I’d really like to make this cake for Madeline’s 1st birthday.
Wouldn’t it look pretty with some little flowery cupcakes, too?
But if I’m really going to do this, I’ll need to start practicing now,
to be ready in the fall.
What will I do with all my mistakes?
Jenn : )
…wishing you all a wonderful weekend!
Have a glass of your favorite drink.
And a Ginger Cookie on me.
Jenn : )
For this week’s Two Spoonfuls post I’m setting Alton and his chapter on water aside. Instead, I’m going to share a delicious dessert that Josh and I have been enjoying all summer. It’s for Roasted Fresh Fruit. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “Roasted?? What, it’s not hot enough for you in Seattle, Jenn?!?” I know. We are having record temperatures here in the Northwest. But that just shows you how good this recipe is – I’m actually willing to turn on the oven in the midst of this heat. So if I can do it here – then you can certainly make this where you are*!
(*Residents of Death Valley excepted.)
I’m using a modified recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I really like this cookbook. Normally I don’t mind recipes that have loads of ingredients and take a while to make. But sometimes you just don’t have half a day to cook, and you just want something good, fast.
There are many recipes on the internet for roasting fruit, and all are open to tweeking by the home cook. Don’t like peaches? Then don’t roast them. Want to see what a pluot tastes like? Throw it in! You can modify this basic recipe to include many of your favorite summer fruits.
Here I’ve used: Peaches, Red Plums, Black Plums, Nectarines and Pluots.
(Note: This is a great recipe for salvaging bruised fruit or fruit that’s gone a little soft. Don’t throw it out – roast it!)
I use fresh rosemary from our yard. The recipe calls for 2 sprigs of rosemary. I take the leaves off of the stems (just run your fingers down the length of the stem from top to bottom and they’ll fall right off) and mix them right into the fruit.
The recipe calls for 2T. unsalted butter and 2-3T. sugar. The last time I made this recipe I forgot to add the sugar – and Josh said he liked it even better! So you can play around with how much sweetness you add to this dish, another plus.
Also add 1T. fresh lime juice. Did you know that if you gently roll a lemon or lime against your counter top (press down just a little as you roll), it will give more juice? I’ve also read that you can microwave lemons and limes briefly and they’ll produce more juice as well.
Mix everything together in a roasting pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the fruit is tender and there is lots of juice in the pan. I usually give the fruit a stir about half way through.
Let cool for a bit and serve over your favorite frozen yogurt or icecream.
Usually I use 1 of each fruit and that makes just enough for Josh and I. This time, I made a bigger batch. I’m going to try keeping it in the fridge and warming it slightly in the microwave for desserts over the weekend.
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Here are some other Roasted Fruit variations:
1.) From Ina
2.) From Rachael Ray
3.) From Giada De Laurentiis
Hope you’re all enjoying the fruits of summer!
Now what’s that other Spoonful been up to?
Jenn : )
It’s product review time!
Well, it was product review time two weeks ago, technically, but it has been very chaotic at the Maruska house and so I’m posting this a bit later than intended. Ginny has been very understanding and has graciously done some extra baking while I’ve gotten caught up. (Thanks!)
My product review is for the Chocolate Bar Brownie Pan from Williams-Sonoma.
This is a very nice pan – it’s a good weight and made wonderful brownies -
they were just the right blend of crunchy and moist (I especially like the crunchy part!)
But the best part of the pan, was that it came with the recipe for the brownies.
This one’s not for the faint of heart, folks.
That’s 1 & 1/4 sticks of butter with bittersweet chocolate.
Plus cocoa powder….
…in my favorite mixing bowl.
Have I told you about this bowl before?
I went to a potluck dinner back in college and afterwards the host gave me some things to take home and she put them into this plastic bowl, which someone had left behind. This bowl is beat up. It’s ugly. It’s scratched and stained. But it has the best shape of all the mixing bowls I have. It’s deep and has straight sides (which cuts down on splattering immensely.) and I love it. When it’s in the dishwasher and I need to mix something – I miss it. It’s scratched and stained because I use it so much. After all these years, I pity the gal who left this bowl behind. Sometimes the best things in life really are free!
But back to the brownies…
Instead of fussing with a double boiler,
the chocolate and butter can be melted in the microwave.
Once the dry ingredients have been mixed with the wet…
…you’ll have to summon all of your willpower not to grab a spoon and go crazy.
This part of the recipe is not easy.
Those spoons are close by…
Gooey batter goes into the pan…
…crusty, moist brownies come out of the oven.
These are drool worthy,
seriously good brownies.
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In conclusion:
Pros:
Delicious recipe for brownies (you may never go back to the boxed kind).
The pan worked great – these were done right at 35 minutes, as promised.
12 perfect serving sizes straight from the pan.
Oh the crusty, moist goodness!
Cons:
Cost of pan. I think $30 is a bit steep. But if you don’t treat yourself to special cookware very often and you love chocolate, this would be a nice indulgence.
Clean up. Even after soaking, I needed a vegetable scrubber to get into the nooks and crannies of the words “Chocolate” in each square. That really didn’t take that long, though. Definitely a fair trade off to wow your friends with these yummy goodies!
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Overall, I’m happy that I have this pan and I’ll use it again to share with friends.
Jenn : )
….and where am I now?
Renovation on the upstairs of our house has begun. Josh and I have spent the last few weeks packing up everything from three bedrooms and a bathroom and carting the boxes downstairs into the basement.
In an effort to save some $$, Josh is demo-ing everything himself (with the occassional help of wonderful friends – thanks, guys!)
My once pretty, cheerful studio space, filled with knick-knacks and crafting supplies, will soon look something like this:
Yeah. Gone.
Actually, the room will be rebuilt, with new drywall and paint. But ultimately, my studio space will be moved to what used to be the guest bedroom – which is evolving into a loft. I’m looking forward to my new digs – it should be very sunny and open. And we’ve had a bit of good fortune, when we discovered that underneath the filthy carpeting exists beautiful fir floors that (so far) look to be in good shape.
In the meantime, I’m steering clear of all the dust and dirt up there. I’ve set up temporary sewing space and I’m working hard to complete some custom orders: including four needlebooks for my mom and a ring pillow for friends who’ll be getting married this summer (I’ll be sure to get some photos to show you how that comes out).
I owe you a Two Spoonfuls post. I’ve got all my ingredients to try out this inviting new baking pan, and I hope to have that finished soon.
‘Cause when all of your worldly goods are boxed up and stacked in a basement,
Girlfriend could sure use some chocolate.
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On another note: A few months ago I purchased the most adorable needle felted tapestry from TheMoonGoat on Etsy. Unfortunately, I forgot that there is a deadline for leaving feedback on Etsy, and by the time I had this framed, I was too late.
I am so upset with myself for neglecting to publically rave about this wonderful item. So I’m sharing it with you here. This photo doesn’t begin to do this piece justice – when I took it to the frame shop, all the employees commented on how adorable it is. It was wonderfully packaged and shipped quickly, too. I hope you’ll take a moment to check out TheMoonGoat’s shop – if for no other reason, then to see *THIS* before someone snatches it up! : )
Jenn : )
This week Ginny and I are taking a quick break from our travels with Alton Brown. So far we’ve been rolling right along learning the fundamentals of cooking and baking. But this week we spotted a charming little detour that we just couldn’t pass up: Marshmallows! Homemade marshmallows. Oh yes.
Do you think you need industrial sized equipment and a full scale jet engine to make real marshmallows? Well, you don’t!
Aside from having fun making (and eating) these, I learned that marshmallows are NOT difficult to make. If your kitchen includes a stand mixer and an inexpensive candy thermometer – then you are ready to go*.
(*If you don’t have a stand mixer, I wouldn’t hesitate to try making these with a good electric hand held mixer. As long as I had some stamina on my side, or a husband who would take a turn or two, or if a girlfriend who is one of the American Gladiators was visiting. What I’m trying to say here is that your arms will probably be tired after 15 minutes of mixing. But give it a try – I bet you’ve got way more muscles than I do!)
I used Ina Garten’s homemade marshmallow recipe from her book: Barefoot Contessa Family Style.
Add your ingredients to the bowl and mix for 15 minutes.
And this is what you’ll get.
Dust with some powdered sugar and let sit for at least a few hours.
For cutting I recommend a large straight blade.
Don’t bother with a serrated knife.
Fluffy and yummy!
Mix up your favorite hot cocoa.
I’ve used Schokinag.
Delicious!
And especially good when shared with a friend. : )
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I happen to have some store bought marshmallows in my pantry.
Would you like to see how the ingredients compare?
HOMEMADE:
Unflavored gelatin
Water
Granulated sugar
Light corn syrup
Kosher salt
Pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
STORE BOUGHT:
Corn syrup
Sugar
Modified Food Starch (Corn)
Dextrose
Water
Gelatin
Natural & Artificial Flavor
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate
Blue 1
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So, if you’ve ever thought about making homemade marshmallows but didn’t, thinking it would just be too complicated or messy, the Two Spoonfuls are here to say: give it a try! These aren’t complicated, all the sticky utensils clean up quickly in hot water and you’ll like how these taste.
Cheers!
Jenn : )
Today would regularly be our Friday Two Spoonfuls post. But, since the other spoonful is livin’ it up in Florida right now on vacation, I’m sneaking in a little vacation, too. ; )
That hasn’t kept me out of the kitchen, though.
Yesterday I made some Valentine’s Day cupcakes.
My first time making red velvet. (Yummy)
I used *this* recipe for the cupcakes.
And I used the cream cheese frosting from *this* recipe to top them off.
(Double yummy)
And for the piece de resistance, tiny heart sprinkles, which I received in a wonderful little goody package from Ginny. She also gave me some of her priced cupcake liners, too – what a generous gal!
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I’ve been a very lucky girl lately, and a bit overwhelmed by some unexpected kindness from friends. Not only did Ginny share her love of cupcakes with me, but when she heard about the trouble I’ve been having with my sewing machine, she made and sent me this:
It’s a little plush sewing machine! Isn’t it the cutest?!?
Sewing something pretty with a little needle.
It’s a genuine Bernina, just like mine!
Thank you, Ginny – for cheering me up while my Nina’s been away. : )
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This morning I made a trip to the post office, and since I wasn’t expecting anything, I almost didn’t check my box. But I’m so glad that I did, because look what was waiting for me inside!
This is a lovely little wool pin that Maia made and sent to me!
It’s so pretty, and I wasn’t expecting it at all.
What a wonderful Valentine’s Day surprise! Thank you, Maia!
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I wish you all lots of Valentine’s Day love.
Share some with a friend,
it can make all the difference in the world.
Best,
Jenn : )
This past week has been all about family style…. actually, that would be Family Style: as in: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style. In the span of about a week I’ve made String Beans with Shallots, Chicken Stew with Biscuits (twice!), Deep Dish Apple Pie, Perfect Pie Crust, Broccoli & Bow Ties and Coconut Macaroons – all from this one cookbook! I think this cookbook just fits in perfectly for the time of year and cold weather we’ve been having. It’s filled with easy, hearty, comfort foods. The Chicken Stew with Biscuits I made on two separate nights when we had guests over for dinner – it was a big hit and made for great leftovers.
My Two Spoonfuls recipe adventure this week is Ina’s Coconut Macaroons. I’ve made these many times. They are delicious. Would you like to bake something, but you don’t have alot of time or don’t want something that’s too complicated? Then this recipe fits the bill! These macaroons have only 5 ingredients: coconut, condensed milk, vanilla, egg whites and salt. That’s it.
I’ve always wondered how these would taste with a few cherries added. So this time I added dried cherries (purchased from my grocery’s bulk section) to half of the macaroon batter.
The cherries were a hit…. but I don’t think I’m done experimenting yet. I think I need to know how Maraschino cherries might taste. Yes… I think another batch of macaroons is in my near future!
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There is so much to do at this time of year. Places to travel to, friends and family to visit, gifts and gifts and more gifts to make and to buy.
There are many ways that we can all go green, and try to do something, even a small thing, to reduce the quantity of resources that we consume.
Among other things, this year for the holidays Josh and I gave re-usable market totes to family members. We also save boxes, bubble wrap and packing peanuts throughout the year and reuse them to mail Christmas gifts.
And then one day I happened across an article in a magazine featuring Klean Kanteens. Have you heard about these? Klean Kanteens are re-usable, lightweight, stainless steel water bottles that come in a range of sizes (even a sippy cup for little ones!), and have the potential to last through a lifetime of use. The bottles are BPA free.
(BPA = bisphenol A = a chemical that is suspected of being hazardous to humans, that is used in many, many household products. You can learn more about BPA on the Klean Kanteen website *HERE* and Wikipedia *HERE*.)
These bottles are toxin-free and they can hold water and citrus drinks (orange juice, etc..) I’ll be using a Klean Kanteen from now on when I’m working in my studio. I got Josh a bike cage to go with his – so he can have water when he’s out biking.
No more plastic bottles for us!
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This afternoon I’ve got to walk over to the post office.
Brrr, it’s cold outside!
Now, where did I put that hot chocolate?
Maybe there’s some in Ginny’s Two Spoonfuls kitchen!
Best, Jenn : )
One day, Ginny said to Jenn: “Let’s do a cooking blog post.”
A flurry of emails later, Two Spoonfuls was born!
We are two creative gals who became friends through our mutual love of fabric and sewing. Now, we’re bringing our energy and style into the kitchen, trying new recipes, re-vamping old favorites and sharing them with you.
We’ll use familiar ingredients to create dishes that are flavorful and easy to prepare, while adding our own helpful tips, bits of kitchen wisdom, and a little food history too. The recipes we share will be practical, with easy gourmet touches.
Look for Two Spoonfuls recipe recommendations: always in time for a weekend, to share with your family and friends.
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My second Two Spoonfuls recipe to try is Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.
This recipe can be found on the AllRecipes website.
The recipe is for both the cupcakes and the accompanying Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Most of the ingredients I already had in my pantry, particularly the spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, grnd cloves, and allspice.
All you need is a mixer (hand held or stand) to make the cupcakes. They bake until golden.
Then, while your cupcakes are cooling, use your mixer again to whip up the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. After you’ve frosted these cupcakes, be sure to hide a few for yourself, because they will go quickly!
They are delicious!
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Have you ever set aside a little time to do some baking and then read through your recipe and discovered that some of the ingredients need to come to room temperature? What a buzz kill! Now, I’m not saying that I’ve never covertly placed ingredients into the microwave and “encouraged” them to come to room temperature, but ideally, we all want to make the recipe the right way. So – I’m letting you know now that the butter, cream cheese and eggs should all be at room temperature when you are ready to get started. There. I’ve just saved you some electricity! Go green!
This recipe says that it makes 24 cupcakes. I got 20 cupcakes. After you taste how good these are – you’re going to wish you had those missing 4. The only solutions I can see for this problem are either to fill your muffin cups with a little less batter than you normally would or just make a double batch. In fact, just make a double batch – you’ll be glad that you did. ; )
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Target sells two different colors of stackable 36 count Cupcake Caddies! No more smooshed frosting, and you can carry all 36 cupcakes in one easy, portable carrier – they even have a handle!
“Cupcake” is the common term in the U.S. and Australia. In England a cupcake is called a “Fairy Cake”.
Ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. It is actually a pea sized berry of the evergreen pimiento tree that is native to the West Indies and South America, though Jamaica provides most of the world’s supply. Allspice is also called Jamaica Pepper. The English gave it the name Allspice because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
These are the dried, unripe fruits of Allspice, which will be ground and used in cooking.
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I hope you’ve enjoyed this Two Spoonfuls post!
You can click here *Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes* for the complete recipe.
I look forward to hearing from you, especially if you decide to give these a try!
We’re aiming to share our Two Spoonfuls posts every other Friday,
I’ll still be doing my usual work-in-progress posts, too!
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Now let’s see what Ginny’s been up to over in her kitchen…
Click here to find out!
Jenn : )
