CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

Chocolate Tofu Ice Cream...I can't believe I said that, made that, and loved that! It was our Food Matters Project recipe for the week. The recipe was chosen by Meg of Fledgling Foodie. No eggs, or cream, just four ingredients and better than regular ice cream.

I used dark chocolate from Trader Joe's, sugar, vanilla, and soft, silken tofu. In less than 10 minutes this was in the ice cream maker and ready to go. The tofu gave it a smooth, creamy texture. Right out of the ice cream maker it tasted like a cross between rich pudding and chocolate ice cream. That was our favorite time to eat it. After sitting in the freezer it hardened and was delicious too, only not as silky and creamy.

This will be my go-to recipe from now on. It is perfect for a dinner party, just turn on the ice cream maker when you sit down for dinner. It is really rich so a small amount goes a long way making it perfect to serve in a pretty shot glass, demitasse or a small martini glass.

For other takes on this recipe visit our blog here.

CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

3/4 cup sugar

1 pound soft silken tofu

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the sugar with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool a bit.

Put all of the ingredients (including the sugar syrup) in a blender and puree until it is completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instruction. Or transfer the mixture to an airtight container and freeze until it is firm, at least 4 hours; then break into chunks and puree in the food processor. Or simply let thaw a bit and eat as soon as it's scoopable.

Recipe by Mark Bittman

LEMON-BLUEBERRY CRISP WITH PINE NUT TOPPING

This week our Food Matters Project host was Laura of Chef Laura at Home. Laura chose Mark Bittman's recipe for Lemon-Blueberry Crisp with Pine Nut Topping. This is my second attempt at making a crisp. My first crisp was a Cardamom-Scented Apple Crisp that you can find here. I was surprised at how easy a crisp is to make. This time it was just as easy and just as good. I loved the pine nut topping. It added just the right amount of savory for my taste.

You can see what the other members made here.

LEMON-BLUEBERRY CRISP WITH PINE NUT TOPPING

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan

4 to 6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup pine nuts

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish with a little butter. If you’re using frozen berries, set them in a colander to thaw for a bit while you prepare the crust. Put ¾ cup of the pine nuts in a food processor along with the 4 tablespoons butter and sugar; let the machine run until the nuts are finely ground and the mixture is creamy and fluffy.

2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the whole pine nuts, flour, nutmeg, and salt and stir with a fork until crumbly. (You can make the topping ahead to this point, tightly wrap, and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze for up to several weeks; thaw before proceeding.)

3. Spread the blueberries in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the lemon zest. Crumble the topping over all and press down gently. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is just starting to brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately, or at least while still warm.

Serve with a Tablespoon of good ricotta, mascarpone, ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe by Mark Bittman

CARDAMOM-SCENTED APPLE CRISP

This week Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla chose Mark Bittman's recipe for Cardamom Scented Pear Crisp. I didn't have time to make it on the weekend but after reading how much all the Food Matters Project Members enjoyed this healthy crisp I decided to give it a try.  I used apples instead of pears and followed the recipe as written.

Cardamom... a spice I have only used in Indian cooking and that was many years ago. I could not recall the taste. I purchased a jar and WOW!! It's EXOTIC! It's SEXY! No wonder Cleopatra used it to perfume her palace apartments!

Try this crisp. It's delicious, healthy, and so easy to make.

You can also check out what the other members did with their crisps here.

CARDAMOM-SCENTED APPLE CRISP

4 TBSP. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

2TBSP. vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 TBSP. lemon juice

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Pinch of salt

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 tsp. cardamom

Heat oven to 400~. Grease an 8-9 inch square or round baking dish with a little butter. Cream the 4 TBSP. butter, oil, and sugar together using an electric mixer or fork. Stir in the nuts, lemon juice, oats, flour, and salt until combined and crumbly. (You can make topping ahead to this point; tightly wrap, and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze for up to several weeks; thaw before proceeding.)

Put the apples in the prepared dish, sprinkle with the cardamom, and toss. Crumble the topping over all. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is just starting to brown, 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately, or at least while still warm.

Recipe by Mark Bittman

MEYER LEMON POLENTA CAKE

It's Monday and that usually means I have cooked a recipe from Mark Bittman's Cookbook for The Food Matters Project. This week Jen from Prarie Summers was our host and she picked Bittman's recipe for Apricot Polenta Cake. I don't bake much and we don't eat a lot of dessert so my first idea was to use the polenta for inspiration and make something savory. I was looking around the garden thinking about what I could use in the dish and then I came across our Meyer lemon tree which has been bearing fruit all year. The lemons are really ripe and juicy right now and I decided that they should go in my cake and yes, I'll make it on the sweet side.

I used a recipe from Nigella Lawson and substituted Meyer Lemons for regular lemons. This cake was amazing! My husband thought it needed a little something extra so he candied some lemon and orange slices for garnish.

It really did add to the presentation. The cake was so moist and flavorful. The only change I would make would be to use a finer grind of corn meal. I used regular corn meal and ground it again in my spice grinder but it was a little crunchy. I think I need to find a finer grind or do as Bittman's recipe called for and cook it first.

This was so good that I'm in a hurry to eat it so I can make it again with the changes. You can find the original recipe on Jen's blog here. For the other Food Project Members take on this recipe click here.

MEYER LEMON POLENTA CAKE

Cake:

• 1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 cups almond meal/flour
• 3/4 cup fine polenta/cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free if required)
• 3 eggs
• Zest of 2 Meyer lemons (save the juice for the syrup)
•  

Syrup:

• Juice from  2 Meyer lemons (see above)
• Heaping 1 cup confectioners' sugar

 1 (9-inch) springform  pan

For the cake: Line the base of your cake pan with parchment paper and grease its sides lightly with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the butter and sugar till pale and whipped, either by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon, or using a freestanding mixer.

Mix together the almond meal, polenta and baking powder, and beat some of this into the butter-sugar mixture, followed by 1 egg, then alternate dry ingredients and eggs, beating all the while.

Finally, beat in the lemon zest and pour, spoon or scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. It may seem wibbly but, if the cake is cooked, a cake tester should come out cleanish and, most significantly, the edges of the cake will have begun to shrink away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack, but leave in its pan.

For the syrup: Make the syrup by boiling together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a smallish saucepan. Once the confectioners' sugar has dissolved into the juice, you're done. Prick the top of the cake all over with a cake tester (a skewer would be too destructive), pour the warm syrup over the cake, and leave to cool before taking it out of its pan.

Make Ahead Note: The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container in a cool place. Will keep for total of 5 to 6 days.

Freeze Note: The cake can be frozen on its lining paper as soon as cooled, wrapped in double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 1 month. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature. 

Recipe slightly adapted from Nigella Lawson

LEMON BASIL SORBET

This lemon basil sorbet was inspired by week 26 of our Food Matters Project. Jennifer from Simple & Amazing was our host that week and she chose Mark Bittman's recipe for Raspberry Cabernet Sorbet.  I wanted to use what was growing in the garden so I made Lemon Basil Sorbet. Lemon and basil are a great pairing. I hollowed out the lemons for cute little serving bowls. This makes a refreshing dessert or a perfect palate cleanser between courses.

This is a wild card Monday for our Food Matters Project, and we can make a recipe that we missed. I made this for week 26 but had some challenges. I used an ice cream maker and it wasn't cold enough so I had slush. That wasn't too much of a problem because I knew it would freeze in the freezer. The next day it was really frozen...so I took it out to take the picture and write the post but-someone-put my carefully hollowed out lemon bowls down the GARBAGE DISPOSAL!!!!!!!!!

That's okay. I got to make them this week :)

 Check out what the other members made that week here. You can find the original recipe on Jennifer's blog here.

And if you are interested in our members wild card delights click here.

LEMON BASIL SORBET

Makes about 5 cups

3 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar

2 TBSP. lemon zest, divided

1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil (if a stronger basil flavor is wanted, use 2 cups)

pinch of salt

3 cups fresh lemon juice

Prepare a lemon simple syrup with the water, sugar and 1 1/2 TBSP. of the lemon zest by combining all three in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.

Once the simple syrup is ready, add the basil and salt. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.

Strain the chilled mixture through a fine mesh strainer. In an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 15-20 minutes. When the sorbet is almost done, add the reserved zest through the opening on top of the ice cream maker and let churn until combined. The sorbet will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet.

FRUIT BRUSCHETTA WITH SPUN HONEY

 This weeks Food Matters Project recipe is Bruschetta Rethought. Chef Laura was our host. You can check out the recipe on her blog here. Mark Bittman suggested getting creative with your toppings.

I decided to go to the Farmer's Market for inspiration. I was thinking of a savory topping until I spotted this.

 I had a sample of this special local honey and I knew I had to use this on my bruschetta. With all the fruit surrounding me, I gathered a variety to make a fruit salad.

I chopped the fruit and added some chopped mint.

I decided on a beautiful loaf of Pecan Raisin Bread for my base.

I toasted the bread, spread it with the spun honey and topped it with chopped mixed fruit.

These were amazing.

The spun honey is delicious. It comes in different flavors. Mine had organic vanilla bean in it but they also had a cinnamon and even a chocolate honey.

For some fantastic Bruschetta ideas stop over here and see what everyone else made.

Thanks Laura for a great pick.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH TOFFEE-WALNUT TOPPING

The Pie Guy made this pie. My husband Ron is known as the Pie Guy. He brings the pies to our Thanksgiving dinner every year. They are always the highlight of our meal. This year he made two different pies. This pumpkin pie and a Chocolate Pecan pie. They were his entries into the competition.

                                                               COMPETITION ??????

We didn't know there was a competition until brother Alex surprised us with his own Apple Pie.

            Did someone really have the audacity to try and knock the Pie Guy off his fancy crust?

The Chocolate Caramel Pecan, The Pumpkin Pie with Toffee-Walnut Topping or The Apple Pie???

                                                            Who's pie will be voted the best?

My hands down favorite was the Pumpkin Pie. That's a BIG endorsement since I'm not a pie or dessert eater. The rest of the family all had their favorites and when we tallied the votes it resulted in a three way tie.

                            Since Ron made two of the three pies I think that means he won. :) :)

                        And I think we have a new family pie competition to be continued next year.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH TOFFEE-WALNUT TOPPING



Crust

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons (about) ice water
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend

Filling

• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
• 1/3 cup English toffee bits (such as Skor)

For crust:

Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; process using on/off turns until small moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter pie dish. Fold overhang under, forming high-standing rim. Crimp edges decoratively. Freeze 15 minutes. Brush crust all over with yolk. Bake until crust is set but still pale, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

For filling

Whisk first 12 ingredients in large bowl. Pour into crust. Bake until filling is set, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack. Sprinkle nuts and toffee around edge of hot pie, forming border. Cool pie completely. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Recipe from Bon Appetit

ROASTED STRAWBERRIES

I wait all year long for those sweet, juicy, plump strawberries to hit the Farmers Market. Now that fall is just around the corner and the strawberries are losing their summer sweetness, I decided to coax a little more flavor from them by roasting them. It's so easy and it gives them a sweet, almost jam like flavor.

All you do is hull them and cut them in half. Toss with agave nectar or honey and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar. Roast for about 30 minutes until soft and juicy, let them cool and serve them any way you like. I put them on Greek yogurt but if you like dessert on the sweeter side you could add honey to the yogurt or serve them on ice cream, or pound cake and some whipped cream.

                                          ROASTED STRAWBERRIES

2 cups strawberries

4 tsp. agave nectar or honey

1 tsp. turbinado sugar

Greek Yogurt or ice cream

Preheat the oven to 400~ Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a bowl, toss strawberries, agave nectar, and turbinado sugar together. Make sure the strawberries are coated evenly.

Place strawberries on prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and juicy.

Let the strawberries cool to room temperature. Spoon strawberries over yogurt or ice cream.

Recipe from http://www.twopeasamdtheirpod.com/

TOASTED ALMOND

This after dinner drink is one of my favorite desserts. I'm not a big dessert eater but I do like to serve dessert when I entertain. How many times have you been served a great meal and then the dessert is served, it is delicious, but when you get home you are wiped out? That won't happen with this little treat.

It was Father's Day and I spent all day cooking a delicious meal. I just wanted something sweet, but not too heavy to serve for dessert. This was what I made. Quick, easy and to die for tasty. I won't mention any names here, but the guest of honor, (who will never read this because he doesn't know how to use a computer) came into my office the next day and said "Honey, that was a great dinner but what was REALLY good was the dessert". So...that was a great compliment but it made me wonder if next time I skip the 8 hours of cooking and get right to the dessert, all 2 minutes of it.

                                                              TOASTED ALMOND

1 part Kahlua

1 part amaretto

2 parts cream

In a small glass combine the Kahlua, Amaretto and the cream. Drop in a ice cube, give it a swirl and serve.

DAISY ANN CAKE WITH LEMON CURD AND BERRIES

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not bake or make desserts. I don't eat sweets often so why make them? I don't eat baked goods often so why bake them?

I was sorting through some food pictures I had taken over the years and one picture really jumped out at me. DID I REALLY MAKE THIS????? Ohhhh yes I did! This is not a cut and paste, I promise. I used a Daisy Ann pan which is a flower-shaped pan inspired by the classic Mary Ann's cake shell pans from the 1920's. It has an indentation in the top for holding custard, curds or fresh berries. I was REALLY proud of this cake. I made it for a 4th of July party. You can buy the cake pan at Williams-Sonoma or you can give me a call and borrow it!

DAISY ANN CAKE WITH LEMON CURD AND BERRIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

16 TBSP. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup lemon curd (you can  make it but I found it at a gourmet market)

1/3 cup heavy cream, whipped to medium-firm peaks

12 raspberries or 6 strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

¼ to ½ cup blueberries

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat an oven to 350~. Grease and flour a Daisy Ann cake pan.

Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until blended. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour, beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Put the lemon curd in a bowl. Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir the whipped cream into the curd until no white streaks remain. Spread the lemon curd mixture in the well of the cake. Place 1 raspberry or 1 strawberry half, cut side down, on top of the curd in each flute. Mound the blueberries in the center of the lemon curd. Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves 12 to 16

Recipe and pan from Williams-Sonoma.