Cookies, Dessert, Lactose Free, Recipes, Vegan

Potato Chip Cookies

November 9, 2019

Potato Chip CookiesMaui Style Potato Chips are my favorite chip.  They are very crunchy and unlike some other brands, they are not smashed to smithereens when you open up the bag.  Some of them are curved, some folded over (I like these best), and they are perfectly salty as a chip should be.  With that being said, they are ideal for this recipe.  I can understand the 5 star rating these Fine Cooking magazine cookies receive from those who have made them.  They are delicious.

Maui Style Potato Chips

If you can’t find Maui Style Potato Chips you may substitute with your favorite kettle-style potato chips.

Pecans & Maui Potato Chips

Finely chopped pecans contribute to the cookie’s crisp texture.
Potato Chip Cookie Dough

The cookie dough is shaped into balls then pressed with a buttered cup coated with sugar.  The dough is not overly sweet and the sugar-coating adds a nice finish to the cookies once baked.

Potato Chip Cookies

Potato Chip Cookies
 
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Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine
Author:
Serves: 30 cookies
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular butter), softened at room temperature; more for shaping
  • ½ cup granulated sugar; more for shaping
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (scant 2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup finely crushed potato chips
Preparation
  1. Position rack in the middle and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. With a hand mixer, beat the Buttery Sticks and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl until creamy and well blended, about 4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed (or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Add the vanilla and beat again until blended. If using a hand mixer, stir in the flour, pecans and potato chips or mix on low speed with a stand mixer.
  3. Shape dough into 1½-inch balls. Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Put some sugar in a shallow bowl. Lightly grease a flat-bottomed glass or small bowl with soft butter. Dip the glass into the sugar and press the glass down on a dough ball until it's about ¼-inch thick. Repeat dipping and pressing with the remaining balls. You will need to grease the glass now and then with more butter.
  4. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies look dry on top and the edges are light golden, about 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a rack for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
  5. If you are not serving the cookies right away, freeze them in an airtight container. This keeps them fresh and crisp. Remove cookies from the freezer 30 - 60 minutes before serving.

 

Dessert, Fruit, Lactose Free, Recipes

Mango Tart

October 24, 2019

Mango Tart

This summer dessert tart is for those lucky people who have mango trees in their yards.  If you don’t have mangoes, use peaches just as the original recipe from Amanda Hesser calls for.  The tart is excellent on its own, or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Maui Mangoes

It is now October and our two mango trees are bare of fruit, so we will patiently wait for their return next summer.  Both the Rapoza and White Pirie varieties are delicious, however, the White Pirie is what I used for the tart because of its firmer texture.  It’s a super sweet mango that we also use in mango bread and mango jam.

Pirie Mango

The White Pirie has a gorgeous orange color to it.

Tart Crust

The dough ingredients are mixed together then pressed into the tart pan. If you don’t own a tart pan, a pie pan is an adequate substitute.

Mango Tart

The mangoes are arranged in a concentric circle with the center portion filled with smaller pieces.

Mango Tart

A good sprinkling of the butter, sugar, and flour mixture is layered over the entire top of the fruit before baking.  It may seem as though there is too much of the crumble mixture, but use it all. It will melt into the mangoes enhancing this beautiful tart.

Mango Tart

Mango Tart
 
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Adapted from Food52, Amanda Hesser
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Tart Pastry:
  • 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • ¼ cup mild olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk or half & half, lactose free or regular
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Tart Topping:
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons cold Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or regular butter
  • Fruit Tart:
  • 4 medium mangoes, peeled, seeds removed, and sliced about ½-inch wide
Preparation
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap the exterior of a 10" tart pan (with a removable bottom) with foil (juices from fruit can seep through the tart pan).
  2. Mix together 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork (just enough to dampen; do not over work it). Transfer the dough to a 10" tart pan with removable bottom (I use a non-stick). You may also use a 9" tart pan if that's what you have available. Use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge (pat firmly). I find that using a 10" tart pan works perfectly. There won't be any leftover dough and it may seem there is not enough but keep pressing the dough until it is evenly distributed.
  4. In the same bowl you used for the dough, combine ¾ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and the Buttery Sticks. Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly.
  5. Starting on the outside, arrange mangoes overlapping in a concentric circle over the pastry. Fill in the center with the smaller pieces of mango. The mangoes should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over the top (use it all). Place foil wrapped tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes until shiny, thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. It's a good idea to check the tart crust after it has baked for 25 minutes. To protect the crust from over browning, drape a piece of foil over the tart and continue baking. Cool tart on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. You may refrigerate the tart until ready to serve once it has cooled. It is best eaten the day it is made.

 

Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Brown Rice with Edamame

October 19, 2019

Brown Rice with Edamame

If I had to compile a list of my favorite foods, rice (and eggs) would be at the top.  This humble grain is simple to prepare, can be an accompaniment to a number of dishes including tempura or seared ahi, or it can be turned in to something show stopping like this dish.  Here is a healthy and flavorful rice dish that is a snap to make.  The edamame mix beautifully with the cooked brown rice and sesame seeds.

Frozen Edamame

Brown Rice

Brown rice can take a while to cook so plan ahead.  You can make this in the morning, cover and refrigerate then heat slightly before serving.  This dish is best served at room temperature.

Brown Rice with Edamame

This rice goes well with orange chicken, grilled teriyaki salmon, and all types of tofu dishes.  I can be thoroughly content eating this rice with a side of kimchi or Japanese pickles.

Brown Rice with Edamame

Brown Rice with Edamame
 
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Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe
Author:
Serves: 2 - 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup medium grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • kosher salt
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • black roasted sesame seeds
Preparation
  1. Cook rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop according to package directions.
  2. Cook frozen edamame in a small pot of boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain well.
  3. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in lime juice and rice vinegar. Add sesame oil and stir to combine. Set aside.
  4. Transfer rice to a medium bowl. Fluff rice with a fork. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and stir into the rice . Add edamame, dressing and sesame seeds. Stir well to combine the flavors, adding more salt to taste. Sprinkle scallions over the rice before serving.

 

Dinner, Duck, French, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sous Vide

Sous Vide Duck Confit

October 6, 2019

Sous Vide Duck Confit

Without a doubt, my favorite classic French dish is duck leg confit. I’ve had this dish every year at Fringale, a small French bistro in San Francisco. It is the one meal I always look forward to each time we are there.  Duck confit is one of those dishes that takes a lot of patience because of the lengthy process of preparing it.  The duck is salt cured and then cooked slowly in lots of duck fat.  The problem of doing this the traditional way, is that you need quite a bit of duck fat as the duck legs need to be submerged in it, then slowly cooked for several hours.  Sous vide duck confit on the other hand allows the home cook to replicate this dish without requiring all that duck fat.  The duck legs are cooked in a sealed bag that holds the small amount of fat that renders from the duck legs, reproducing the submerged effect of the classic method. The first time we made it I thought the 36 hour cooking time would never end.  But it did, and the outcome was fantastic.  When you sous vide meat the first thing you’ll notice is that it looks quite drab.  There’s no browning (yet) but the meat is cooked to perfection.  In this recipe the duck is finished for 7-8 minutes under the broiler until the skin is gloriously browned and crisp.

Mary's Organic Duck Legs

Fortunately we can find good duck legs at our local Whole Foods market.  We buy 3 packs of two legs each and sous vide them all at once then vacuum seal and freeze the ones we don’t eat right away.

Mary's Organic Duck Legs

Frenching the duck legs (cutting away the meat from the bone) makes for an elegant presentation.  I also trimmed off some of the thick, excess fat from the duck.

Fresh Thyme, Garlic & Orange Peel

The duck legs are generously salted then sealed in an airtight bag with thyme, garlic and orange peel (optional) and torn bay leaves if you prefer.  There is some discussion as to whether or not using raw garlic at low cooking temperatures is safe. To err on the side of caution, I slice the garlic and gently pan-fry each piece before they go into the sous vide bag with the duck legs.  Alternatively, you can substitute dried minced garlic.

Mary's Organic Duck Legs

Mary's Organic Duck Legs

Joule Sous Vide

Let the 36 hour timer begin!  Our favorite sous vide device is the ChefSteps Joule.  You may have seen some very large and heavy sous vide machines at various stores.  The Joule is small, light weight and controlled through their app on your phone.

Sous Vide Duck Legs

Once the duck leg’s 36 hour sous vide time is up, they are gently wiped clean of any herbs and excess duck fat.  You can clearly see that the duck legs are pale and not very attractive at this point. But they are perfectly cooked and fall off the bone tender.

Sous Vide Duck Confit

The duck legs are placed in a roasting pan (we use a higher sided pan as the duck can splatter a bit) and one that is safe to use under the broiler.  We use a heavy enameled cast iron pan.

Sous Vide Duck Confit

I like to serve this with braised lentils though sometimes you need a quick fix which means any type of potato (even tater tots are welcome) will be just fine. Sometimes you get both.

Sous Vide Duck Confit

Sous Vide Duck Confit

Sous Vide Duck Confit
 
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Adapted from Serious Eats & ChefSteps
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Special equipment: Sous vide immersion circulator, vacuum sealer and bags (or Ziploc freezer bags), large pot or dedicated sous vide container with lid (to prevent excessive evaporation)
  • 6 fresh duck legs, trimmed of excess fat
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves sliced thin, pan-fried on low heat
  • fresh thyme sprigs
  • slivers of orange peel (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves, torn (optional)
Preparation
  1. Heat water to 155 degrees
  2. Generously salt both sides of the duck legs. Grind fresh pepper over each side (to taste).
  3. Place thyme sprigs, garlic, and orange peel and bay leaf (if using) on meaty side of the duck legs. Place 2 duck legs in each vacuum bag and seal according to vacuum sealer manufacturers instructions (or use 3 separate Ziploc freezer bags using water displacement technique to remove air).
  4. Place sealed bags in preheated water bath. If the bags float, weigh them down. Set timer for 36 hours.
  5. When finished, remove bags from water (If not eating all of the duck right away, transfer to an ice water bath to cool quickly. Then freeze for up 4 months).
  6. Remove duck legs from plastic bags and scrape away thyme, orange peel, bay leaves, excess fat and garlic. Heat broiler to high heat. Place duck legs in oven proof skillet or roasting pan and broil on the second shelf down from the top for 7-8 minutes or until the skin is nicely browned. Serve with braised lentils.

 

Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Papaya Seed Dressing

September 20, 2019

Papaya Seed Dressing

No one seems to know who created papaya seed dressing but I do recall enjoying it as far back as the 70’s.  I used to buy packets of papaya seed dressing then mix it up at home.  These days, I prefer to make most things from scratch, especially salad dressings. This sweet-tart dressing is one of them.  It’s so easy to make because all the ingredients are  blended at one time.  Voila!  You end up with a delicious dressing that is wonderful on a crisp salad.

Homegrown Strawberry Papaya

John grows Sunrise and Sunset papayas throughout the year. It’s one of those fruits that do well in hot and sunny Kihei.  The trees don’t take up much space and the papayas are gorgeous.  Normally the seeds get thrown out, but I like to save a few for this dressing. I’ve found that freezing the seeds for later works great.  Rinse and freeze in a small baggie or plastic container.

Sunrise Papaya Trees

Papaya Seed Dressing Salad

I’m a fan of iceberg lettuce even though it’s not among the most nutritious lettuces out there.  I know that many people frown upon iceberg lettuce but it has its place in many of my dishes.  A wedge salad for instance, would not have been born if not for iceberg lettuce.  And Aunty Ruby’s somen salad would not be the same if I were to use a different type of lettuce.   Iceberg lettuce and papaya seed dressing are a perfect match!

Papaya Seed Dressing

Papaya Seed Dressing
 
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Author:
Serves: ¾ cup
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons chopped onion
  • 1½ teaspoons papaya seeds. rinsed
  • ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard (Coleman's)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • few dashes of ground turmeric
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
  1. Combine all ingredients together and puree using a handheld mixer or blender. Serve over crispy greens such as iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, watercress, endive, shredded cabbage and romaine. Dressing keeps well for about 5 days.

 

Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Lactose Free, Recipes

Mango Streusel Muffins

September 8, 2019

Mango Streusel Muffins

I can’t imagine a better tasting fruit than one of our homegrown mangoes.  We have two varieties, White Pirie and Rapoza.  They both have their own qualities that make each one special. The White Pirie mango is firmer in texture which makes it perfect for baking.  It makes the most delicious jam.  The Rapoza is a very large mango, sometimes weighing up to 3 pounds.  They are best chilled, cut into slices or chunks and eaten as is. Mango season is nearly over so I have been busy in the kitchen making muffins, tarts, jam, bread, salsa, and ice cream.

Fresh White Pirie Mango

Mango Muffin Batter & Streusel Topping

This delightful recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction blog.  I just switched out the peaches for mangoes.  I’ve made them multiple times and they always turn out so well.  I also used lactose free ingredients but feel free to use regular butter, milk and yogurt.

Mango Streusel Muffins

Mango Streusel Muffins

These are just divine.  Sometimes I add a pat of Earth Balance Buttery Spread to the split muffin. That bit of saltiness goes so well with the sweet streusel topping.

Mango Streusel Muffins

Mango Streusel Muffins
 
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Adapted from Sallys' Baking Addiction blog
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Crumb Topping
  • ⅓ cup (67g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (60g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, melted (or regular butter)
  • ⅔ cup (84g) all-purpose flour
  • Muffins
  • ½ cup (115g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks at room temperature (or regular butter)
  • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120g) plain Green Valley lactose free yogurt (or regular yogurt)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour (If you do not have a scale use the spoon and sweep method. Spoon flour into measuring cup and use a straight-edged knife to level the flour so that it is even with the top of the measuring cup).
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) lactose free milk (low-fat or regular)
  • 1¾ cups diced mango, drained if very juicy
  • Glaze
  • 1 cup (120g) confectioner's sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) lactose free half and half or milk (or regular milk, half and half, or cream)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
  1. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon and melted Buttery Sticks. Using a small rubber spatula, stir in the flour. The crumb topping will be thick and crumbly. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray.
  3. In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the Buttery Sticks on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugars and beat on medium-high until creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  4. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then turn up to medium-high speed and beat until the mixture is combined and uniform in texture.
  5. In a large bowl toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly mix with a whisk. Add the milk, gently whisking until combined. Fold in the mangoes with a spatula.
  6. Spoon the batter evenly between 12 muffin tins, filling nearly to the top (you may end up with a bit of leftover batter). Press a handful of the crumb topping into the top of each (use all the topping).
  7. Bake for 5 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before removing to a rack.
  8. While the muffins are cooling whisk together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over the warm muffins. If you prefer the glaze to be thicker, drizzle over cooled muffins. You may not need all of the glaze.
  9. These are delicious, moist muffins that keep well in the refrigerator for a few days, They freeze beautifully.

 

 

 

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