Bacon Haiku

I’ve never been a huge poetry person.  I like some of the classic poems by Robert Frost, and I do enjoy T.S. Eliot’s stuff.  But in general, I think poets are just a little too…emo…is that still a popular word?  However I do pen a haiku or two now and then, because I think haikus are fun and since you have to stick to the syllable pattern, it’s somewhat of a challenge.

  This haiku popped into my head this morning as I did the dishes:

Hungry husband waits

Smells bacon and comes running

Leaves dish under couch

 

High Altitude Orange Marshmallows

Orange Marshmallows

I’ve been reading a lot of cooking blogs out there, and I have noticed that making homemade marshmallows is the thing to do this year.  So today I decided to attempt these fluffy tidbits myself, and I am happy to report the result:  Flufftastic!

I attempted to make a batch of fudge a couple of weeks ago and severely messed it up.  I did some searching on high-altitude candy making, and I have discovered where I went wrong.  So for those of you making candy and living above 1000 feet, here is a good candy-making temperature adjustment you can make:  decrease the temperature by 2 degrees for every 1000 feet.

Here is the recipe:

3 packets plain gelatin

1 1/2 cups water 2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon orange extract

Food coloring (optional)

Powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, add 3/4 cups cold water.  Sprinkle the gelatin packets over it.   Cover the bowl with a paper towel and set aside.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 pan with vegetable oil and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cups corn syrup and 3/4 cups water.

Cook over medium heat.  Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring mixture to a boil.

Clip candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and cook syrup until it reaches 240 degrees (known as the soft ball stage).***  DO NOT STIR while you are waiting for it to reach this temperature. 

Remove pan from heat.  Add 1/4 cup corn syrup to the hot mixture.

Start mixing the gelatin with an electric mixer or stand mixer.  Slowly pour the hot syrup into mixing bowl with the gelatin.

Once the mixture is added to the gelatin, beat for 10 minutes.  The mixture will become stiff and more voluminous. 

Add vanilla and orange.

If you want to add food coloring, do that too.  I added four drops yellow and one drop red for a nice, light orange tint.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan. 

Let the marshmallow set for 8 hours, at room temperature, or until they are firm.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Dump them onto a cutting board or another flat surface that is dusted with powdered sugar.

Sprinkle/spread powdered sugar on the inverted side of the marshmallow.  Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut these.  If you think they will last for a while, store them in an airtight container or bag. 

***Since I live at 9000+ feet, I adjusted to 222 degrees.

 

Bribe them with cake

I have a sick three year old.  He has a fever of 101.5 and hasn’t eaten in the last 36 hours or so.  I did convince him to have a popsicle this morning, but he isn’t too keen on liquids either, which is bad. 

I’m going to attempt to get him to eat by making a chocolate cake.  If he doesn’t want chocolate cake, then that’s serious, right?

I’m making an attempt to de-badforyou-ize the cake as much as I can by doing the ol’ pumpkin secret ingredient:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 can pumpkin
• 2 eggs

Mix the ingredients listed above and bake according to the directions.  The darker chocolate cake you use, the better the pumpkin will be disguised.  If you are health conscious, you can do this all the time, using 3 egg whites instead of the 2 whole eggs. 

Yes, it’s still a chocolate cake…but adding pumpkin adds fiber and vitamins that are generally absent from your everyday cake. 

I just popped it in the oven…I hope he eats it. 

UPDATE:  The child has eaten some cake!  At first he passed on it, but after thinking “hey, it’s cake” he decided to try it.  Four bites.  Now he is eating a popsicle again. 

 

The Sourdough Experiment

I’m making sourdough bread.  I decided to write this down so that I can be held accountable if I forget to stir it.  I’ve never made sourdough bread before, because I knew it wasn’t something that might be considered convenient.  First you have to make the ’starter’, which is essentially the ’sour’ part. 

• Acquire a large bowl 
• Dissolve 1 package of active dry yeast (not quick rising) in 1/2 cup warm water in said large bowl
• Add 2 cups warm water, 2 cups flour, and 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Beat until it’s smooth
• Cover bowl with cheesecloth and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 days until a “fermented aroma” is detectable
• Stir this concoction 2-3 times per day whilst the fermenting process is going on

Once this is done, you can store it in the refrigerator in a glass jar with cheesecloth on top (do not use a lid…yeast needs air) You feed the starter sugar every so often, which I will get to later on during the experiment.  Let’s just see if I can remember to stir it a couple times a day.