Friday, March 30, 2007

Fresh Ginger Muffins

 

Ingredients

  • 2 oz fresh ginger root
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease the muffin tins. Cut the unpeeled ginger until it is in tiny pieces; or hand chop into fine pieces.(You should have 1/4 cup; it is better to have too much ginger than too little.) Put the ginger and 1/4 cup sugar in a small skillet or pan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot, only a couple of minutes. Remove from the stove and let the ginger mixture cool. Put the lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar in the food processor and process until the lemon peel is in small bits; or chop the lemon zest and pith by hand and then add the sugar. Add the lemon mixture to the ginger mixture. Stir and set aside. Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat a second or two, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and mix until blended. Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Beat until smooth. Add the ginger-lemon mixture and mix well. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins so that each is 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Comment: I will be trying this recipe later today. I'll tell you later how they turned out!

Posted by QueenBe at 09:03:19 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Spring!

I could go on and on about how spring is awesome, but sometimes a picture or two is worth a thousand or more words....

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by QueenBe at 15:38:49 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Random Cooking Tip

I've been feeling quite random in the last week or so, so here is another shot of 'randomness' for you.....

 

I pulled up the Google search engine, typed cooking tips in the search box, and hit I'm feeling Lucky.  It took me to here, and then I found this cooking tip.....hope you enjoy!

Random Cooking Tip
Most fruit juice begins to taste a little stale after only a few days. This applies to both fresh juice and to juice purchased in containers. Aerating the juice can help revive the taste. do this by simply pouring it back and forth a few times, or fill a blender and turn it on for 3 or 4 seconds. A little seltzer added to fruit juice also refreshes the taste.

Posted by QueenBe at 15:36:00 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

All Types of Brownies

Did you know that there are 4 distinct types of brownies that can be made? And of course they're all sinfully delicious....

  1. Fudgy brownies
  2. Cakelike brownies
  3. Chewy brownies
  4. "Blondie" brownies

Find out how ingredients are combined to create these 4 types of brownies.

 

Also, check out the 6 unique brownie recipes offered on Recipe Riot.

 

So, what's your favorite type of brownie? Fudgy?......cakelike?......chewy?.....or perhaps blondie (which some might argue aren't true brownies at all!). Post a comment and let me know what you think!

Now, I've got to go eat a bite of brownie...this is making me hungry!!!

Posted by QueenBe at 08:43:47 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Random Recipe Time!

Rustic Rhubarb-Raspberry Tart

Ingredients
Pastry
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
4 tablespoons ice water
Filling
1 pound rhubarb
1 cup raspberries
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut in 3-4 pieces
Powdered sugar, optional

Instructions
Pastry
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until it resembles small peas. Sprinkle the ice water on the flour mixture and combine just until it begins to come together. Place on a sheet of plastic wrap and gather into a ball. Flatten into a small disc, wrap up in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Filling
Cut rhubarb into 1 inch pieces (you should have at least 2 cups). Toss the rhubarb with the raspberries, 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Set aside for about 15 minutes.
Roll chilled pastry dough out on a floured surface to a 13 inch circle. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, patching any tears. Brush the dough with the egg glaze and sprinkle with the almonds. Spoon the filling into the center of the pastry, leaving a 2 inch border all the way around. Mound it up slightly higher in the center and scatter the butter over the top of the fruit. Fold the border in, pleating as necessary to make a 1 1/2 inch wide edge. Brush the edge with egg glaze and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375F and bake for 25-30 minutes more until pastry is golden brown and the fruit is soft and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving if desired.
 
Note: Here is a RANDOM RECIPE brought to you by the letter R!!!!! I closed my eyes and picked a cookbook out of my collection. I ended up with The New England Cookbook: 350 Recipies from Town and Country, Land and Sea, Hearth and Home. Then, I asked my husband to pick a page number....he chose page 617, which has the recipe above. I gotta tell you, it looks like a winner of a dish to me--hope you enjoy!


Posted by QueenBe at 17:35:59 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |
1 2 3