Almond Butter

This is going to be a really boring post. Only a couple pictures (and not even of the final product) and a few sentences masquerading as a recipe. BUT, the end result is so good that I think you should read it anyway. And then go make some almond butter. (You do need a food processor to do this, so if you don't have one you should probably come visit me and use mine. While you watch the kids and I take a nap.)

So here's the "recipe" - pour some unsalted almonds (I used raw but next time plan to roast them for a bit to see which way I prefer) into the bowl of a food processor. Turn it on. Wait for longer than you think necessary (about 10 minutes maybe), scraping down the bowl every few minutes. Just when you think it's going to be too dry and clumpy and you must have used bad almonds or you may even need a new food processor, all the oils will release and you will have almond butter. If you like you can add a little brown sugar or honey once the nuts are ground (see second photo) but before it actually turns into butter, and last time I also added cinnamon which I've really enjoyed.

I've been eating it on bagels, apples, pretzels, spoons...I'm guessing roughly 10% of my current body weight is thanks to almond butter.

Thursday Night Snacking

Once in a while you just have to ask yourself, "How long has it been since I've had a good Thursday night snack?"  I mean, not just a good snack and not just a lot of snack food, and not just an any-night-of-the-week fridge raid, but a really quite good snack.  Well you can decide for yourself if the following qualifies in any way, but as one who just finished eating it with satisfaction I give it my Thursday night stamp of approval.

I submit a humble english muffin; half topped with jam, and half with some unrecognizable savory trimmings.  This is my second attempt at making english muffins with our sourdough starter and I have to report they are edible (even pretty good, toasted - but a lot of things are better toasted).  Extrapolating the improvement of the second batch of muffins over the first, I should be winning some culinary awards around batch five. 

On to the exciting part - the toppings, half number one.  Butter and our thimbleberry jam (that's the red one).  Did you know that some people recommend straining the thimbleberries to get the seeds out when you make jam?  I suppose that would be thimbleberry jelly, but what's the point?  It takes long enough to pick those berries and I wouldn't be surprised if the seeds are more than half of what's left after you cook it down.  They're small enough, after all.  And they lend a satisfying, miniscule crunch. 

Half number two was a little more risky in the topping.  I started with goat cheese.  Knowing that goat cheese sometimes reminds me of - ahh, goat - I thought it might be good to dress it up a little.  Enter Olive Grove's 18 yr Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and some sprigs of thyme that we've been keeping in the snack drawer of the fridge.  After all, if they're in the snack drawer, they're fair game for a snack!  It was a total risk mixing these flavors, and I was surprised to find that the flavors blended really well (and didn't make me think of goat).  I'd like clarify that I did not stack these like a sandwich - they were enjoyed sequentially. 

So now we've covered the snack itself and you might be asking, "What else would make a good Thursday night snack?"  For your convenience I've made a cheat sheet.

• Trying new combinations of ingredients = Good!  After all, it's not the weekend and you might have something creative to do on a Thursday night.  A new snack could inspire.
• Large quantities of food = Bad!  Unless you're going to call your dinner a snack you should keep it light.  You might need to do something that requires moving or thinking, which a heavy feeling in the gut could hinder.
• Balancing savory and sweet = Good!  But be aware of the ever lurking salty-sweets - a danger that nearly consumed more than one of my college friends.
• A snack that requires a trip to the store (freezer aisle - shudder!) = Bad!  By the time you get to the store you'll be so hungry that things will be jumping into your cart (you didn't really need a cart, did you?) and your only hope will be that you forgot your wallet.  Make something from random ingredients in your kitchen.  Check for mold first.
• Something tasty that you could turn into a blog post = Good!  In case you were trying to avoid whatever was on your to-do list for a Thursday night, that is.  Speaking of which, it's time for me to go.

Krumkake for Christmas

Krumkake is a traditional Norwegian specialty (I think).  Maybe it's a Norwegian American specialty.  It's been over ten years since I first had Krumkake at the Gerards' house and the kids have never had it.  We've been wanting to make these again for quite some time. And Christmas Eve seemed like a good time.

A light batter is cooked in a special griddle for a couple minutes.  Then the hot cake is quickly rolled on a tapered spindle where it cools in that shape.  The griddle was borrowed from Rachel's dad and the recipe for the batter was her Grandma Rachel's.  We made it with coffee instead of milk, which is apparently the way she made it.

You might imagine that it would take quite some time to make enough krumkake for a family of six.  It does - but it's worth it.  The result is a wonderfully light, crisp cone reminiscent of a waffle cone, but thinner and more delicate.  We served it filled with almond whipped cream, then experimented with hot fudge, Nutella, and my favorite - thimbleberry jam with whipped cream.  They're tasty plain, too.

One recipe made enough for Christmas Eve and a treat for Christmas Day breakfast, to go with our pancakes.  In fact, I think we're not halfway through the batter, so I might experiment with freezing it.  You can only eat so much krumkake!

And now, for the final product!

I actually finished my quilt at the end of the summer, but forgot to post pictures of it.  I had a lot of fun with this,  but it might be a while before I jump into another quilting project.  Or if I do, I'll make one that's a little less complex.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, here is a bag I just made a few weeks ago.  I was in need if a larger bag to hold my supplies for piano lessons, and this fits the bill!

I have a confession to make...

In a family where it seems that everyone is a gourmet chef, I have always felt slightly like the odd one out.  Occasionally I enjoy trying out a new recipe or making a special dessert,  but for the most part I'm just tired and hungry when I come home and I would rather eat something quick and easy.  So this is my confession; I don't really like to cook. (Gasp! The horror!)  I do cook, mostly for Karl's sake because otherwise I think he would eat chips and cheese every night.

BUT!

I have recently discovered that I have a different passion.  I enjoy sewing!  Mom gave me Great-Grandma Springer's sewing machine last year, and not knowing how to use it, I decided to take some sewing classes.  I've learned the basics of sewing and have made several small projects like curtains and pillowcases.  I'm currently working on my first quilt, and so far I have pieced two squares together.

I always assumed that quilting was difficult and for experienced sewers only, but it turns out that the work mostly involves being tedious and precise, which are two skills that I excell at : )  I think this quilt is going to be extra special because some of the fabric I'm using came from Great-Grandma Springer.  Any other crafting projects going on out there?

Pumpkin Soup, Sir?

Pick your bowl.

Sourdough Makes a Strong Showing in 2013

After a formal review of the blog, it has come to our attention that there hasn't been much butchering baking or candlestick making in 2013 (or not much documentation of it, at least). 

Including posts through today, it seems that baking has been the only category to see any attention.  Bread baking - sourdough in particular - has been rather strong, however.