The Smell of Fresh Bread from the Oven--November 18, 2013

     As Roy came in the front door from taking Guayo for a walk, his first words were "I smell bread!  I smelled it before I ever hit the driveway."
     It was true. I had just pulled two loaves out of the oven and the aroma was wafting through the house and down the street. I first caught it when I was outside hanging clothes and went back over to the basket to get more towels. It was sitting near the back door, and the scent was pouring out.

It's a double edged sword for someone who cannot eat wheat...the smell is so delicious it makes you dream of a big slice of crusty hot bread slathered with butter, and then it becomes a complete disappointment when you remember you can't have it. You know, Lactaid has been invented for people with dairy intolerance, why hasn't something been invented for gluten/wheat allergies????
      But even though I can't eat it, Roy loves fresh bread, and it's so much cheaper to make then to buy good bread. Plus you know exactly what's in it when you buy your  flours from the local organic market, Honeyman's, and use pure local honey and maple syrup for sweetener, and add some extra wholesomeness by adding flax seed meal, thus increasing the Omega 3 content and giving it a rich nutty flavor. No preservatives, no transfats, no processed sugar or other ingredients....a trip back to a gentler more delicious time.
     But there was another surprise awaiting him. I had made

some Pumpkin Butter from pumpkin I'd canned from the garden last fall. 
     So here's my recipe for Nana's Whole Wheat Bread. Enjoy them both;  together or put the Pumpkin Butter in empanadas, on muffins, on pancakes, or even on your finger.

NANA'S WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

4 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup flax meal
1 1/2 T. active dry yeast
2 c. warm water
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 t. salt
2 eggs (well beaten)

In a large 4 c. measuring cup, put the warm water. Stir in the yeast and honey. Let sit to proof--if it foams up it's good.  

In a large bowl, mix white and wheat flours together. 

Pour yeast mixture into stand mixer bowl. Add eggs, 3 cups flour, and oil. Mix well. Turn off mixer and add flax meal and 2 more cups flour, and mix well. Add rest of flour as needed until a stiff dough is formed.  

Grease a large bowl. Scrape dough from mixer bowl into greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put into refrigerator over night, or sit on counter until raised to double the volume. 

Punch down dough in bowl, and knead in bowl for a few minutes, adding more flour if necessary, but do not make the dough too dry or stiff. Divide in half and form into two loaves. Put each loaf in a greased loaf pan. Brush top with milk.

Put pans in 425 degree oven, spraying bottom of oven liberally with water and then close the door.  In 15 minutes open the door and spray again with water. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until until golden brown. 

Put on rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, brush tops with butter, and continue cooling on rack until room temperature. (Or better yet, cut off one end, slather it with butter and enjoy it for me!) Once cool, put in plastic bags and refrigerate. 

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN BUTTER

1 qt canned pumpkin chunks (my home canned     
     pumpkin is NOT pureed as too difficult to get the 
     core temperature high enough when canning, so is 
     canned in chunks with water with a pinch of salt 
     and a squeeze of lemon added). 
1/4 c. honey
3/4 c. maple syrup (can be adjusted if you want it 
    sweeter or less sweet, but wait until it has cooked 
     down to taste)
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

Put all ingredients into a sauce pan or slow cooker.  Cook until pumpkin is very soft, then use a potato masher to mash as smooth as possible. Put into blender and blender until completely smooth (let cool before doing this). Put back into pan and cook on low heat until deep in color and has a glossy consistency.  Cool and store in jar with tight lid in the refrigerator.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere--November 3, 2013

Well, Halloween is over, and while I want to keep some of the pumpkins for Thanksgiving decorations and such, I have a vast amount of them this year. I don't carve my pumpkins because I hate wasting them, so I just decorate with them, then figure out what yummy things to make with them.

This year I decided on soup. At least with the portion that wasn't used in making the Roasted Pumpkin Bites from the Kaileena & Bree Bye Bye Party.  So looked at several recipes I had and some in cook books and some on line, and decided to adapt the Spiced Pumpkin Soup receipt from Soup Bowl, a great cookbook with only soups in it. 

Serve with a little salad and absolutely some warm crusty bread (although I had to forego that pleasure due to the gluten, I did make some gluten free croutons from gluten free bread and put them in it and that was pretty darn good!) for a delicious and warming fall meal.

SPICY PUMPKN SOUP

Serves 4

2 T olive oil               

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 T fresh ginger, finely chopped

½ t. Tajin (find in Hispanic markets or  in Hispanc foods section) or cayenne pepper, or paprika

1 bay leaf

4 c. cooked diced pumpkin

2 ½ c. chicken stock (for vegetarian, use vegetable stock)    

1 large pinch lavender pepper

2 T. butter (may be omitted or Olive Oil used in place)

Salt & pepper to taste

½ c. milk, half n half, or cream

¼ c. toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and stir for about 4 minutes until softened. Add Tajin, bay leaf, pumpkin, lavender papper, broth and cook an additional 5 minutes stirring so it doesn’t burn.  Add butter and stir in until melted.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

Once cool, pour into food processor and process until completely smooth.  Put back into pan, add milk, salt and pepper (taste to adjust) and bring back to heat. Turn off burner. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream or ½ and ½ to top, along with a sprinkle of Tajin or paprika.

Redoing The Bulb Bed--October 18, 2013

      Since we were gone for three months, and it rained like crazy all summer long, when we arrived home the back yard was over run with 2-3' tall weeds and grasses.  Once we were unpacked and settled in, that was our first priority.  Now that it is accomplished, time for work in the front.
      The front "bulb bed" which goes across the front of the porch, is mainly planted with iris. There are a few hyacinths which the pigs (javelina) haven't eaten, but darn few. So I have decided to not only weed the bed and dig it up to aerate the soil, but because my sweet niece Mindy Kamholz gave me a ton of iris bulbs, to replant them, some tulips, and some daffodils in order to fill the bed with spring happiness. 
     Because it is a rather large bed, and the soil is not easily worked (thus the amendments of compost and mulch and maybe some manure), I've decided to do it in portions instead of doing the entire bed at one time. I'm not as young as I used to be, and there are other projects which need to be completed for which I'd have no energy left if I did  the entire bed (like making meals for my husband and feeding the dog!). 
     So here are the beginning project photos. As I continue to improve it, I'll post more. 

the entire bed...first quarter completed area in the front

left end of bed--a mess

right side of bed--new bulbs with compost

                                             

                                            center area of bed--iris' trimmed                                                 down only

Fall Is Here!!! October 14, 2013

                                  

     Fall is here and it’s glorious!  The trees are turning, nights are chilly, days are magnificently perfect. We all need to enjoy and appreciate them while they’re here. I’ve been watching "Alaska: The Last Frontier" on Discovery Channel, and believe me, those people know how to take advantage of any and all good days to get things accomplished, enjoy the
day, and be outside before the eight months of winter shuts them in and cabin fever isn’t an “if” but a “when”.  We took Guayo for a walk

The great Lizard Hunt

around our neighborhood and took some photos of the glorious colors coming out just blocks from us. I would love to take a little road trip (certainly not 3 months again!!!) for a couple days up to the White Mountains, Flagstaff, and Oak Creek Canyon areas and check out the fall foliage. It’s not as spectacular as the Northeast part of the U.S., but it’s still glorious and the drive is so beautiful and relaxing. We’ll have to see if we can make it next week.

Dining Room Decked Out for Fall

While in Silverton, BC Canada this summer during our road trip, I met neighbors of my friends Bill and Priscilla.  They were all wonderful, fun, great people. One neighbor had a reportedly amazing recipe for a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake…the name she gave me was Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, and while that is true, the title is much too simple. It should be Gluten Free Moist Decadent Delicious Amazing Chocolate Cake! 

I have, of course, messed with the recipe a little, and have given

substitutions to make it not only gluten free, but dairy free, sugar free, espresso flavored, and blood orange flavored.  All have been tried by family, neighbors, and friends, and they find it difficult to make a decision as to which one is tastier.

So for all those watching your gluten and/or dairy intake, here’s a winner you can serve any time to anyone and no one will be the wiser, and it will command oohs and ahhhs from everyone who tries it. Enjoy, and do go enjoy these short days of perfect autumness!

MOIST GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Substitutions/changes are in parenthesis () for Espresso Mocha and Blood Orange variations.

2/3 c. golden or white quinoa

1 1/3 c. water  (add 2 T espresso powder to water for Espresso Mocha Torte)

1/3 c. milk (for dairy free use 1/3 c. vanilla almond milk)

4 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract (for Blood Orange variation substitute 1 t. orange extract)

¾ c. butter, melted and cooled (for Blood Orange variation, substitute ¾ c. blood orange olive

oil—for dairy free variation substitute ¾ c. olive oil)

(For Blood Orange variation, add ½ of a peeled whole orange)

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/3  c. sugar (for sugar free substitute equal amounts of TruVia or Stevie in the Raw…others

have a bitter taste)

1 c. unsweetened coco powder (I use organic cocoa powder, and when I can find it, dark organic

cocoa powder)

(Add 2 T. espresso powder for Espresso Mocha Torte)

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

½ t. salt

Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Cover reducing heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave on burner for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.  (For multiple batches, make a large batch of quinoa and then use the 2 c. cooked quinoa for each batch…leftovers are great with some onion/garlic/veges sauted in olive oil with herbs and stirred into the quinoa).  Cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease 2 8” round or square pans (or one 13x9 pan) Line with parchment paper (VERY IMPORTANT so bottom does not stick—I use baking spray on the pan, put in the parchment or waxed paper circle, then spray that also). 

Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter and 2 cups of the cooked quinoa in a blender. Blend until smooth. 

Whisk together the dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add blender contents to dry ingredients and mix well with whisk (if a little too stiff, add a little more milk/almond milk) . 

Pour into greased/lined pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center is firm and sides are pulling away from pan.  Remove from oven and cool completely. 

Can be served as is, with a dusting of powdered sugar, with ganache frosting, or with an orange glaze for the Blood Orange Torte.  

3D Movies, Friends to Dinner, and a Polo Tournament...What a Great Weekend So Far!

     It's been such a great weekend so far, and we still have Sunday to go!!!
     Today and yesterday were absolutely gorgeous--in the low 70's with a slight breeze, clear blue skies, and everything you could want for a warm autumn day...including a day at the polo matches!!!

     This is the 2nd year we have been invited by our friend Dezie Lerner to be her guests for the Skull Valley Polo Club Players Cup Tournament and Texas Barbecue. The venue is the beautiful Van Dickson Ranch in Skull Valley, and hosted by Paul and Carolyn Harris.  It is such great fun to sit beside the gorgeous green polo field, watch the magnificent polo ponies and their riders maneuver around the field while assaulting the chukkar (that's the ball) and trying to take it from the other team or get it through the posts for a goal. The Arizona Polo Team won, with Skull Valley coming in second...a round robin was played with the three teams.     

Coming right at us...

     Then after all of the excitement of watching these three teams (Skull Valley vs Texas vs The Arizona Polo Club, all sanctioned and part of the U.S. Polo Association) play, visiting with the wonderful attendees and sharing the food brought by everyone for their lunch by the field, you then get to enjoy a traditional Texas style brisket bbq with bbq sauce, salsa, rolls, potato salad, coleslaw, corn salad, green salad, and a myriad of desserts.  And sit at tables set up in the park-like grounds under the trees, with green grass, flowers, and even two friendly loving dogs adding to the joy of this feast. This is our 2nd year going to the tournament, and we decided that this is a new tradition for us the first Saturday of each October.   We met new people, found friends made last year, and could not have enjoyed ourselves more.   
     Plus I brought home a gallon zip bag of marigold seeds that Carolyn had dried and had many bags sitting in a box for anyone to take free of charge.  They'll look great among the iris in the front, and will be used around the vegetable gardens come spring as a natural insect deterrent. Plus, the javelinas don't eat them!!

     Last night friends Jeff & Darla Holtke came over for dinner, prior to our going to the movies to see "Gravity" in 3D, and everyone enjoyed my new creation. My local CSA box this week included a multitude of     green bell peppers. After using as many as possible in salads, as  scoops for dips, in rice pilaf, etc. I came up with this recipe for a Stuffed Bell Pepper SW Style.  Hope you enjoy.  Sorry there's no photo of the entire pan filled with this deliciousness but my camera battery was dead and my company was not willing to hold up the eating of this meal until I could get a money shot!!!  So, had to take one of the leftovers today!

     SOUTHWESTERN STYLE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

  (Substitute cooked quinoa in equal parts for the rice to amp up the protein level and give a nutty flavor)

6 medium bell peppers (red or green)

1 ½ lbs ground beef

2 c. cooked rice (brown or white)

1 c. diced onion

¼ c. diced bell pepper

¼ c. diced celery

2T.olive oil

1 t. cumin

2 t. menudo mix spices

1 ½  cup corn (frozen or drained from a can or fresh from the cob)

1 T. Cholula sauce

2 cups shredded jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

2 c. red or green chili salsa

1 c. grated jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese.

     Put 1 T olive oil in a large Dutch Oven and heat over medium high heat. Brown ground beef until no longer pink. Add onions, diced bell pepper, diced celery and cook until softened. Add rice, cumin, menudo mix, corn, Cholula sauce and heat through.  Add 2 c. cheese , turn off the burner, and stir mixture together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

     Split 6 bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds, stem and ribs. Use 1 T. olive oil to grease 13x9 inch pan. Lay halved bell peppers in pan, cut side up. Using a spoon, scoop ground beef mixture into each shell, filling as much as possible. Spoon a large spoonful of salsa over the top of each filled pepper, and sprinkle cheese over each one. 

     Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove foil, broil top to brown if desired. Serve with a nice salad and some garlic Parmesan bread for a complete and delicious meal. 

Using The Abundance...SW Stuffed Bell Peppers October 3, 2013

         My local CSA box this week included a multitude of green bell peppers. After using as many as possible in salads, as scoops for dips, in rice pilaf, etc., I came up with a fabulous recipe for a Stuffed Bell Pepper SW Style.  It’s always satisfying to make a recipe using what you have in abundance. And as always, feel free to “mess” with it and make changes which use alternate choices for things you have, use, or your family particularly enjoys. To amp up the protein, use cooked quinoa instead of rice...gives it a special nutty flavor plus more protein!

Stuffed Bell Pepper SW Style

6 medium bell peppers (red or green)

1 ½ lbs ground beef

2 c. cooked rice (brown or white)

1 c. diced onion

¼ c. diced bell pepper

¼ c. diced celery

2T.olive oil

1 t. cumin

2 t. menudo mix spices

1 ½  cup corn (frozen or drained from a can or fresh from the cob)

1 T. Cholula sauce

2 cups shredded jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

2 c. red or green chili salsa

1 c. grated jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese.

Put 1 T olive oil in a large Dutch Oven and heat over medium high heat. Brown ground beef until no longer pink. Add onions, diced bell pepper, diced celery and cook until softened. Add rice, cumin, menudo mix (or use oregano, onion flakes, garlic, pepper flakes mixture), corn, Cholula sauce and heat through.  Add 2 c. cheese , turn off the burner, and stir mixture together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Split 6 bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds, stem and ribs. Use 1 T. olive oil to grease 13x9 inch pan. Lay halved bell peppers in pan, cut side up. Using a spoon, scoop ground beef mixture into each shell, filling as much as possible. Spoon a large spoonful of salsa over the top of each filled pepper, and sprinkle cheese over each one. 

Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove foil, broil top to brown if desired. Serve with a nice salad and some garlic parmesan bread for a complete and delicious meal.

Road Trip Is Over and We're Home!--October 1, 2013

           We’re home!   After our fabulous road trip of three months, through California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, we are back at our casa and glad to be home. As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home”.  

           Prescott had a terrific amount of rain this summer, so we came back to weeds.  The back patio/yard is covered—in between all of the flagstones and along all of the places that are not cemented over, as are any garden beds that were not covered.  It’s hard work as the biggest invader is Bermuda grass, a nasty invasive grass well known in the SW United States. If there is water, it will come!  So digging that out is proving to take time and energy.

           But alas, when you get out the weeds in the garden beds, I am finding beautiful dark, crumbly soil, filled with worms, and a real pleasure to the eye and nose. Plus, as pulling the weeds, I am getting needed exercise, some wonderful autumn warmth from the not so hot sun, and I am listening to quail peeping in the vacant lot behind our backyard, the buzzing of bees, the sound of yard work going on in other sectors of the neighborhood, and feel a real peace with the world.

           So stay tuned as I get back into the swing of things, and get into the routine of retirement, as I have gleaned some fabulous recipes in my trips, many of which are gluten free (self serving with my gluten intolerance), such as the Decadent GF Chocolate Mocha Cake, revised from a recipe from Rochelle in Silverton BC Canada.  Hope your mouths are watering just reading about it.

            

The 2012-2013 Hiatus from DuJour

    Well, as you may have noticed, Du Jour has been neglected since October 2012.  A devastating leach line replacement pretty well annihilated the garden, and so it lay dormant through a long cold winter. And during that time, life has changed.

    This year there will be no gardens. This decision was made with the decision to retire from my 11 year job.  An early retirement means financial worries, but those are less stressful than the daily job stresses at this time, so the decision was made, and May 30 will be my final day at work. On June 10, we will leave on a 4 month road trip, taking photos of all of the lighthouses on the West coast of the United States from the border of Mexico to the Canadian border. And then in to Canada to visit friends. We will return home around October 10.  During this time, our home has been rented out as a vacation rental.

     We will be visiting friends and family along the way, and camping with our Teardrop Lil Guy in between. The three of us...me, Roy and Guayo, will be learning as we go, and hope everything goes well.  I am hoping to be able to use Blogspot for The Retirement Road Trip blog to keep everyone apprised of our adventures, but seems to be some new format on Blog Spot that may have me migrating elsewhere. Will let you all know.

     So, until next fall, DuJour will be on hiatus.  See you all then.