Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

To frost a layer cake or 1/4 sheet (9" x 13") cake:

Soften 1/2 cup butter

Slowly beat 2 cups powdered sugar into softened butter.

Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and pinch of sea salt.

Continue mixing in 1 cup powdered sugar.

Now add 1/3 to 1/2 cup cocoa powder.

Dribble in 1-2 Tbsp. milk or cream while mixing on low.

Slowly mix in another 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Add more milk if needed to make spreadable. If too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.

Frost sides first, then the top.  I prefer to keep buttercream frosted cakes in the refrigerator.

Note: If you beat on high after adding cocoa the frosting will lighten in color.

Fave Cookbooks

They are the tattered, torn, smudged, and smeared ones.

Do you have some too?

Better Homes and Garden
Standard cookbook covering the basics. Even most of the index is missing. But I appreciate how the notebook lies open flat.

Make-A-Mix
My daughter-in-laws received this one from me this year for Christmas. Many years ago I borrowed my moms to make the Mexican Meat for burritos. Six months later she gave me my own copy so she could get her's back!

Sue Gregg's Cookbooks Set
How do you turn American white flour-fat-white sugar laden fare into something more healthy? Sue's cookbooks are loaded with good information and healthier recipes that will get you started improving your diet and be springboards for improving your family favorites.

Multi-Grain Overnight Bagels

This recipe owes it start to Overnight Bagels is a recipe from Kim Cahill's No Guesswork Cookbook.

I wanted a healthier version. I added and adjusted some ingredients.

Makes 16
You need two cookie sheets
Bake at 450°F for 12 minutes

Night Before:

In blender, process:
1/3 cup oat flakes (oatmeal)
1/3 cup 7-grain flakes
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds (shelled)
Some whole flax seed if you don't have ground to add later

In mixer bowl stir together and let rest till bubbly:
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp. yeast

Now put 2 tsp. of olive oil in 1/3 cup measure. Then fill the measure with honey. This will allow the honey to slide out easily.

Add: 2 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1-2 tsp. ground flax seed
5 1/2 cups freshly ground Spelt ( about 1 cup) and Bronze Chief (red)  wheat flour
Grains from blender
1 cup Natural White (unbleached)flour

Mix knead in more whole grain flour if needed. This dough should be rather stiff, yet still have a bit of sticky when touched. Cover. Let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough into a 16" log on a greased bread board. Cut into 1" slides. Roll each into a ball. Cover. Let rest 5 minutes.

Shape with a 1 1/2" hole. Place on lined cookie sheets. Eight to a sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

In the morning:

Remove cookie sheets from refrigerator and let set for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F

Boil each Bagel for 30 seconds. Drain on wire rack over paper towels.

Bake for 12 minutes.

These freeze very well.

Ricotta Cheese

This recipe is a great introduction to cheese-making. It has worked well for me at 6000' and for my daughter-in-law at almost sea level. Most cheese needs to be made in a double boiler set-up but not this one. You need a heavy non-reactive pot.

Ricotta cheese is expensive. Besides being cheaper this version is not even labor intensive. It takes several hours to the finished product; but it only needs your attention a couple of times.

1/2 gallon whole milk (cow)
1 cup heavy cream
7 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (The type you buy in a bottle and keep in the refrigerator will work if still fresh.)

Blend the milk, cream, and lemon juice in your pot. Place thermometer in pan. Place over low heat and set timer for 15-20 minutes. When timer beeps stir the mixture very gently with a few dipping motions to move milk from bottom to top. Set timer again for 15-20 minutes. Stir the mixture as before. You will see curds forming in the whey. Refrain from stirring more than two times as this causes your curds to be smaller.

If the mixture is about 160-170°F turn the heat up just a little. Your goal is a temperature of 200-205°F, in about 1 hour's time, with the liquid almost boiling. It will be starting to mound and spout.

Curds in whey.

Let pot rest for 15 minutes off heat. Drain curds into a colander lined with double thickness of quality cheesecloth placed over a bowl to catch the whey.

Curds in cheesecloth lined colander over bowl.

After about 20 minutes gather the cheesecloth into a bag and hang cheese for 3-4 hours. Refrigerate.

Ricotta bagged with whey in bowl beneath.

Stir in salt and a little cream if desired.

Ricotta ready to be refrigerated.

Notes: I have doubled this with success.
The whey is good to substitute in bread recipes for the liquid, feed to animals, and to use as a fertilizer.
The first time you make it you will want to watch your thermometer more to get a feel for how hot you need to keep the heat to read 200°F or mounding and spouting well in about one hour's time.

Kiwi-Strawberry Pie

What do you do when you get 10 Kiwis and a pound of strawberries in your Bountiful Basket?

Kiwi-Strawberry Pie

Make a graham cracker crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar or 2 Tbsp. fructose

Mix well. Press into bottom and sides of 9 - 9 1/2" pie plate. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let cool while making filling.

Filling:
Peel and slice into bite size pieces 4 Kiwis and about 1 1/2 cups strawberries. Place in saucepan and mash.

Add 6 Tbsp. honey or fructose and 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup water, stirring to boil. Cook 1 minute or till cornstarch clears. Turn off heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. butter and 2 tsp. lemon juice. Set aside.

Into cooled pie crust slice 3 peeled Kiwis  and more strawberries. Keep one Kiwi and 2 quartered strawberries to decorate top of pie. Pour mashed mixture over fruit in pie crust. Arrange Kiwi and quartered strawberries on top. Chill at least 4 hours.

Veggie Dip

This is so simple…it also disappears quickly! So quickly I didn't get a picture!!

Mix together:
3/4 cup Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Green Onion, chopped very small
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder (or to taste)
2 tsp. Parsley flakes

Chill. Serve with fresh veggies.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Can't remember where I found this one, but my husband gobbles it up! And it freezes well.

2 small zucchini grated = 2 cups grated

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2, 8" x 4" loaf pans

Mix:
4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Add:
1 1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Stir in zucchini and 1 cup chocolate chips

Bake for about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean.

Yummy!