Summer of Rhubarb: Vanilla Pudding with Rhubarb Sauce

by almost_rosey // 18Sep2016 // No Comments

My guy asked me the other day if I quit blogging. It’s not so much that I quit it’s just that it’s been hard to try and actually write. I made this dish earlier in the summer when my rhubarb was fresh and never got around to posting it. Now all I can think about is the fact that my cat Oedipus loved this dish and he is no longer with us. Which brings me to my point of why it’s hard to write.

I started a post a few weeks after his death and have not been able to bring myself to finish it. It’s called Saddle Thrombus. Enough said. Now every time I try to blog I get teary eyed. In fact I’m crying a bit right now.

It’s been over 2 months and yes I am doing better but every now and then I still get incredibly sad. I have quit reliving that terrible day in my head and have started to just think of all the good things he brought to my life and the fond memories I have of him, but I still get sad here and there.

Most people out there are thinking…’what the hell? He was just a cat’. Well you people are wrong. He wasn’t just a cat. I’ve had other pets before and still have other pets but it’s not the same. He was special. I’ve had other pets pass before and yes I was sad but it wasn’t a debilitating sadness that consumed me when my honeybun passed.

He was the most personable animal I ever knew. Some cats are stupid and ditzy

& others are more wise and exhibit more human traits.

The blank page ones or ones that aren’t as aware aren’t any less lovable but I loved Oedipus the most. He was my baby boy. I know he wasn’t a real child but he acted like one. I treated him more like one. That’s why his death has been so hard. He was the closest thing I will ever have to an actual child as children are not in the cards for me.

There will never be another one like him. One of his favorite things was dairy products. He loved all things dairy…cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, milk (he especially loved it when you ate cereal so he could get a few laps of the leftover milk in your bowl), ice cream, etc. He loved it all.

I made this vanilla pudding and he could smell the dairy in it. He’d sit right beside you begging for some. Obviously he wanted nothing to do with the rhubarb sauce but he liked the pudding part.

Vanilla Pudding with Rhubarb Sauce

Rhubarb Sauce

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups rhubarb (if using frozen make sure it is thawed & drain out excess liquid)
lemon juice to taste

In a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil. Add the rhubarb. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice to taste.

Vanila Pudding

3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
3 cups milk (I used 2%)
3 beaten egg yolks
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Add milk. Cook and gently stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of the milk mixture into egg yolks.
Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter & vanilla. Pour pudding into 4 individual serving bowls. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill in fridge for 1 hour or up to 24 hrs before serving.

Top with rhubarb sauce if desired.

Rhubarb Muffins

by almost_rosey // 21Jun2016 // No Comments

It took me years to be able to eat breakfast in the morning. In junior high and high school I lived off of slimfasts for breakfast because I just couldn’t bring myself to eat food. I didn’t have an appetite until I had been up for a few hours. Slowly over the years I have trained myself to eat actual food. Not a lot, but enough to get me going and last until lunch. My guy however, is still unable to eat in the morning. He likes to wait. The only problem with this is that he waits and then has no food to eat because he is at work. Consequently he ends up waiting until lunch. This is simply unacceptable in my opinion. When he told me he wasn’t eating I decided to make muffins. They are perfect for a grab-n-go breakfast. And what a great way to use up more of my rhubarb.

Rhubarb Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar (I did half granulated sugar & half brown sugar)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients, mixing only until moist. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Torte

by almost_rosey // 18Jun2016 // No Comments

It has been a long time since I have had time for anything let alone time to bake. This is my first creation on my first Baking Sunday in a long time. The reason I have been absent is because I was busy planning a wedding and European honeymoon. I love planning. I always say that if I weren’t a chemist that I would be an event planner.

Our wedding was small but that doesn’t mean I had any less work to do. The only thing I didn’t have to deal with was the processional and music that coincides with that as well as bridesmaids dresses or bridesmaid flowers since I didn’t have any of those (honestly bridesmaid flowers are super easy because you just make them similar to the bride’s bouquet but have less flowers or simpler flowers). My flowers I spent a lot of time designing. I had a florist do the final arrangement but I gave specific flowers with colors and just told her (Kim from Artemisia) to arrange them.

Everything else I had to plan and I even had to write an entire ceremony since we did not have a church wedding which is not very easy to do. In addition, finding a venue for a small wedding (50 or less) is very difficult. All venues hold 100-300 so finding one with charm is not an easy task.

We ended up finding W.A. Frost which turned out to be absolutely amazing. It’s a small restaurant in historic St. Paul full of charm & beauty.

It is gorgeous inside and no decorations were needed.

The two rooms we rented held 57 max so it was perfect. We went there for lunch before we picked it and I tried the bouillabaisse and my guy got a cheeseburger. We figured that if they could cook a high-end dish and a simple cheeseburger that no matter what we ordered for the reception would be fantastic. We weren’t disappointed. Everything was delicious. For the night of we went with a walleye dish, a pork dish, as well as a bistro steak. I had the steak the night of and it was incredible. For our cake we went with tiramisu for our top layer and strawberry lemon for the bottom layer from Buttercream. Buttercream is expensive but it is worth it. They really are the best for wedding cakes in Minnesota.

I should also mention that my photographer (Angela from Angela Divine Photography) was absolutely amazing and all my wedding photos are from her. I told her we only needed a few hours of coverage and she did better than I could have imagined. I knew I wanted her once I saw her portfolio as she did many small weddings, and with our wedding being under 50 it was a perfect match.

I could talk about all the other details of event planning but this post would go on forever. Needless to say it takes a lot of time to research options for every single item for a wedding and a European trip. There is a lot to consider but just take it one thing at a time while always thinking about the next 20 tasks coming up if that makes any sense. I guess that’s why I am good at planning. I’m great at multitasking & thinking about the future while enjoying & living in the present.

As of now, my rhubarb is growing like crazy. I will have plenty of things to make rhubarb-wise in the future so prepare yourself. Maybe I could actually remember to take a decent photograph of my baked goods before they all get eaten.

Rhubarb Torte

For the crust

1 1/2 C flour
7 T sugar
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter as if you’re making a pie crust. Press the dough into a 9- by 13-inch pan.

For the custard

2 eggs
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 C fresh rhubarb (I used the red variety)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, & salt. Stir in the rhubarb. Let sit for 30 minutes. Pour the custard into the crust, and bake for 35–45 minutes, until the torte is set and slightly golden, not toasty brown. Store any leftovers, covered, at room temperature.

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

by almost_rosey // 12Jun2016 // No Comments

It’s that time of year again…Summer of Rhubarb time. There is a period of time where you could sit outside and literally watch your rhubarb grow. It happens that quickly. I actually made this last year but never got around to posting it. I was busy planning a wedding and a european honeymoon so I didn’t have much free time or ambition for anything else.

This cake seems ambitious but is really very easy. Every time I go to invert an upside-down cake I am fearful that it won’t come out. That it will remain stuck in the pan and I will have a crumbled cake mess. Every time, however, it slides out beautifully and I have a moment of pure satisfaction & baker’s bliss.

Upside-Down Rhubarb Cake

3 tbsp butter, melted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 cup fresh or frozen* rhubarb, diced (I used 1 3/4 cup red rhubarb and 3/4 cup green rhubarb)
1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

*Note that if you are using frozen rhubarb thaw completely first and drain off excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9in round cake pan with butter. Line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with butter.

In a small bowl combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Spread over the greased parchment paper. Place rhubarb over sugar mixture. Sprinkles granulated sugar over rhubarb.

In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. Add the milk. Mix until combined.

In a medium bowl beat egg whites and tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter gently. Pour over rhubarb.

Bake for 55 minutes or until top is golden and lightly springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Invert the cake.

Be proud. Be happy. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Ground Chicken Enchilada Casserole

by almost_rosey // 30Apr2016 // No Comments

I just got back from a honeymoon in Europe specifically Paris & Barcelona. I had not cooked for 2 whole weeks so wanted to make something easy my first night back home. I knew a casserole was the answer. I know it’s a pretty Minnesotan thing to make and not very fancy for my first night back home but it was quick & easy & delicious.

Seeing as how we hadn’t been home for 2 weeks I didn’t have very much to work with. Besides some whole chickens in the freezer, which would take forever to thaw, I had 1lb of ground chicken. I knew this was what I could work with. Based on my pantry & fridge ingredients I knew that an enchilada casserole was in store.

Casseroles get a lot of grief but they are truly a godsend. Yes, it often looks like dog food. It’s hard to photograph certain casseroles well. Don’t even try. Really. I used corn tortillas as well so nothing holds its shape. You don’t even have to make enchiladas. Just layer the tortillas, add the filling, top with more tortillas, and finally the sauce. It looks a mess but just enjoy the simplicity & the deliciousness of it.

Ground Chicken Enchilada Casserole (serves 4)

1 lb ground chicken
taco seasoning
4oz cream cheese (I used light)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup chunky salsa, divided
4oz can diced green chilis
8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground chicken and add taco seasoning to taste. Add the cream cheese & stir over low heat until the cheese has melted & is thoroughly mixed with the meat. Add the black beans, 1/4 cup of the salsa, 1/2 of the green chills & stir to combine. I also added a tsp of ghost pepper salsa at this point for some extra heat.

Mix the can of cream of chicken soup with the rest of the salsa & green chilis. Spread a small amount over the bottom of a casserole dish (I did 2 smaller dishes so we would have another one to bake at a later date). Layer half of the tortillas in the dish (s) and top with the filling. Top with the rest of the tortillas. Finally, spread the sauce over the tortillas. Bake for 40 minutes at 400F and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Poutine

by almost_rosey // 29Mar2016 // No Comments

I have never had real Poutine. I don’t know how this is possible considering I live in Minnesota or Almost Canada. I had poutine at the MN State Fair but it wasn’t real Poutine. It was more like a fast food version. This recipe might not be traditional but it is delicious. Maybe one day I will have a traditional version but until I do this will suit me just fine.

Poutine (serves 2)

1-1.5 cups shredded cooked duck
1 cup duck gravy
2 cups diced potatoes
2 tbsp lard
salt & pepper to taste
shredded swiss cheese

Fry the potatoes in the lard with salt & pepper until crispy. Place in a pie plate.

Top with shredded duck and then gravy. Bake for 15-20 minutes until duck is heated through. Top with swiss cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more until cheese is melted. Serve & enjoy

Walleye Cakes & A Poached Egg

by almost_rosey // 23Mar2016 // No Comments

This was an exceptionally short ice fishing season. It hasn’t been this short in 28 years for everyone in Almost Canada. For Lake Minnetonka it was the shortest ice out season since 1887. Wow. That is a crazy record. Because of this I didn’t get to go fishing as often as I would have liked. Normally I have to find creative ways to work through all the walleye we catch but not this year. I decided to make walleye cakes with this batch which is one of my favorite ways to eat walleye. I was even adventurous enough to make poached eggs for the first time & was very pleased with the results.

Walleye Cakes (serves 2)

½ vacuum sealed bag walleye (roughly 4 small fillets or 2 medium fillets) previously cooked*
1 egg
2 tbsp Mayonnaise
1-2tsp Lemon juice
1/4-1/3 cup potato flakes
Oil
2-4 poached eggs (I just served 1 egg per person but feel free to do more)

*To cook the walleye, place the walleye on a baking sheet lined with foil & spray with cooking spray or lightly coat it in olive oil. Lightly season the fillets on both sides with blackened seasoning or cajun seasoning. Spray fillets with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the fillets until cooked through. Once cooked, place them in a medium mixing bowl in the fridge covered with plastic wrap to be used the next day or shred into chunks to be used immediately.

Cooking the Walleye Cakes: Shred the fillets if needed. Add all the ingredients except for the oil & the eggs that you will poach.

Mix the ingredients & form into patties (makes roughly (6) 2in patties – 3 patties for each person).

Place a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat & cook the walleye cakes for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown & heated through. Place on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.

Serve with poached eggs.

Asian Venison & Broccoli

by almost_rosey // 6Jan2016 // No Comments

I harvested my first deer this last deer season. My guide cooked the tenderloin & made chicken fried venison steaks thus far, but one of the reasons I wanted to harvest a deer was to learn how to cook with venison. It’s hard for me to justify hunting unless you have good reasons, i.e. putting food on the table, conservation, using the hide, gaining skills & perspective on life, etc. I don’t understand people who hunt for antlers. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn down a nice buck to put on the wall, but that cannot be my only reason to hunt.

One of the times my guide and I went to check out my hunting grounds I brought my shotgun with me to see if I could get some grouse or other small game. My guide said, “There is a squirrel, shoot him.” This is what he saw…

I, however, saw this…

Needless to say I didn’t shoot him. I saw a squirrel and he was eating something. He was small. There was not enough meat on him to feed one, let alone two. I looked back at my guide and I said, “He’s eating breakfast.” I kid you not. Hunting happens in split seconds and in that moment I didn’t see something worth shooting. I saw an animal enjoying the morning like my guide and I were doing.

Maybe that is part of the reason why I was able to harvest a deer. Maybe the world smiled upon me for making a good hunting choice on when to shoot. My deer was not so lucky in that aspect. I decided to pull the trigger. Now I have provided my guide and myself with a freezer full of venison.

I decided to cook with one of the choice cuts of meat for my first attempt at cooking venison. It actually turned out really good. I will definitely be making this again in the future.

Asian Venison & Broccoli (serves 2)

small amount of sesame & olive oil
1 lb deer steak sliced into thin bite-sized strips or pieces
heaping tsp minced garlic
12 oz bag broccoli florets, blanched or lightly steamed.
1/2 cup white rice cooked according to package directions

Marinade

1 tsp corn starch
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp each onion & garlic powder
pinch each salt & pepper

Sauce

1.5 tbsp each hoisin, oyster, & soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp each chili sauce & honey
1/4 tsp ground mustard
dash or two ground ginger

Add marinade to venison and allow to stand for 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients together.

Heat a small amount of sesame oil or sesame & olive oil in a skillet (I find too much sesame oil is overwhelming so usually do a blend for stir-fries). Add the marinaded venison and garlic and cook briefly (about 1-2 minutes depending on how thin your pieces are). Add the sauce and allow to come to a boil. Cook for another 2 minutes or so. Stir in the broccoli and serve over rice with additional soy sauce.

Seafood Chowder

by almost_rosey // 28Dec2015 // No Comments

The ice is late this year. Normally I would already be ice fishing. My guy, who is an ice fishing guide, has not really been working due to el nino. This warm weather is also not so great for our small town here in Almost Canada. Our town makes it’s livelihood on tourists and fishing. With the absence of ice, there is an absence of fishermen. The ice is coming, slowly but surely. It’s just about here. Soon our sleepy little town will be alive with fishermen once again. In the meantime, my guide took me ice fishing on a lake that is shallow enough to freeze. It was slow at first but then it was hot & heavy for about 30 minutes and we ended up catching our limit which is great cause we haven’t had walleye in a little while. I have to get creative with walleye. You can only eat fried fish so often. I decided to make a seafood chowder using our freshly caught walleye and it was superb.

Seafood Chowder (serves 4)

1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
2 potatoes, diced
1/8 tsp each cayenne, paprika, garlic & onion powder
1/4tsp salt plus more to taste
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
black pepper to taste
8 oz clam juice
8 oz milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb Walleye, cut into bite sized pieces (perhaps 3-4 average walleye, I had one vacuumed sealed pack)
Shrimp, peeled & deveined (I used about 15 medium shrimp)
small amount of olive oil

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Add potatoes & carrots and continue to cook until potatoes begin to become softened, about 10 minutes.
Add clam juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, & simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the milk, cream of mushroom, and seasonings. Add water to thin if necessary (1/4-1/2 cup at most). Bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the walleye and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve with french bread & enjoy.

Wild Turkey Chowder

by almost_rosey // 27Dec2015 // No Comments

This year I shot my first turkey. I made thai turkey noodles for my first dish and have kept the rest in the freezer. As I am participating in a thing called the 12 Soups of Christmas I decided to use up my turkey breasts and make a chowder. Delicious.

Wild Turkey Chowder (serves 3)

1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
2 potatoes, diced
1/8 tsp each garlic & onion powder
1/4tsp salt plus more to taste
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
black pepper to taste
12 oz vegetable broth
12 oz milk
2 tbsp flour
8oz wild turkey breast, silver skin removed, cut into 1in pieces seasoned with small amount of salt, pepper, onion, & garlic powder
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp shaky parmesan

Heat butter in large stock pot. Brown turkey on all sides, remove, & set aside. Add onion, potatoes, & carrots and cook until potatoes begin to become softened, about 10 minutes. Add turkey back to pot. Add vegetable stock & seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, & simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the milk to the flour to create a slurry & then add to the pot. Bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency. Serve with bread & enjoy.

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