Pudding Season Has Arrived!!

National Pudding Season has begun!!! There are so many versions of puddings it just so unbelievable. Pudding has dated back all the way to England and has made changes to improve to the taste buds.

History of Pudding
\The first puddings made by ancient cooks produced foods similar to sausages.
\British claim pudding as part of their culinary heritage
\Medieval puddings (black and white) were sill mostly meat-based
\17th century English puddings were either savory (meat-based) or sweet (flour, nuts and sugar) and were typically boiled in special pudding bags
\By half of the 18th century traditional English puddings no longer included meat.
\The 19th century puddings were still boiled but the finished product was more than likely cake
\Puddings are still traditionally served at Christmas time (Ex. Plum pudding)
\In America, late 19th century cookbooks and company brochures (Jell-O, Royal) were made for "quick" custard and pudding mix with healthy ingredients
\By 1930 these products were readily available to the American public

Recipes for Puddings

Spotted Dick Pudding

Ingredients


\2 eggs
\8 oz [225g] self-raising flour
\Pinch salt
\3 oz [85g] castor (superfine) sugar
\8 oz [225g] shredded suet
\8 oz [225g] currents, or raisins, or sultanas, or a combination
\Zest of 1 lemon
\1 cup [250ml] milk (slightly more may be needed)

Directions

Beat the eggs in a small bowl

Sieve the flour, and salt into a large bowl

Add the sugar and stir to combine

Add the suet and combine until the mixture resembles small pellets, about the size of coarse ground meal

Add in the currents/raisins/sultanas and lemon zest, stir to mix

Add in the beaten eggs, mix well

Then slowly add in the milk and keep mixing until the ingredients are all incorporated

Knead until a slightly sticky dough is formed, if too wet add more self raising flour

Roll out the dough into a thick cylinder, of a length which will fit into your steamer or boiling utensil. The dough should still be slightly sticky

Steaming Spotted Dick in a Steamer

Wrap the dough in 2 layers of parchment paper and seal tightly, by twisting the ends of the paper

Place in a steamer and steam for 1¾-2 hours.

Plum Pudding

Ingredients

\2 eggs

\1 orange

\9 oz (255g) Plums, weight after stones removed. (If plums are out of season you can substitute the same weight of drained canned prunes. Alternatively, dried prunes which have been soaked in water overnight then drained.)

\8 oz (230g) raisins or currents or sultanas (I prefer a mixture of all 3)

\4 oz (115g) breadcrumbs (not store bought, made from slightly stale bread)

\4 oz (115g) soft brown sugar (dark brown may also be used)

\1 medium apple

\Butter for greasing

\4 oz (115g) Self Raising flour

\4 oz (115g) shredded suet

\¼ tsp ground/grated nutmeg

\½ tsp ground cinnamon

\4 tbsp dark rum

\1 cup milk

Directions

Lightly beat the eggs, set aside

Grate the orange skin to obtain the zest, making sure you do not grate the pith, set aside, discard the pulp and pith

Chop up the plums (or prunes if that's what you're using) set aside

Peel and core the apple and chop it up, set aside

Grease the inside of a 2 pint (1 liter) pudding bowl, using the butter, set aside

Sift the flour and ground cinnamon into a large bowl

Add the nutmeg and stir well

Add the sugar and stir

Add the breadcrumbs and stir to mix

Add the currants/raisins/sultanas and stir again

Add the suet and mix

Add the plums/prunes, orange zest and apple and stir to mix

Add the eggs, rum and orange juice, mix well using a wooden spoon.

Add the milk slowly, stirring all the time. Continue adding the milk until the pudding mixture is of dropping consistency. i.e. When the plum duff mixture drops from the spoon.

(NOTE:- You might find you need a little more or a little less than 1 cup of milk. This will depend on the amount of juice obtained from the orange, how juicy the plums were, the size of the eggs and whether you were naughty and added more than 4 tbsp of rum, which is something I don't recommend, unless you want your pudding to taste only of rum)

Once the Plum Duff batter is ready transfer to the pudding bowl, most of it should run, slowly, out into the bowl, then use a spatula to make sure you get all of the plum pudding into the bowl

Cover the pudding bowl with a double sheet of wax paper, which you have pleated in the middle and tie, firmly under the rim of the pudding bowl, with string

Bring the string loosely over the top of the bowl and tie to the string on the other side. This forms a handle enabling you to lift the pudding bowl.

Place the pudding bowl on an upturned dessert dish [or similar] in a pot which can contain the bowl with ease.

Fill the pot with boiling water, halfway up the side of the pudding bowl, bring the water to a simmer and place a tight fitting lid on the pot.

Of course, if you're lucky enough to have a steamer, you can use that

Steam the Plum Duff for 3 hours, checking the water approximately every 20-25 minutes. 

Ensure the pot does not run dry

Lift the bowl containing the plum pudding, from the pot

Remove the wax paper and allow the pudding to cool for 10 or so minutes (Don't let the plum duff get too cold)

Although you can turn the pudding out onto a serving plate, after loosening it from the sides of the bowl, I prefer to serve it directly from the pudding bowl. 

Transfer the dessert in large spoonfuls into individual dessert dishes and serve with custard or whipped cream. 

You can also serve the plum pudding with a hard sauce which obviously will have to contain a little rum.

Homemade Cookie Day

I love when my mom would cook up a batch of homemade cookies from scratch and the whole house smell so wonderful. Just a wonderful smell of homemade cookies would take you to your happy place from your childhood. This will be a perfect time to do this for your little ones and get them excited to eat their dinner just to get that warm cookie and a glass of milk.

History of Cookies
\Cookies were cookie-like hard wafer existed for as long as baking has been documented
\They were not sweet enough to be considered cookies by modern standard
\Cookies origins in 7th century Persia, shortly after the use of sugar became common in the region
\Cookies spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain
\By the 14th century, they were common in all levels of society, throughout Europe, from royal cuisines to street vendors
\Cookies came to America in the early English settlement (the 17th century), but they were named "koekje" which arrived with the Dutch.
\Popular cookies in the early American were the macaroon, gingerbread cookies, and the various types

Cookie Recipes

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients
\1 cup shortening
\1 1/2 cups of sugar
\2 3/4 cups plain flour
\2 teaspoon cream of tartar
\2 eggs
\1/2 teaspoon salt
\1 teaspoon baking soda
\1 teaspoon vanilla extract
\4 tablespoons of sugar
\4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs until light. Combine flour, cream of tartar, salt and soda; stir into creamed mixture. stir in vanilla. Shape into balls the size of walnuts. combine 4 tablespoons sugar and teaspoons cinnamon; mix well. Roll each ball in mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes.

You can also buy the icing for the cookies. Make a project with the children to draw Halloween decorations on top. Witches, ghost, cat, pumpkin, spider web, and more. Or if you want you can flatten the cookie dough out and use Halloween shape cutters.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

\2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

\1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

\1 teaspoon Baking Powder

\1/2 cups Butter

\1 cup Sugar

\1 cup Brown Sugar

\2 Eggs, Beaten

\1 cup Peanut Butter

\2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream butter; add sugars and cream together. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla; add dry ingredients. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Flatten with fork. Bake at 375° for 8-12 minutes.

October is Here!!

Hello Foodies!!! October is finally here and we can begin creating and making our Halloween preparations in everything around us for this entire month. Within in this month the days will become shorter, but you'll be too busy to notice it as to start planning for parties to celebrate these important occasions.


National Foods for the Month
\Eat Country Ham
\Apples
\Applejack
\Caramel
\Chili
\Cookies
\Dessert
\Pasta
\Pickled Peppers
\Pizza Festival
\Popcorn Poppin'
\Pork
\Pretzel
\Seafood


National Awareness Month
\Vegetarian
\Eat Better, Eat Healthier
\Fair Trade

National Week-Long Festivities

Week 1
\National Chili
\National No Salt

Week 2
\National American Beer
\National Food Bank
\National School Lunch
\National Pasta

Week 3
\National Bulk Foods
\National Kraut Sandwich
\National Pickled Peppers

Week 4
\National Chicken Soup for the Soul

National Pancake Day!!

Don't you just love having fresh hot pancakes in the morning? Well I know we do and we even enjoy having pancakes all the time throughout that day. Pancakes have so many names and there are so many different flavors of the pancakes. Not only does syrup goes on pancakes: honey, jam, molasses, and more.

History of Pancakes

• Pancakes were created in Ancient Greece
• Pancakes were not called pancakes until the 1800s
• Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Tuesday, which is the day before Lent
• Each culture has different ways of fixing pancakes

Pancake Recipes

Most children and adults have allergies to milk and/or eggs. 

Egg & Milk Free Pancakes

Ingredients 

• 1 cup white flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons margarine
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 eggs (optional) or 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into medium mixing bowl.
2. Melt 2 1/2 Tbsp margarine in frying pan until melted.
3. Be sure to tip the pan side to side to coat/grease all over.
4. Pour melted margarine in a small bowl, add water and egg (if you want to add egg); Mix well.
5. Stir liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until it is thoroughly moistened.
6. It is OK if this batter is lumpy.
7. Cook the pancakes over medium-high heat on the stove-top (or 375F on electric frying pans).
8. Cook pancakes until the tops are bubbly and the bottoms browned.
9. Turn the pancakes over to cook other side (approximately four minutes per side).
10. Serve hot with margarine, honey, brown sugar or maple syrup.
11. Actual cooking time will depend on the size of the pan you are using; I have a small frying pan, so I have to do these individually.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• butter
• jam and syrup for serving

Directions

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. If your buttermilk and eggs are cold, then the butter will kind of seize and clump, but you don't need to fret about it. Pour the wets into the dries and whisk it all until it's nice and smooth. If you like your pancakes thinnish, and we do, then the batter should be thinnish; whisk in a little more buttermilk if it seems really thick.
2. Now pour it into a squeeze bottle, if you like, or else scoop it directly onto the hot griddle.
3. Butter the griddle well and then begin pouring on your batter, using a third of a cup or so for each pancake, but really just kind of eyeballing it. When the pancakes are nice and bubbled on top and the undersides are brown, flip them and cook another minute or so to brown the bottoms lightly.
4. Taste one: it should be nice and brown on the outside and nice and moist--but not raw--on the inside; if they're cooking too fast or too slow, adjust the heat accordingly.
5. Rebutter the pan as needed between batches.

National Butterscotch Pudding Day

Today is National Butterscotch Pudding Day and its So YUMMY!!!!! This is a very sweet, creamy, and tasty dessert. There are so many wonderful recipes you can make with butterscotch pudding, but we have chose two that will make you want to get a slice and the other just simply enjoy it.


Butterscotch Pudding Recipes

Butterscotch Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cold milk
• 1 small box of butterscotch pudding

Directions

• Pour both milk and pudding mix in a medium size bowl
• Whisk together for 2 to 3 minutes
• Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes
• Serve 

Butterscotch Pudding Pie

Ingredients

Pudding:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cups & 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons whiskey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pie:

• 1 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store bought)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1.4-oz. Heath candy bar, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

Make pudding: Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, stir in dark brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk until smooth, then whisk in egg yolks.

Whisk remaining milk into brown sugar mixture, then whisk in cornstarch mixture. Return pan to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to low; simmer, whisking constantly, until pudding thickens slightly, about 1 minute (it will thicken more as it chills). Remove from heat; stir in whiskey and vanilla. Transfer to bowl; cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of pudding. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Make pie: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line interior of crust with parchment; fill with dried beans or pie weights, pushing beans or weights up against sides of parchment. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, prick crust all over with a fork and bake until crust is deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle chocolate in crust, let melt, then spread in a thin layer. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Assemble pie: With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream with sugar and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. Spoon pudding into crust, top with whipped cream, and garnish with chopped Heath bar. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Cheeseburgers!!!

Well yesterday was National Cheeseburgers Day and we decided to go head and post about it today.

History of Cheeseburgers

• The first cheeseburgers was created between 1924-1926
• A 16 year old fry cook, Lionel Sternberger was experimenting with the hamburgers
• Sternberger dropped a slab of American cheese (yellow cheese) on a sizzling hambuger, which created the tasty Cheese Burgers
• At that time Sternberger was working at his father's sandwich shop in Pasadena, CA called "The Rite Spot"; at this time for Sternberger it was the "rite" spot for him
• However, other places like Louisville, KY Kaelin's Restaurant claimed to invent the cheeseburger in 1934
• Trademake for the name "cheeseburger" was awarded to Louis Ballast of Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, CO
• Afterwards cheeseburgers appeared on menus everywhere

Cheeseburger Recipe

Regular Cheeseburgers

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 tablespoon of  McCormick® Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning

Directions

Preheat the grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.

Mix the ground beef, salt, pepper, and the hamburger seasoning together in a large bowl until well blended. Make 6 to 8 patties 3/4 inch thick.

Place the patties on the prepared grill. Cover and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Add a slice of cheese to the hamburger and place on a bun. Add condiments to your liking.

National California Wine & Chicken Month

Have you ever wanted to fix a meal with a good bottle of wine, but did not know which bottle of wine would suite the meal? Look no further we have found two in one. This is National California Wine & National Chicken Month which brings two of our food items together. YUMMY!!! The wine of choice is Pinot Grigio and the chicken of choice is roasted.

Roasted Chicken and Portobello Risotto

Ingredients

• 2 Bacon (slices cut crosswise into thin strips)
• 4 tablespoons of butter, divided
• 3 cups mushroom caps(coarsely chopped portobello, 6 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (shredded, 8 ounces)
• 6 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, divided)
• 1 1/2 cups arborio (uncooked, rice)
• 1/2 cup pinot grigio (dry white wine)
• 29 oz fat free less sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add 1 teaspoon butter and mushrooms to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in chicken and 4 tablespoons parsley. Set aside.
2. Melt the remaining 3 teaspoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 3 minutes. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 35 minutes total). Remove from heat. Stir in mushroom mixture, cheese, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with bacon and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.