkins. It can be harder to separate the seeds. They are kind of like little pods of fibrous guts surrounding pockets of seeds. I like to be near the sink (with a strainer in place), and the trash can or compost bin. Then I pull out handfuls of guts, squeeze the seeds into the strainer, and toss the remains in the trash or compost. Once you've done this, use a spoon and a paring knife if needed to clean up the inside of the pumpkin.

Melt some butter (a tablespoon or two) and brush butter along the cut side of pumpkin halves, and inside. Put cut side down onto a baking sheet that has been prepped with either foil, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat (I prefer silicone--less waste).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, depending on the size of your pumpkin. Basically until your pumpkin is completely soft. Not baked potato soft, think baked apple soft. Let cool, then peel the skin off and pop off the stem. 

Once you have the pumpkin flesh separated, either food process, blend, or use your stand up mixer to puree it. You can also add the pan drippings to get to the desired consistency. You just made pumpkin puree! You can refrigerate for a few days (I wouldn't go more than 3-5), can it, freeze it, or use it right now to make pumpkin loaf!

Pumpkin Loaf

1 3/4 cups densely packed pumpkin puree, or a 15oz can

1/2 cup coconut oil, or whatever you prefer

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups unrefined cane sugar

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Up to 1 cup additions: walnut pieces, dark chocolate chips, raisins, etc

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil up the pans*, then instead of flouring them, cinnamon-sugar them. 

Blend together pumpkin, oil, apple sauce, eggs and sugar until creamy and smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients and spices. Add all at once to wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in walnut pieces.

Divide into pans evenly. For 3-7x3 pans, bake for about 50 minutes (or until tester comes out clean). I bake a 9x5 for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Be sure to start checking at 45 minutes for loaves, regardless. Remove from pan and onto a cooling rack. 

Store at room temperature wrapped in foil. Also freezes well; let cool, wrap in foil, and put in a dated freezer bag.

*Recipe works in 3-7x3s, or 2-9x5s. You can also use muffins tins, but I'm not sure on quantity and baking time.

 

Pumpkin Seeds

One bowling ball sized pumpkin's seeds

2 T melted butter

1 T garlic salt

1 t onion salt

1/4-1/2 t paprika (to taste)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

After separating your seeds from the pulp, rinse under warm water. Pick out any remaining pulp. Shake off excess water, place on a towel, and roll up. Let dry for a couple hours, in a warm location. You can also spread out and let dry overnight.

In a bowl mix together pumpkin seeds with a couple tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle on the salt and spice. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring part way through, until golden and crisp. Let cool and store in an airtight container (but they taste amazing warm, too).