Taste of Sicily from The Cowgirl Chef

I've known Ellise for a few years. I've taken Cooking Classes from her, that's how we met. I must say that we hit it off instantly. There's just something about her that I immediately connected with. We share many of the same passions in life.
She recently visited the Island of Sicily in the Mediterranean.
I spent time there in the early 70's with two friends from Germany. I fell in love with it. Taormina was my favorite village.
I was a carefree backpacking student and we ended up hanging out on the small Islands north of Sicily. It was a time when Hippies were discovering those Islands. We loved them too.
Granita was quite well known then as it is today. I love this recipe that Ellise brought back with her from her visit. I look forward to enjoying it.

Here's a link to her story and recipe from her recent visit to Sicily.

taste-of-sicily-almond-granita

If you want to get to know Ellise, get a copy of her Cookbook!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Pecans

I posted a recipe for Chocolate Ganache Pie with a Biscoff Crust and it's really nice. Here's a great Chocolate Tart with the addition of Chopped Pecans.

You'll need 3 Boxes of Baker's Chocolate.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 -  9" Tart Pan, with a removable bottom. Spray with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.

Crust:
1 Package of Oreo Cookies, crushed finely in a Food Processor.
6 TBS Butter, melted

Transfer Crumbs to a mixing bowl.
Add Butter and mix well with a blending fork.
Press evenly into the bottom of the Tart Pan.
(I use the bottom of a stainless measuring cup)

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.
Set aside.


Filling:
12 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate, chopped. (Baker's Semisweet Chocolate)
4 TBS Butter, cubed, set aside to room temperature.
1 C Heavy Cream
3 TBS Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C Chopped Pecans

In a large Glass Bowl:
Chocolate
Butter
Mix and set aside.

In a Medium Saucepan on Medium Heat:
Cream
Sugar
Vanilla
Heat just until it begins to simmer.
Pour over the Chocolate. Do not Mix.
Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Whisk well until creamy smooth.
Fold in Pecans.

Spoon evenly over the Crust.
Smooth with an offset spatula.
Immediately refrigerate for 3 hours.

Remove the Tart from the Pan keeping it on the bottom.
Transfer to a Serving Platter and slice to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.

Baked Beans and BBQ Beans!

Baked Beans, 2 Versions

Vegetarian Baked Beans:

I had to come back to this post and create a recipe for my Vegetarian Baked Beans
I've been making these Beans for years and never had a recipe, I just made them.
I soon discovered that the family was asking for these Beans at most Picnics and for Holiday meals, especially Easter.
I finally made them and created a written recipe of ingredients and quantities.

These are Best of the Best Recipes.

3 cans of Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans ( 28 oz. cans) , drained completely in a Colander.
I don't like wet and soggy Baked Beans.
1/2 C Ketchup
1/2 C Kansas City Original Barbecue Sauce, or your favorite.
1 Large White Onion, diced
1 C packed Light Brown Sugar
No Salt, No Pepper, Nothing else!

I start by letting the Beans drain completely in a Colander.
In a 4 C Pyrex measuring cup, I mix together the Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce, Brown Sugar  and diced Onion.
I let this sit for awhile so the Onion absorbs the flavor of the mixture

In a large bowl, combine the Beans and the Sauce and mix well.
I have a vintage Bean Pot that hold the exact amount of this recipe.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for......at least 1 hour, or more. You'll begin to smell them!
Remove the lid and continue baking for 15 - 25 minutes more.

I prefer to serve them cold as we traditionally would for a Picnic when they have to be transported.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


BBQ Beans

Here's another option for Baked Beans.
This version contains my Homemade Dry Baked Bean Mix. (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3 cans of Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans ( 28 oz. cans) , drained completely in a Colander.
1 C Diced Onion
Homemade Bean Mix (6 TBS)


NOTE:
If I make them with only 2 Cans of Beans, I  add 4 TBS of the Mix (see recipe for Mix below) and 1/2 C of Onion.


BBQ Bean Mix. (I created this Mix)


Use 2 TBS for each 28 oz. Can of Beans.

In a small mixing bowl:
1/4 C Chili Powder, not Chile Powder. (Chili Powder is a blend of pure ground Chile Pods and a variety of spices like Cumin, Peppercorns and Salt. Chile Powder is pure ground Chile Pods)
1 TBS Kosher Salt
1 TBS Fresh Ground Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
Whisk well and set aside.

I keep it in a Jar in the Pantry with a Note on it: 2 TBS for each 28 oz. Can of Beans and 1/4 C Diced Onion.


Mix all ingredients,  ( Bean Mix, Beans and Diced Onion) in a large Mixing Bowl.
Transfer to a Bean Pot or a Small Dutch Oven with Lids.

Bake for 1 hour covered.
Uncover and continue baking for an additional 15 - 25 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Tie Dyeing ! The Hippy in The Kitchen has taken the week off to Tie Dye

I thought I'd share my Tie Dyeing Week with my readers. I took a break from the Kitchen and headed to a friend's Garage with Anne, our host Barbara and our friends Karen and Frances. We've been Tie Dyeing this week.
Here's a sample of what we had fun creating. I'll post additional picture as we get everything washed and dried. I experimented with a pair of my jeans and they are very cool! They're not ready to photograph yet. There's more to come!

The Hippy in the Kitchen's Tie Dyeing Week:

My White Columbia Shirt!

Ice Dyeing a pair of Jeans

Anne's Jacket

Yardage

Yardage

Baked Blueberry Dessert

I happen to love Blueberries!


Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 8" X 8" baking Pan, brushed well with Pan Release Mix. Equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour. I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a Jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

2 C Fresh Blueberries
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
3 TBS Vegetable Oil (not Olive Oil)
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/4 C Granulated Sugar, divided.
1 C Heavy Cream
1 TBS Cornstarch
1 C Boiling Water

Options:
Vanilla Ice Cream
Homemade Whipped Cream

In a small bowl:
Blueberries
Lemon Juice.
Toss to coat the Berries.

In the Baking Pan:
Blueberries
Spread out evenly in the pan.

In a Medium Bowl:
Flour
Salt
Baking Powder
Oil
Vanilla
Cinnamon
1 C Sugar
Cream
Whisk well.
Spread evenly over the Berries.

In a 2 C Pyrex Measuring Cup:
Boiling Water
1/4 C Sugar
Cornstarch
Whisk well.
Pour evenly over the Flour Mixture.

Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.
Serve Hot with a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or Homemade Whipped Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fresh Raspberry Truffles

A little decadence, in moderation is OK! I love most anything made with Raspberries and I love Dark Chocolate. I have several recipes on the Blog for Chocolate Truffles. This is the first one made with Fresh Raspberries.

Fresh Raspberry Truffles

Here's what you'll need.
A  Small Sheet Pan or Baking Pan, lined with Waxed Paper.

1/4 C Heavy Cream
7 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped.
1 1/2 TBS Framboise (Raspberry Liqueur)
1 C Fresh Raspberries placed on Paper Towels to dry them.
3/4 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. Place it in a Medium Zip Lock Bag. Set aside.

In a Saucepan on Medium Heat:
Cream
Heat just until a Simmer.
Remove from Heat.
Add:
Bittersweet Chocolate
Stir well until completely melted and creamy smooth.

Fold in:
Framboise

Add Raspberries to the Chocolate in Batches of 6 at a time.
Use two forks to take them out, one at a time.
Toss them back and forth to remove excess chocolate.

Transfer them to the Sheet Pan and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove and place them in small batches into the Cocoa Powder.
Gently shake until well coated.
Remove them to a Serving Platter or a Storage Container and Refrigerate until ready to Serve.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Healthy Power Breakfast and Breakfast Drinks

I know the importance of eating Breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day. You should eat three meals a day, have 2 healthy snacks and drink 64 oz. of water. Here's a great meal to start out the day and give you a healthy way to provide the energy you need to make it until lunch. If you feel the urge to snack between Breakfast and Lunch you can eat a Kind Bar. I also have one between Lunch
and Dinner.

Healthy Power Breakfast

This recipe should last 1 week.
Eat some every morning for Breakfast. It's all I eat along with Coffee, when I'm concentrating
on keeping my weight down.

2 TBS Rolled Oats

1 C Plain Yogurt

1 tsp Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Flaxseeds

6 Fresh Whole Plums

Prepare this meal the night before.

In a Bowl: (I put them in an 8 C Pyrex Measuring Cup)

Whole Plums
Boiling Water

Cover and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

In a Mixing Bowl:

Oats

Cocoa

Flaxseeds

Mix well.

Add:

Yogurt

Mix well.

Drain Plums and Dice them.

Add them to the Oats mixture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cleanse your Body!

Lose Weight!


Here are some additional Breakfast Drinks. I've learned that we don't need large Breakfasts that are filled with Fat and Carbohydrates. Sometimes a meal replacement Drink is all we need. They fill you up and supress excess hunger. I always see weight loss when I use these drinks as meal replacements.
You can also drink them for lunch, mid afternoon or instead of a heavy dinner.

Here are some of my favorite Breakfast Drinks

Blueberry Oatmeal:

1 C Fresh Blueberries
1/2 C Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 C Rolled Oats
1 C Almond Milk
Mix well in a Blender.


Raspberry Banana:

3/4 C Almond Milk
3/4 C Frozen Raspberries
1/2 C Bananas
1 TBS Almond Butter
Mix well in a blender.


Mango:

1 C Diced Fresh Mango
1/2 C Almond Milk
1/2 C Ice
1/4 C Vanilla Yogurt
Mix well in a Blender.


Blueberry, Banana, Coconut:

1 - 10 oz. Bag of Frozen Blueberries
3 Bananas, sliced or cubed.
1 C Vanilla Yogurt
1 C Unsweetened Coconut Milk
2 TBS Honey
Mix well in a Blender.


Pumpkin Spice:

1 C Ice
1/2 C Almond Milk
1/3 C Pure Pumpkin Purée
1 TBS Honey
A Pinch of Nutmeg
Mix well in a Blender.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!