Baby B. O. Random Thoughts

Random thoughts. What is so dang appealing about the smell of a new baby? Is it the milk scent that is slightly tarted or the baby breath? I'm not sure. I know it's not the diapers. Those are a different post (after mustard). This week I got to spend an hour or so with my new baby niece and I have to say she was spitting up a lot. I didn't mind a little baby goober. I don't have the chance to hold new babies very often and I really miss it. After I left her house I found myself sniffing my arm sleeves in the van. It was liked having her there with me. However, I was kind of just nudging my head down toward my shoulder where she had laid. I found myself doing this sniffing motion in the grocery store and realized it looked like I was sniffing my arm pits. Oh gracious heart. I had a vision of wiping my hands in my armholes and sniffing my fingers until I shook like a super-geek. This vision of course, started me randomly giggling in the store. I can't take myself anywhere. Wouldn't it just so happen that a granny raised an eyebrow. Anyone know that look? Tee hee. Yes lady, I'm sniffing my pits at the grocery store. B.O. would then mean "baby odor" instead of "body odor". Anyone can quote me later if I ever get another baby. Baby odor is not the same smell as a rancid-nasty-needs-a-shower-funk that permeates a room. Not the same smell. However, it will still make a person sniff randomly. Depending on the baby, one may never eat mustard again either. I'm just saying...babies are cool. Welcome to the family my sweet little friend. That's all I have to say about that.

How to Make Fig Jam (for Gabi in South Africa)

Gabi Fischer in Namibia, South Africa wrote me last December asking if I had any experience cooking fig jam in my solar oven. After I fell out of my chair at the shock of having a fan in South Africa, I set out to find figs. Arizona should have figs I thought. Wow did I have a doosey of a time. I should have planted a fig tree. I know there are people here with them...I just don't have one. As for Gabi, from her letter, I knew she was cooking in on a wood stove or using a solar oven as her main sources of heat. I find that amazing in and of itself.

Gabi wrote,
"I use fresh figs. We always have a small harvest at the beginning of December and now the big harvest will start. As I don’t have much time to cook it this time of the year I always used to freeze the figs, already taken the skin off and later in February I cooked it on a stove which works with wood. But it is more “ lecker” ( can’t find a word in English)when the jam is made out of fresh figs. I have cooked already 2 recipes. I always use a bit less sugar than the mass of figs, it gets very sweet but holds longer. I have cooked already two big pot full of fig jam, and it works very good. it is interesting that it does not cook over neither burn (in the solar oven). At the moment I don’t have a black pot, should cook quicker then. I also thought to ask my husband to put the oven on wheels s that I always can turn it, and when it looks like rain, which is not very often in Namibia, I can drive it into a room. We have the small one, is not too heavy but If I have to protect it from the rain I will have to carry it far.
Gabi Fisher,
Nazimbo Camping Safaris"

Well. I finally found figs. Nine months later the fruit was finally in my hand. I searched for two reasons. One, I was actually very sympathetic to Gabi's plight. Second, I was bugged that I had not had any experience with fig jam in my solar oven. Isn't that funny? I get so anxious to try new things. This was something new to me and I wanted to make it work. Now we have it!

Thank you California Black Fig farmers who distribute through Trader Joe's in Arizona. I love you.

Those who have never seen a fresh fig before, here it is.

Trader Joe's, I apologize I squealed in your store. I know it didn't make any sense to anyone looking at me...but I was giddy. I'm sure your produce stocker almost wet his pants. It must have been a scary sight.

Figs are amazing. They all have a skin. The black variety look like this when the stem is cut off.

The fruit is actually quite different to look at as well. The flavor is much like a bland kiwi.

For the jam you will need:

2 lb black figs (4 cups) washed and chopped (blanch and remove skin if desired)

1/2 cup lemon or lime juice

7 cups sugar

1/4 cup Ultra Gel starch or 1/2 cup flour (Americans can use 1 box pectin)

optional: 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp ground cinnamon

dash of ground nutmeg and cardamon

Directions:

Heat the figs and lemon juice in your solar oven (or stove) until soft, about 10 minutes stove top or 15 minutes solar.

Mash or run through a blender. I used a blender or a food mill.

If you peeled the figs the blending step isn't necessary. You can just mash the fruit. Make sure you mash it very well, as I've noticed it helps the jam hold thick better when the fruit is very well mashed. I like keeping the skin. It makes the jam very red colored and I like the flavor.

Return the fruit puree to the pot. Add the sugar and jell. I also add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg and ground cardamon. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick. The starch will help the jam to hold better.

Those using pectin, bring mixture to a boil. When sugar is dissolved, add the pectin and cook one more minute.

Transfer hot jam to very clean and sterilized canning jars with new lids. Put canning jars in a hot water bath canner on the stove making sure the water is well over the lids. Bring water to a boil. Cook 10 minutes. Remove from the water bath and put on a clean towel. Do not disturb jars for 12 hours. This will ensure a good seal. Label and use within a year.

There you go Gabi. I know you probably have it all figured out by now, but I just want to say thank you for inspiring a chef half way around the world. If I ever make it to South Africa, I promise to look for you. Maybe we can cook jam together.

The rest of you...there you go. Make some jam.

How to Make American Mozzarella Cheese

I'm excited and pleased to announce that I have finally been able to produce Mozzarella cheese. Mind you, it's fresh cheese made at home. I can control the dairy and the ingredients. Daggumit...I can make it. Isn't that cool? Now why would I make it if I can just buy it at the store? Hypothetically...I could. Just like the rest of the world, but there is something fantastic about being able to take a raw ingredient and make something out of it. I adore the freedom that it gives me to know that no matter what the circumstance, if I have milk...we can have cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese and yogurt. If you missed any of those posts on Homemade dairy, they are a good read. They are also wonderfully instructive picture tutorials on some of that homemade dairy basic stuff. I started making homemade dairy when we had some friends drop off several cases of dry milk powder. They had no idea what to make with the dry milk...and I was a full time stay at home mom on a very tight income. I saw all kinds of possibilities, and I learned quickly. Needless to say, as things have become less tight, I've relaxed on my cheese making. However, the nagging question at the back of my mind has always been lingering on other cheeses. Could I make pizza for my kids or lasagna if all I had was milk powder* and some flour? Could you?! This has been my quest, not only for myself, but for anyone who may be anxious to learn a new skill. I'm passionate about learning and trying new things. Cheese is the next step...in many steps.


Tutorial Tuesday today is American mozzarella. This is the cheese commonly used on American pizza. It is made using citric acid for acidification instead of bacterial fermentation as in other cheeses. It is very elastic, melts well and strings when hot. It makes great American Pizza.


This recipe was created for Junket by Dr. David B Fankhauser, PhD Professor of Biology and Chemistry University of Cincinnati Clermont College. Dr. David is very smart. I bow to his mighty large brain.

You will need:

Ingredients:

1/2 Junket Rennet Tablet

1-1/4 teaspoon citric acid powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 gallon milk whole milk for a richer flavor or skimmed milk for low calorie cheese*
( Note: I have been very successful using dry milk powder* dissolved in water for all my dairy making, but Dr. David Fankhauser does not recommend it usually.)

Equipment: Large 2 gallon pot, one gallon bowl, 8 inch strainer and cheese cloth. 1 quart more of water and 1/3 cup of salt.

Directions:
Warm milk over gentle heat 88ºF (31ºC). Temperature is important so use a thermometer and watch it carefully!

If you have never seen a rennet tablet, let me introduce you to my friendly neighbor hood Junket.



It takes half a tablet to make a batch of mozzarella.

This next ingredient is granulated citric acid. If you don't know where to find it, look in the home canning section of your local Wal-Mart or contact my friend Troy down at Preparing Wisely. He said there would be some in the store (hopefully today). A little goes a long way and I assure you...it is well worth keeping around if you plan on making cheese on a regular basis.

Dissolve 1-1/4 tsp. citric acid powder in 1/2 cup cool water.

Dissolve 1/2 Junket Rennet Tablet into 1/4 cup cool water. Stir thoroughly into warmed milk
mixture. When it set about 30 minutes it looked like this:

Let set undisturbed for 1-2 hours, until a clean break is achieved. It will come clean when you cut into it. Cut curd into 1/2 inch cubes.

Put the curds and whey in a large 2 gallon pot. I usually heat just two minutes and remove from the heat. Warm the curds and whey over low heat, stirring gently to warm evenly and keep the curds separated until temperature reaches 42º C (108ºF). When the pot is off the heat, it is easier to Hold at 42ºC for 35 minutes, stirring every five minutes to keep curds separated and off the bottom. This temperature is a "no brainer" in Arizona during the summer. In fact, I can put the pot outside on my patio and it stays perfect for the duration of this step. At any rate, while it is held at that temperature, get your remaining equipment ready. While it heats, get your strainer and a one gallon bowl...

Cloth to line the strainer is pivotal for good cheese. I use a fine cotton instead of the store purchased "cheesecloth". I find it not only costs me nothing...but it is much better for cheese making at retaining all the curd. This cotton I drape over the strainer.

Pour the curd into the cloth and twist the top of the cloth closed.

This is an 8 inch sieve over a 1 gallon container, let drain for 15 minutes. The whey will separate from the curd.

After 15 minutes it will look like this:

Now you need a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Set it aside. Get your one tsp of salt. Put the curd in a bowl.

With very clean hands, break up curd. Then mix in 1 teaspoon salt thoroughly.

Place 1 cup of salted curd into 2 cup glass measure. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. You will also need to put 1/3 cup salt into 4 cups of water to make the brine for the cheese. This salt needs to be dissolved.

Remove cheese curd from the microwave. Separate hot curd from container with the back of a fork, knead with hands to distribute heat evenly. Use caution, as it can become very hot.

Heat again for 20 more seconds. Stretch and fold to make smooth and elastic shape into a soft ball.

Drop into cold, salted water (1/3 cup salt per quart), let sit in refrigerator for a day, store in an air tight container. Use within a week.

Again, I can't take credit for this amazing process. This recipe was created for Junket by Dr. David B Fankhauser, PhD Professor of Biology and Chemistry University of Cincinnati Clermont College http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/CHEESE.HTML . I, Chef Tess, am but a faithful follower of Dr David. Thank you for all you do!

To see more delicious recipes and products visit the Junket web site http://www.junketdesserts.com/ and if you do remember this little tidbit...

Redco Foods AKA Junket wrote me an email. Here's what they said, "Currently we have a promotion running that with your first order you will receive 50% off (before shipping) using offer code JKT5006. We would be delighted if you posted this recipe on your blog. Have a great day!"

So, there you go folks. Make some cheese! I want to hear about your experiences.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (No sugar added)

I had a gal named Jeanette contact me about a cookie recipe she was making. It was spreading too much and she wanted my opinion on what to do. I love emails like that. Especially ones that inspire me to do something a little different. Case in point, when was the last time anyone shredded chocolate to put in a cookie? Jeanette did and I loved the way it sounded.

Alas, I wanted to make these right according to her recipe, but I also have the "no sugar" clause going in my life. I'm trying really hard to be responsible with my intake and thoughtful of my diabetic mother in law. It really isn't fair to make gobs of cookies and cakes with a diabetic in the house, especially one who is controlling her blood sugar by eating right instead of shooting insulin. So, I made the cookies using a few tricks. The first change was using whole grain oats, which are a lot slower to digest and better for blood sugars than white flour. The other change was using agave nectar instead of sugar and unsweetened chocolate instead of sugar sweetened. Adding to this a lower fat version of a cookie and what we ended up with was still a very moist tasty snack. I don't even feel guilty eating one.

Tess No Sugar Added Chocolate Oat Cookies

1 cup Agave nectar

1/2 cup EV Coconut oil

1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg white)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

4 cups rolled oats or rolled nine grain cereal

1/2 cup chia seeds (optional)

2 0z shredded unsweetened chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the agave nectar, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla very well in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.

Scoop by rounded Tablespoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, one inch apart. Bake 375 degrees 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and store in an air tight container. Not feeling guilty may be the best part of eating these. Maybe. Chia seed adds a good amount of fiber as well as the added ability curb my appetite. Not bad for one little cookie now and then. Sweet and satisfying.

There you go. Make some cookies.

Make A-Head Ground Beef Flavor Base

Friday is here! There are some just joining us on our Friday Freezer meal adventures and for some wild reason I have as yet, not added the most effective yet simple trick I have for freezer meals. Recently I received an email from one of my favorite blogger gals asking me if I had any tricks with my beef to add some flavor. She had made several of the homemade skillet mixes (aka Hamburger Helper) and thought them to be rather bland in flavor. I had to grin thinking that I personally had found the store purchased boxes to be just that word..."bland". So, I have thought about what I have done in the past to add some pizazz to my burger and realized I very rarely...if ever...make plain meat. Ironically I didn't even consider it a "freezer meal" to do what I do with meat. I've done it so long it is now just second nature. Here it is. I add vegetables. Aromatic vegetables to my meat. There. Simple yet effective for adding immense flavor to meat that may seem mono-dimensional. In the process, what I also end up with is a very simple way to get most of the work done quickly!


My Make A-Head Ground Beef Flavor Boost (meatless alternative* below)

3 medium onions, peeled and chopped fine
3 lb 90% lean ground beef or 93% lean ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 carrot, peeled and shredded
2 stalk celery, chopped fine


Directions:
1. Place all ingredients into (12-in or larger) Skillet. Cook over medium-high heat 15-18
minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.

2. Divide beef mixture into three portions.

3. Allow to cool, then put in Ziploc freezer bags. Label clearly.

Use freely anywhere you use ground beef, but be prepared, it has a lot more flavor!!
I use it in chili, taco meat, sloppy Joe's, Italian hoagies, Stroganoff, Macaroni casseroles, cheeseburger salad (mix all the condiments with the beef and pour over salad green with all the cheeseburger type toppings) Taco filling can be taco salad, burritos, Enchiladas, Meaty Spanish Rice, Family size Empanadas... You name it! This is a great way to make ahead a meal if you just want to have most of the work done. Really the cooking of the meat takes the most time and pain in the paa-toot.

*Going meatless would be an easier option all together for all of you vege-folk. I use Lentils(1 lb cooked according to package directions, mixed with 2 cups TVP and 2 cups vegetable stock) with this same flavor base as far as vegetables--except I add parsley, pepper, more garlic (double it!) Add the vegetables the last 15 minutes of cooking time on the lentils, then add the liquid and TVP the last 5 minutes. Still super great flavor base, but not a lot of fat, no chol., and loaded with powerful good blood cleaning Onion family stuff. Mmmm. clean blooood. Is it a vampire thing? Good for your liver anyway! Oh dear, the theme to the Adam's family just popped into my brain... but it was "the onion family" da na na na snap snap... It must be late!!! My brain gets fuzzy and silly!!

Here are a few more freezer tips from me to you:

Chef Tess How To Freeze Food Effectively 101


Buy Quality Fresh Ingredients-- freezing will not cover up inferior cooking or ingredients. Check the flavors and seasoning before freezing to be sure it tastes good.
Chill First-- Make sure food is cold before you freeze it! This allows it to freeze faster and reduces the amount of drip loss (leakage of moisture that occurs during defrosting) the ice crystal will be smaller in chilled food, reducing the amount of water lost. The result is better texture and flavor. It will also reduce the amount of condensation (moisture that collects on the surface of food when frozen) when defrosted, the excess water will make the food soggy and tasteless.
Chill Cooked Food Uncovered-- If you can’t bag and chill in labeled bags, it is essential that the food is chilled uncovered so the heat isn’t kept in the container (even plastic wrap!) If it is a large pot of chili or meat, I freeze bottles of water and put them inside the pot to further hasten the drop of internal temperature.
Freeze Small-- the smaller the item, the quicker it will freeze. Whenever possible, freeze portion size pint or quart name brand freezer bags. Gallon size is perfect for pizza crusts and larger family sizes. I use quart size for my family of 4. When you freeze it, do so with the bag laid out flat-- the increased surface area will not only freeze faster, but also be easier to store in stacks. I have a “freezer file” that I use. It is an ice bin that I put the flat bags in just like files I can flip through!
Open Freeze Smaller Items-- Smaller items like berries and cooked potato wedges can be placed on a parchment lined sheet pan (metal is best because of its temperature conducting qualities). Using this method will keep these smaller items from freezing in a block. I use it for twice baked potatoes and blanched vegetables.
Wrap Well--Squeeze out as much air as possible and label food clearly with permanent marker. Include defrosting and cooking instructions so anyone can cook it later (my husband needs it clearly marked to remove the ingredients from the bag before microwaving!) Preventing freezer burn is key! There is nothing wrong with using 2 bags. I always use the name brand bags. If the store brand is used it needs to be double bagged anyway, so it is worth the cost of the quality bags. If able to use the specially made vacuum sealers and the freezer bags with them, it is a good investment.
Watch Freezer Temperature-- On big freezing days, it is essential to check the temperature as well as checking periodically to be sure the freezer stays cold on other days. Keep a freezer thermometer in the freezer. It should be between 0-30 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are placing a large quantity of food in freezer at once, turn the thermostat to the coldest setting until food is frozen!
Follow Defrosting Recommendations-- It is best to defrost in the fridge or microwave. Do not defrost at room temperature because microorganisms like yeast, mold, and bacteria multiply quickly at temperatures above 40 degrees. It may still feel cool to you and be a breeding ground for food born illness! Don’t take chances! Cook defrosted food soon and chill leftovers as soon as possible.

There you go. Three meals in one shot, well, the flavor base anyway.

Pepper Cardamom Rubbed Pot Roast with Balsamic Glazed Sweet Potatoes

The mere mention of the spice Cardamom...and there is always an onslaught of questions from my friends here on the blog. What is it? What does it look like? Where do you get it? What does it taste like? Why in the *Heck-fire* would anyone use that crap on their food?! Okay...that last question I only had once...from a very random weird reader who probably was raised using only salt and maybe pepper...but only pepper on special occasions...like Christmas. So, it goes without saying that as a chef I get to explore food with people and hopefully expose them to good new stuff. I'm happy to expose other things. That sounds bad. I didn't mean expose anything I shouldn't. Lest anyone think me brazen. I am talking about things like my ankles...and wrists...and an occasional pod of cardamom. Pod-dy mouth.

Cardamom is a wonderfully lemon and earth spice. It reminds me of all things Fall. The smell is hinted with a kiss of...what? Nutmeg? Maybe close. It's just such a unique flavor. I highly recommend picking some up. It takes just a little to add huge flavor. The pod itself is greenish. It's full of little black seeds. Spices differ from herbs in that they are, by definition, the highly flavorful seeds and barks of edible plants. So, definite is the definition of cardamom in the spice category.
Often ground cardamom is added to Danish pastries. It adds, again, a very unique subtle flavor.

Today we are grinding the fresh seeds with black pepper. 1 tsp of each and using them as a base for a rub to add huge flavor to our pot roast. If you don't have a spice grinder, you can use a coffee mill. Grind 1-2 minutes until a nice powder is made.

Chef Tess Pepper Cardamom Rubbed Pot Roast

with Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

You will need:

3 lb beef Chuck roast

2T olive oil

1 tsp each black pepper and cardamom

3 cloves pressed garlic

1T French Grey Sea Salt, or Kosher Salt
1/2 cup high grade Balsamic vinegar (thick syrup type)

1/4 cup apple cider concentrate

2 lb organic sweet potatoes, washed and peeled

In a heavy bottom large skillet, heat olive oil over very hot heat about 4 minutes. Pat the outside of the roast dry. Add to the skillet with the oil and brown on one side 5-7 minutes. Turn over and brown on the other side. Remove from skillet. Place in heavy roaster pan.

Drizzle with the balsamic syrup and apple cider concentrate.

Rub the pepper cardamom mixture on the top of the roast. It just seems naughty...but it's so good.

Spread the crushed garlic over the spices and then top with the salt. Spread the salt out all over the roast.

Nestle the sweet potatoes in with the roast and lightly brush with the balsamic mixture from the bottom of the pan.

Place roast, covered, in a 350 degree oven 3-4 hours until tender. I put mine in the solar oven for 3-4 hours in the middle of the afternoon and it's ready for dinner by six o'clock. I remove the potatoes about half way through cooking so they don't get too moooshy. "Mooooshy" is a word. You know what I mean when I say it. That makes it legal to use. Just here though.

The roast will be beautifully tender and flavorful.

The sweet potatoes will have absorbed the amazing juices from the roast and can be eaten whole...

I however, prefer them mashed.

There you go. Amazingly flavorful and relatively few ingredients. Perfect for an earthy Fall dinner.

To use as a freezer meal:

Allow meat to cool completely. Slice and transfer to a freezer safe bag or container. Drizzle with any remaining juices and place sweet potatoes with the meat.

To serve: Defrost overnight in the fridge. Place in microwave safe container and heat 8-10 minutes. Serve hot with fresh salad.