My 9 Grain All Purpose Baking Mix for Muffins, Pancakes and Cornbread

In anticipation of my upcoming class on April 28th called "Grain Mixology" and how to use pre-blended grains from Honeyville Grain. I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite things. One of which is this  9 grain mix. In the past, I've shared my recipe for a homemade baking mix that I call "All Purpose Baking Mix" here . As delicious as that mix has been to use, I'm going to have to say good -bye to it for a long time. Not that there's anything wrong with baking with white flour or even soft white wheat flour in that recipe, I just have found a new love with my new whole grain version of the mix that has given me light muffins, fluffy pancakes and hearty homemade corn bread that I can honesty call a light tasting, whole grain, no sugar added, almost fat free delight to eat. You control the ingredients. I use soymilk powder in mine that is non-gmo and delicious. You can also use almond milk in place of the liquid if you would like. All I know, is that I've been eating these sugar free, low fat muffins most of this last week. I've made variations on the recipe and used the base mix. They're moist. I'm hooked. 

Chef Tess 9 Grain All Purpose Baking Mix
 for Muffins, Pancakes and Cornbread

9 cup  9 grain flour (9 grain mix milled into flour in my grain mill)

1 cup instant non-fat dry milk or soymilk powder

1 cup  egg powder

1 cup granulated erythritol  (zero calorie natural sweetener)

1/3 cup baking powder

2T salt

Basic 9 Grain Muffins: One dozen large muffins: pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine 4 cups 9 grain baking mix with 1 ¾ cup water. Mix until a smooth batter is created.  Line a standard size muffin pan with 12 muffin liners and lightly mist the pan with a non-stick spray. Scoop muffin batter into muffin pan divided evenly between twelve muffins.  Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and muffins spring slightly when touched.

9 Grain Apple-Pecan Spice Muffins with Crumb topping:

Pre-heat oven to 350  degrees. Combine 4 cups 9 grain muffin mix with 1 ¾ cup water, 1 1/2 cup shredded apples, ½ cup chopped pecans,  1 tsp vanilla, and 2 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East spice blend. Batter will be thick. Divide between 24 well oiled muffin cups. Top with crumb topping*. Bake 22-25 minutes.

*Crumb topping: ½ cup 9 grain baking mix, ½ cup 4 grain rolled mix (or quick oats), ½ cup granulated erythritol, 3T melted butter, 1T water. Combine until chunky.  Sprinkle generously on top of muffins.

Peanut Butter and Jelly 9 grain Muffins 

Combine 4 cups of the 9 grain baking mix with 3/4 cup peanut butter powder. Add 2 cups water. Stir until well combined and let batter sit about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a muffin pan. Scoop pan to almost full with batter and then lightly mist the top of the batter with oil. Make an indent in the top with your thumb. Fill with your favorite jam.

Crumble topping is optional...but it's just yummy. Combine 1/3 cup 9 grain mix, 1/4 cup Erythritol and 2T melted butter or flavored olive oil.

Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Basic 10 grain Pancakes:

Combine 1 cup 9 grain mix, 1 Tablespoon whole grain Teff and ¾ cups water. Cook on a hot griddle that has been lightly oiled. I love them with a devilish drizzle of Choke Cherry infused Honey. It's just evil. 

Basic Sweet 9 grain Cornbread Muffins (with Peach Mango Jalapeno filling)

Combine 1 ½ cup 9 grain baking mix, ½ cup yellow cornmeal and ½ cup granulated erythritol in a quart size bowl. Add ¾ cup cold water and combine well.  
Filling (optional): Make a small  well in the top of the muffin and add a tsp of homemade Peach Mango Jalapeno jam or jam of your choice. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide between 12 well greased muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

Basic Savory Bacon, Cheese Corny  Cornbread Muffins:
Combine 1 ½ cup 9 grain baking mix, ½ cup yellow cornmeal and 1 tsp Chef Tess all purpose seasoning in a quart size mixing bowl.  Add ½ cup of your favorite cheese, ¼ cup real bacon bits, minced onion ½ cup Freeze dried corn.

 Add 1 ½ cup cool water to the dry ingredients and allow to sit for 10 minutes (to hydrate the corn). 

  Divide between 12 well oiled muffin tins. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Optional delightful touch...paint the tops of these little gems with a little melted butter or olive oil and then sprinkle generously with BBQ rub of your choice. I prefer D-dog's.

I made a few other variations on the muffins...but I think this is enough for one post. Yes there will be more to follow. 

Get the printable version Here.

There you go. Make more muffins!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Holiday Appetizers using Food Storage and Beyond

I'm teaching a class today on how to make some fabulous appetizers using food storage and some things you grow or get fresh. So, I thought I'd be a doll face and share the class notes with you. Doll face. Well. That just brought a vision to my head of my face...but plastic with fake freckles. Many of these recipes use my Homemade Cream Cheese, the tutorial is here on my blog, but you can always use store-purchased cream cheese as well. 

Here's what we did today.  I covered:

• Hot Appetizer Ideas
• Dips, Salsas, Cheese-balls
• Food Presentation
• Food Safety

Hot Appetizer Ideas

The sweetness of the field fresh corn coupled with the lightly salty taste of fresh shrimp or crab is almost too deliriously delicious! Serve this warm as a nibble before a meal. You'll find it to be a light refreshing touch.

Chef Tess Steamed Corn Custard 

with buttered Crab or Shrimp

For custard

• 1 cup Freeze Dried Sweet Corn 
• 1/3 cup whole milk 
• 2T  Powdered Whole Eggs 
• Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

For crab topping

• 1/2 cup king crab meat OR ½ cup shrimp (fresh preferred, but canned will work)
• 1 tablespoon Powdered Butter 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Special equipment: 4 (2-oz) ceramic or glass ramekin

Make custard:

Pulse corn in a spice blender or mill until a powder. Add cream, 1/2 cup water, egg powder and salt. Whisk well and divide among 4 ramekins. Steam custards in a steamer set 1 inch above simmering water, covered with lid, until centres are set and a thin knife inserted into center of 1 custard comes out clean, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove ramekins from the steamer with tongs and cool custards slightly.

Make crab topping while custards cool:

Coarsely chop 1/2 cup crabmeat or shrimp meat. Heat meat in a lightly oiled skillet. Add the powdered butter about 2 minutes. Stir in chives. Serve custards topped with crab or shrimp.
I'm not going to lie. It's amazing. A-freeeeakin'-Mazing!

Now. The Quiche. Quiche me you fool. You've heard all the puns before huh?

.

The classic addition to any appetizer section... There must be mini-quiche. So, this is fun recipe that you make in mini muffin cups. I sometimes skip the bottom crust all together and just put a mini Ritz cracker on the bottom of the pan. It works perfectly!

Mini Quiche

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
• ¼ cup melted butter
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup Freeze Dried Onions
• 2 T Powdered Butter
•  Scrambled Egg Mix (equal to 2 eggs plus water)
• 1 cup prepared powdered sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Divide crumbs among mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Combine onion and butter powder and divide evenly on top of cracker crumbs. Beat eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour by spoonfuls on top of onions in tins. Do not fill to top, as they will run over. Bake until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not over bake. May be stored in refrigerator or freezer. Warm in oven before serving.

Orange Ginger BBQ Chinese Chicken Wraps

• 2 cups Freeze Dried Mushroom, hydrated and drained well
• 3 cups Freeze Dried Chicken, hydrated and drained well
• 2 tablespoons light coloured oil, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil
• Coarse Real salt and coarse black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 tsp dry garlic)
• 1-inch ginger root, finely chopped or grated, optional
• 1 orange, zested (dry zest use 1T, pulverized to a powder)
• ½ cup Freeze Dried Bell Peppers
• 1 small tin, 6 to 8 ounces, sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 3 T Freeze-dried onions
• 3 tablespoons hoisin, Chinese barbecue sauce, available on Asian foods aisle of market
• 1/2 large head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, core removed, head quartered (romaine just leave whole)

Wedges of navel orange -- platter garnish

Directions Preheat a large skillet or wok to high. Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to the pan Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to season, then garlic and ginger. Cook a minute more. Grate zest into a pan, add bell pepper bits, chopped water chestnuts and scallions. Cook another minute, continuing to stir fry mixture. Add hoisin Chinese barbecue sauce and toss to coat the mixture evenly. Transfer the hot chopped barbecued chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce alongside. Add wedged oranges to the platter to garnish. To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce leaves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and squeeze an orange wedge over.

Cold Appetizer Dips, Salsas and Cheeseballs

Italian White Bean Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
• ¼ cup loose packed basil leaves
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 pitas
• 1 tsp Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning

Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl. Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with chef Tess Romanic Italian Seasoning. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color. Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree

Chef Tess Sweet Corn and Avocado Salsa 

This recipe uses the bounty of the garden along with some amazing Freeze dried vegetables.

Yield: 2 to 3 cups

• 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 15 oz can dice fire roasted tomato, drained
• 1 ½ cup Freeze-dried corn, hydrated
• 1 cup cooked black beans or White beans, well drained
• ¼ cup freeze-dried onion 
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (for a hotter salsa, leave the seeds in)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (2T dehydrated)
• Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp Chef Tess Fajita Seasoning

Directions: 
1. Place the avocado in the bottom of a nonreactive mixing bowl and gently toss it with 3 tablespoons of the lime juice. Spoon the tomato on top of the avocado.

2. Add the corn kernels to the mixing bowl. The salsa can be prepared to this stage up to 2 hours ahead. Refrigerate it, covered.

3. Just before serving, add the jalapeño and cilantro to the mixing bowl and gently toss to mix. Taste

for seasoning, adding more lime juice as necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste; the salsa should be highly seasoned.

Chef Tess French Onion Dill Dip Mix

1 cup Freeze-dried diced onion
½ cup Sour cream powder
½ cup dehydrated butter
1T granulated garlic
2T dill
1T black pepper

Directions for the mix: In a dry skillet, place the freeze-dried onion. Cook over medium heat 4-5 minutes until brown but not burned. Allow to cool. Combine all ingredients. Yield 3 cups mix.

To make dip: Combine: 3T onion dip mix, 1 cup sour cream, ¾ cup mayonnaise (May use fat-free varieties). Chill at least 3 hours. May add bacon, or freeze-dried cheddar cheese, etc.

Chef Tess Sundried Tomato Dip

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup yogurt (unsweetened)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 dashes, hot red pepper sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2 tsp Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning
Directions Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature

Chef Tess Pineapple Cheese Ball
yields 2 average cheese balls

• 2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)
• ½ cup milk or cream
• 1 cup Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Freeze Dried celery 
• 1/2 cup Freeze Dried Onion 
• ½ cup Freeze Dried pineapple, hydrated according to directions. Chopped. Drained.
• 2 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning

Allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature. In a large bowl combine all ingredients whipping well, about 2 minutes. Scrape cheese mixture out of bowl and form into 2 balls. Put on a plate cover with plastic or a glass dome thingy. Chill in the fridge 2-4 hours before serving. I think it's best after 24 hours.

I'm not going to lie. Ace ate an entire batch of this appetizer on his own! I always know when I have a winner! This one is a great balance of savory and sweet with a light salty tang from the goat cheese. You will find it to be a fast favorite in your family. 

Chef Tess Crostini with Goat Cheese and Garlic-Apple Chutney

For Chutney:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar
• 4 cloves pressed garlic
• 2 tsp fresh minced ginger
• pinch of cayanne
• 3 cups Freeze Dried Green Apples (plus 1 cup water)
• 1 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
• 1 cup diced freeze-dried plum tomatoes

For Crostini:

• 1 French-bread baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices
• olive oil
• 12 ounces soft fresh goat cheese 

Directions: Combine all chutney ingredients in a non-reactive half gallon pot with a heavy bottom and simmer 10-15 minutes until apples are hydrated and the mixture is thick like a jam.

To make Crostini: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Spread each toast with goat cheese. Top with chutney.

Appetizer Table Presentation (you have to really be at the class to get this section)

• Height and Depth
  
• Color
  
• Floral
  
• Points of Interest
  
• Table Coverings
  

Plated Appetizer Presentation (you have to be at the class to see the details here.)

• Color
  
• Sauces
  
• Height
  

Some Words on Food Safety

• Hot food hot. Cold food cold. Period. When you are throwing a party or serving appetizers to anyone, it is very important that food be kept at a cool temperature (below 40 degrees) if it's a cold food. Hot food should be kept at 165 degrees or warmer. Use ice beds on your table. A large bowl full of ice, covered with green leaf lettuce, kale or fruit and the dips in the ice. It will add height to your buffet and allow food to remain safe to eat. For hot food, use burners or keep on hot stoneware insulated well. Watch how long food is left out.
  
• When in doubt, throw it out! If food is left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, it is best to just throw it away. You don't want to risk food born illness.
  
• Social Status in the Fridge. When making food platters, always put meat platters at the bottom of the fridge, veggie and fruit platters above meat. This will keep meat from dripping any juice on the veggie or fruit trays.
  

There you go!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Holiday Appetizers on NBC 12 with Chef Tess

I adore Syleste Rodriguez! She's every bit as sweet in person as she is on TV. 

 Today on NBC 12 Morning show in Phoenix, AZ,  I showed some magnificent ways to add elegance and charm to your holiday buffets and dinner table by making some awesome appetizers! I hope to share some great ideas with you that will ease the stress of the season. For me, it's all about time with friends and family. 

Remember I'm teaching a free appetizer class on Tuesday, December 27th at Honeyville Farms in Chandler. This is a free class with some great ideas for New Year's Eve munchies using food storage and whole food! Look at my list of  Upcoming Classes for more details.


Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite recipes that have been given to me by those I love. Enjoy! First though, I have to share the latest Painted bread. This bread basket in silver and black is ready for the buffet table! What do you think? Dramatic enough?

The first appetizer I shared today was a plum-pepper-pecan baked brie. A few years ago a beautiful woman named Sylvia Edwards shared This Pampered Chef Recipe with me and it became a fast favorite "go-to" appetizer for holiday events. I've altered it a bit from the original recipe...but love it non-the-less. Sylvia was a much needed boost to my courage at the time. She cheered me forward to starting my business. I only sold with Pampered Chef for about a year, but it changed my self esteem and confidence to see some much needed income. Sylivia is now a missionary on the other side of the world. She made a difference in my life and I know she's changing lives for the better where she is now as well. God bless her! So...Let's talk baked brie.

You hear about baked brie often during the holidays. It's a soft cheese that is slightly nutty with just the right amount of salt. When it's baked it is a wonderfully creamy smooth texture. I couple it with a sweet plum jam and a little heat from fresh jalepeno. Don't worry. If you seed the pepper, the flavor is actually not too hot. This is a dramatic yet simple appetizer that bakes the brie and the French Bread croutons for the warm bubbly hot and sweet baked brie at the same time. It's outstanding with any flavor of jam, but I'm particularly partial to the plum or prickly pear jam if you can find it.

Plum-Pepper-Pecan Baked Brie

1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped and divided1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded, chopped
1/2 cup red plum jam (sugar free or regular)

1 clove fresh pressed garlic
1 4-inch round (8 ounces) Brie cheese with rind, room temperature
1 loaf (16 ounces) French baguette ( I use Homemade Sourdough )
Melted butter (about 1/2 cup)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the jam, jalapeno, garlic and half of the pecans.

Using a bread knife, cut baguette on a bias into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange baguette slices around Brie; baste with butter using a pastry brush. Oh land-o-lakes alive! Have butter. Not every day, but every once in a while...you will not die. Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, onto center of Large Round pizza stone. Spread half of the prickly pear jam mixture evenly over bottom half of Brie using Small Spreader. Top with remaining half of Brie. Spread remaining jam mixture over Brie; sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until baguette slices are golden brown and Brie begins to soften. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Next up...the Cheese Ball...err...Pine Cone...

 My sister in law Gwen makes the most amazing cheese ball recipe. It has a touch of pineapple, onion and all the delights of a good cheese ball. This year I'm garnishing it with whole almonds and making it look like a giant pine cone! How fun is that?!

Gwen's Cheese ball (Pineapple Pine cone)

("cheese ball" here is not actually a reference to my brother in law...grin...)yields 2 average cheese balls
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup minced celery

1/2 cup minced red onion

4 oz crushed pineapple (squeezed until all the juice is out and it's almost dry)

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp garlic

Allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature. Pot into a Kitchen Aid with paddle attachment. Combine all ingredients on speed 2 about 2 minutes. Scrape cheese mixture out of bowl and form into 2 rough balls. Put on a plate cover with plastic or a glass dome thingy...(sorry for the technical wizardry of the moment there) and chill in the fridge 2-4 hours before serving. I think it's best after 24 hours.

Holy Hot Dip!

 Hot Dip is a wonderful alternative to the cold dips often served with veggies. Ace almost died of happiness last night when I shared this dip with him. He scooped it onto his plate in great piles on top of corn chips...and then licked the whole plate after he was done. It was embarrassing...for the plate. My friend Lisa Villont Shared this recipe with me. Her husband JP made it for a party we attended and I've never loved a hot dip more than this one! It's amazing! Be prepared to serve it with a Thick crackers or croutons as well. It's a hearty dip...party dip...hearty dip. Dance when you make it.

JP's Buffalo Chicken Hot Dip
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 C Franks Red Hot sauce (original flavor)

1/2 C Ranch Dressing

2 Chicken Breasts cooked and chopped

½ cup grated Mozzarella Cheese

Onion Powder

Parsley

Mix together the first 4 ingredients * I would also add garlic to that top list, 1 clove minced, or granulated to taste*

Place mixture in baking dish or pie plate, Bake at 350 for 20 mins.  Top with Grated Mozzarella, sprinkle little with onion powder and place under broiler until cheese is toasty and delicious looking.  Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped parsley over top (fresh would be SO nice!) Garnish with Celery leaves.  Serve with Celery, Chips, Bread, Spoons, whatever.  I personally love it with hunks of celery.

 I love putting large veggie sticks in glasses next to the dip instead of a party tray. They are also easier to refill on a buffet and easier to find space for in a jammed fridge when hosting large parties. 

 Olive Wreathes are a beautiful addition to your buffet or table at Christmas. It's almost not a party without olives and cheese! Here's a great way to display the olives. Simply make a fresh herb wreath by laying fresh rosemary, oregano and marjoram in a circle around the outside of a round dinner plate in a thick bed. Artistically arrange your olives on the bed of herbs and garnish with pickled red peppers and fresh mozzarella if desired. A drizzle of infused olive oil or balsamic vinegar will add even more depth and make this an outstanding presentation. You'll want the Olive wreath every year!

Get the printable version of today's appetizer recipe ideas Here.
Enjoy the beautiful weekend. I'm so looking forward to some quiet time with the family. Merry Christmas my dear friends. You make my life more beautiful every single day. 



Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess