Archive for the Category ◊ Recipes ◊

16 Jul 2010 Mojito Daiquiri Shake
Author: Lori |  Category: Food, Recipes  | Comments off

This shake needs to be made with ice cream and sorbet from Westside Creamery. It’s the best ice cream and the only place where a mint ice cream tastes like mint fresh from the live plant not the chemical plant.

2 parts Westside Creamery Mint Sweet Tea Ice Cream

1 Part Westside Creamery Coconut Key Lime Sorbet

1 shot of rum (preferably dark)

Splash of club soda (optional)

Fresh mint (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a blender add mint in blender or use as a garnish, add club soda if more volume is needed to fill the glass or you prefer a thinner shake.  Pour into a ceramic tumbler, enjoy.  Life is good.

Note:  do not add rum if serving this shake to under age children, add more rum if you are on vacation, it was a bad day at work, it’s the weekend, Jimmy Buffet music is playing, you’re on a tropical island, you wish you were on a tropical island, the sun came up today…

11 Jun 2010 Charlie’s Home Brew Terra Sig’
Author: Lori |  Category: Glazes and Slips  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off
Tear Drop Horse Hair Pot

Horse Hair Decorated

This sig’ recipe is for all of us non-technophiles and first timers.

1)  Relax, and crack open a cold beer.
2)  Pour 3 1/2 gallons of water into a bucket.
3)  Stir in a tablespoon of sodium silicate and/or soda ash.
4)  Mix in 17 lbs of XX saggar or 9 lbs. OM 4 ball clay* and put the bucket up on a table.
5)  Finish your cold one and wait a day (20 hours).  This time factor (20 to 24 hours)  is very important.  If you wait any longer all the particles will settle to the bottom and you won’t have workable terra sig.
6)  Siphon off the top 1 gallon.**  (This includes the little bit of water off the top)  This top 1 gallon is your terra sig.  You can use immediately or store it for several years. Dump the rest.  It’s just dirt!  “Release it back into the wild.”
7) If you want, you can sieve it to get the little specks and cat/dog hair out. (200 mesh –or as fine of sieve as you can lay your hands on.)

That’s it.   Dip it, spray it, brush it.

* OM4 ball clay seems to produce a foamy mess on the top but don’t worry about it.
**If the finished 1 gallon of sig isn’t fine enough for some ungodly reason, then stir just that 1 gallon up again, and let it sit for a couple of hours to let the big stuff settle out. Then pour the thin liquid off the top and throw away the bottom 1/2 inch.

Terra Sig–Application and Polishing

Apply terra sigillata to bone dry clay.
Use only enough sig to bring up nice satin shine.  Caution, more than 3 painted layers of sig may start to crack and peel off in later firing processes.  Do not stone burnish a pot before applying the terra sig or it will flake off in the various firings.

Brushing
Put the pot on a banding wheel.  Coat a soft glazing brush with sig.  Spin the pot and apply an even coat onto the pot as it spins.  Buff the pot.  Repeat if necessary.

Dipping
Pots can be dipped into the terra sigillata and then allowed to absorb before polishing.  The dipping process is repeated with enough time allowed for water absorption.

Spraying
Sometimes the terra sigillata is sprayed onto the pots using a Paasche “H” airbrush with a #3 or #5 tip.  The pot is placed on a banding wheel and several coats are sprayed on taking care not to cause runs.  The pot is then buffed and the process is repeated until the desired level of shine is achieved.  (Usually 2 or 3 times).  A regular glaze sprayer can also be used successfully.

Polishing and Buffing
Before all color of water has been absorbed, buff/polish the sigillata surface with soft tee-shirt cloth, pantyhose or soft plastic. Take care to apply only enough pressure to bring up a shine but not to remove the terra sigillata. Metal/stone burnishing objects can be used but are not recommended.

09 Feb 2010 Southern Baked Brie
Author: Lori |  Category: Food  | 2 Comments
  • 1 wheel Brie cheese, about 8 ounces

    Brie Baker

    Brie Baker

  • 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced fresh peaches
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place Brie wheel in a brie baker. In a small bowl, combine peaches, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread mixture over Brie. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until peach mixture is just starting to bubble and cheese is softened throughout. Serve warm with French bread and/or crackers.

Makes 8-10 appetizer servings.

02 Feb 2010 Miso-Ginger Soup
Author: Lori |  Category: Food, Recipes  | Tags: , , , , ,  | One Comment
Miso - Ginger Soup

Miso - Ginger Soup

1 Tablespoon grated ginger (more or less to taste)

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

7 tablespoons Miso

2 green onios, finely sliced

6 large shiitake mushrooms, steamed

1 teaspoon nut butter

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Wisk together the broth, water and miso, heat gently to a simmer, add the remaining ingredients while simmering.   Do not boil.  Enjoy

24 Dec 2009 Vegetarian Fancy Mac & Cheese
Author: Lori |  Category: Food  | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  | 3 Comments

This is my vegetarian version of a recipe that was originally posted by The Poineer Woman.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 12
Ingredients

Mac and Cheese

Fancy Mac & Cheese

  • 4 cups Macaroni
  • 8 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
  • 1 package GimmeLean Sausage Substitute
  • ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
  • 2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
  • ½ cups Half & Half
  • 2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
  • Salt & Pepper (to Taste)
  • ½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
  • ½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese
  • ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
  • 4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry GimmeLean until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and soysage and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot.

08 Sep 2009 Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions
Author: Lori |  Category: Food, Recipes  | Comments off
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
  • 8 cups sliced onions (about 4 large)
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 8-inch-diameter 32- to 36-ounce French Brie, packed in wooden box (reserve box)
  • 2 French bread baguettes, sliced

Melt butter in heavy very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add minced thyme, reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are golden, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine; stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onions and sauté until soft and brown, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup wine; stir just until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool. (Can be prepare 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap Brie, cut away only top rind of cheese, leaving rind on sides and bottom intact. Place brie in small baking crock, rind side down. Place box on baking sheet. Top Brie evenly with onion mixture. Bake until cheese just melts, about 30 minutes. Transfer Brie in crock to platter. Surround with baguette slices.

06 Sep 2009 Baked Ravioli with Cheese
Author: Lori |  Category: Food, Recipes  | One Comment
Ingredients -
2 Packages Fresh Meat or Cheese Ravioli, (9 ounces)
1 Can Tomato Sauce, (15 ounces)
1 Can Tomato Sauce, (8 ounces)
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil, crushed
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano, crushed
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Medium Clove Garlic, peeled, crushed
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
2 Tablespoons Red, Green or Yellow Bell Pepper, finely diced
Preparation:
1. Lightly oil a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

2. Set aside.

3. Heat a large pan of water and bring to a boil.

4. Add the ravioli and cook until it is tender.

5. Drain and rinse briefly to prevent the ravioli from sticking.

6. Drain again.

7. Combine the ravioli, basil, pepper, salt, oregano, garlic and tomato sauce.

8. Spoon half of the mixture into the baking dish.

9. Sprinkle with half of the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

10. Top with the remaining ravioli and cheeses.

11. Bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until heated through.

12. Sprinkle with bell pepper and garnish.
03 Sep 2009 Pie Crust
Author: Lori |  Category: Food, Recipes  | Tags: , ,  | One Comment

- makes one 9-inch double-crust pie -

The trick to this pie crust is the inclusion of eighty-proof vodka, which adds moistness to the dough without aiding in gluten formation since gluten doesn’t form in ethanol. The alcohol vaporizes during baking, resulting in a tender crust that only contains 6 1/2 tablespoons of water. Because of the extra liquid, the dough will be moister than most standard pie doughs and will require up to 1/4 cup more flour.

As long as you have the vodka handy you might as well be enjoying a Velvet Thigh while you’re baking.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold salted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water

Procedure

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

03 Sep 2009 VC Blue Green variation: cone 6-10
Author: Lori |  Category: Glazes and Slips, Recipes  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off

This is the glaze I used as a liner in some salt fired pieces.  It’s a beautiful glaze which makes a great liner with pleanty of subtle interest.   It does run quite a lot; I’d suggest making certain the bottom of the put does not have a very thick coat as the glaze will run down the sides into the bottom and may cause bubbling or cracking.

40  Neph Sy

10  EPK

14  Flint

10  Gerstly B

8  Lithium

8   Whiting

10  Zircopax

1.4 Copper Carb