Route 66 Rummage Sales

We spent the day shopping along 90 miles of rummage sales, otherwise known as the IL Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor. We left at 8:00 AM with a set amount of money and came home at 4:30 PM with $2.00. What a way to spend a Spring Day!

The first big kitchen score of the day is the pressure cooker I found in Lexington, IL. It's a Mirro-Matic 4 Quart pressure cooker. eBay is selling them for $10.00 - $15.00, this one was only a $1!! I mentioned to the lady selling the cooker that I'd never used one, but was looking forward to testing it out. To my astonishment, she went in the house and brought out her recipes for the cooker and gave them to me!! I'm looking forward to making the Country Style Potatoes!

Another good find were the Vintage Star Wars and Smurfs glasses from Burger King. I loved the Smurfs as a child and was tickled to find Baker Smurf and Smurfette. The 1977 Star Wars glasses were only $0.25.

I think that one of my favorite purchases was the umbrella for the patio, only $5.00!! I can't wait to test it out this month! The other glasses in this photo will be making another appearance here soon. I've got a drink I want to share now that I have pretty glasses to show it off!

Towards the end of the day, I talked this iron skillet down to $5.00. It doesn't even look used, but I can fix that! The small skillet was in a Free Box. It's a Hammercraft 6 1/4 Inch Skillet. I can't find a date yet, but I'm thinking it's at least 50 - 60 + years old. Anybody know?

I loved playing Lego's as a kid. I remember spending time in the toy room with my little brother building houses. These Lego's will be a great addition to the set and they were only $0.50! We also got a Bionicle Lego set.

A crossbow for $5.00. Next step.... arrows. He's looking forward to testing this out!

Rummage, garage, yard, parks, sidewalks.... sales everywhere! By the end of the day I was even getting better at haggling over price!!! Check out a few more of our good deals!!

Pizza - Quest For The Perfect Crust

For at least the last year, if not longer, I've been trying to perfect the perfect pizza crust. My inspiration, you ask? Lucca Grill, home to Central Illinois' 1st Pizza, they have been making them since 1936.

My quest started simple, I wanted to make a good pizza at home. Not only a good pizza, but one with the perfect, thin, flaky, crispy crust. After a couple attempts, I quickly ruled out the store bought, pre-made crusts. Next on my list was the store-bought mixes. I put in a valiant effort, mixing, and tweaking along the way. With no luck, I moved to the Internet, trying various recipes. I was getting closer, but the crust always turned out to thick, to bready (is that a word?).

Last fall I was at a book fair and stumbled upon an Italian cookbook. I didn't really need another cookbook, but who can resist pouring over pages and pages of delectable food. In my world, a cookbook is like a good novel, it should be read cover to cover. I didn't hesitate to purchase Williams-Sonoma Italian Favorites. Today, ot's selling for $18.21 on Amazon. The book fair I was at had it for $11.99, but I would pay full price, it's worth it's weight in pizza crust! The book has a section on Basic Recipes & Techniques, and the recipes in the book all build on these. It was page 319 that had my attention, a recipe for Milk Pizza Crust:

This soft, butter-enriched dough produces a then, crisp crust that compliments sweet toppings.

All of the recipes that used this crust were for dessert pizza, but I was determined to make this crust work for a traditional pizza. For my first attempt, I followed the recipe, a rarity for me, but I wanted to know what I was working with before I started to change things! While the crust turned out good, my best attempt to date, it was still to dense. The best part about this crust is that it doesn't require time to rise.

For my next attempt I split the dough in two. Finally, I had the thin, flaky crust I'd been dreaming of. Next up, can I get the crust to remind me of Lucca's? Their crust has a distinct cheesy flavor. After maybe a dozen attempts at different cheese combinations, with adjustments to the original ingredients to make up for the addition of cheese, I finally found the winning combination. Last weekend, I felt like my quest was over. Without further ado, here's what I've come up with!

Milk Pizza Crust
2 1/4 Cups Bread Flour
3/4 to 1 Cup Milk
5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature, Cut Into Cubes)
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
Parmigiano-Reggiano (100 Strokes with Rasp Shredder)
Asiago (50 Strokes with Rasp Shredder)

Note: Next time I make the crust, I'll measure the cheese and update!

Combine Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cheeses.
Add Butter, ensuring it's coated with flour mixture.
Add Milk, reserving about a 1/4 Cup, and stir with fork until a soft dough forms.
Finish mixing dough with hands, using the reserved milk if needed and shape into 2 balls!
Turn out 1 of the dough balls onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll out into a thin crust, flipping occasionally as you go.
The dough should be slightly thinner in the middle then the edge.
Move dough to a pizza paddle, dusted with corm meal.
Top dough and bake in a 500° F oven for approximately 5 minutes.

Note: If you aren't making a second pizza, the extra dough can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. It will only last 1 day in the fridge, so you may want to cut the recipe in 1/2 if you don't need 2 pizza's! I haven't tried freezing the extra dough yet, but I'm going to try it next time.



Topping Your Pizza
At this point, you can top the pizza with your favorite ingredients and bake. I prefer pepperoni, but have been known to top pizza's with anything from chicken and garlic to ham and pineapple.
I always cook the pepperoni before I put it on my pizza. It cuts down and the greasy factor and you get crispy pepperoni to compliment the crust.

Once the crust is on the paddle, I brush with olive oil and Italian herbs. Next comes a thin layer of cheese. Pictured is provolone, but a thin layer of shredded parmigiano-reggiano works just a good. This adds flavor to the pizza and puts a layer between the crust and sauce, making for a crispier crust! Sauce (a thin layer for me, thank you!) goes next and then mozzarella cheese and more parmigiano-reggiano. Last, but certainly not least, the cooked pepperoni.

Finally, the pizza is ready for the oven. I heat my pizza stone at 500° F for 60 minutes, which is about how long it takes to to make the dough and put the pizza together! The oven should be super hot at this point. I can always tell here at home because the smoke detector goes off (it doesn't matter if the oven is clean or dirty, that little smoke detector is sensitive). About 5 minutes on the stone and the pizza is ready to eat, which is of course, the best part!

Wondering When Strawberries Will Be In Season?!

Here in Illinois, it's May and June. Yum, strawberries, pick your own or get them at the Farmer's Market!

To find out when your favorite fruits and veggies are in season, check out this fun chart.

Farmer's Market Starts May 19!!

OPENING DAY!

* * * MAY 19, 2007 * * *

WELCOME to the Farmers' Market's ELEVENTH YEAR in downtown Bloomington!

Opening day will feature:

- Music by The Old Men Boys -- a Farmers' Market favorite!

- Cooking demo (with free tastes) by our own Chef Narss Lapinid

- A great selection of juried arts and fine crafts by local artists and artisans

PLUS, thanks to the wonderful spring weather, a bountiful selection of spring veggies, greens, and other delights and delicacies!

Spicy Kicks

This little snack packs a big kick and is a sinch to whip up! It's a slightly modified version from December/January 2007 Taste Of Home.

Spicy Cashews:
1 large can cashews
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Blend
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 cup sugar

Whisk egg whites and water.
Add cashews and toss to coat.
Pour cashews in strainer and let drain for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all spices and sugar together in large bowl.
Pour cashews in spices and mix.
Spread flat on a greased baking pan.
Bake at 250 for 60 minutes, turning half way through.

While I general enjoy and little bit of sweet with my saltly, I think there's a little to much sugar in the mix. Next time I make these, I'll cut the sugar in half.

Chocolate ZigZag Cake and Books Go Together

This past January my friend Melissa decided to get a bunch of girls together and start a book club. Coincidentally, I'd had my eyes on several different cakes from a couple of cooking magazines that had just come in the mail. So, on a cold day in January a group of girls got together to discuss Katherine Min's Secondhand World and enjoy Chocolate ZigZag cake, Cheesy Horseradish Dip, candies, wines, and drinks!

Since I couldn't decide which cake, I picked two, and modfied each a teensy little bit, then combined! I figured why not, I have a knack for not following recipe directions anyway! Chocolate ZigZag Cake is a adaptation of Taste of Home's "Chocolate Ganache Cake" and with a frosting from Food & Family's "Black Forest Delight".

Chocolate ZigZag Cake
For The Cake:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 cup buttermilk ***
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Droste cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Calypso Hot Pepper Sauce

*** Buttermilk:
1 tablespoon vinegar
heavy cream
milk

Add Vinegar to 1 cup measuring cup.
Add Heavy Cream to the 1/3 cup mark.
Add Milk to the 1 cup mark.
Whisk together and let sit on counter for at least 10 minutes prior to adding to cake.

For The Ganache Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate

For The Frosting:
3/4 cup sour cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
8 oz cool whip, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla paste

For The Decoration:
1 oz Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate

Putting It All Together:
The Cake -
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla.
Beat for 2 minutes.
Combine buttermilk and sour cream.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
Butter 2 9-in. round cake pans.
Dust pans with cocoa.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

The Filling -
Melt chocolate with cream over low heat.
Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
Chill until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. (I left it in the fridge overnight!)
Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Chill until mixture achieves spreading consistency.

The Frosting -
Mix sour cream and powdered sugar.
Stir in whipped topping.

The Decorating -
Melt chocolate.

The Building -
Slice the rounded tops off of each cake. (Place toothpicks around edge of cake as markers so the cake ends up even with sliced!)
Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
Spread with ganache filling.
Place second layer of cake on top of filling.
Crumb coat the cake with frosting.

Let crumb coating dry for several hours.
Frost the cake!!

Pipe chocolate onto the cake.
If you don't have decorating bags or are looking for easy clean-up, spoon into plastic sandwich bag and snip off small corner.
Twist the bag and squeeze to drizzle!

To make the chocolate lace for the top of the cake, pipe chocolate onto wax paper.
Place in freezer till set (About 20 minutes.)
Peel wax paper from chocolate and add to cake!

Goes well with good friends and good books!

I enjoyed spending some relaxing time in the kitchen making this cake! My poor old hand mixer wasn't quite up to the job of mixing a batter this heavy, but it was worth the effort anyway! What an excellent cake which I'm sure I'll use in the future with various combinations of frosting and fillings. While the cake was moist, I think next time I'll use all of the ganache filling. I held back this time because I was worried about the layers slipping before the ganache had time to set. So for this first attempt, I only used half of the filling. I think 3 or 4 smaller layers may help to solve this issue as well as provide the frosting to cake balance I was looking for.

Are you wondering what I did with the leftover cake tops? Of course you are! Anyone who loves chocolate as much as I do wouldn't let them go to waste. I made a trifle by cubing the cake and layering it with the remaining ganache filling. I topped with the remaining frosting!

Why You Should Always Have Diet Coke In the House

The Blizzard of 2007 hit Central Illinois this Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in 2 snow days for me! It's reminding me of being in grade school again, snowmobiling on the farm. Only this time I find myself secretly hoping for work to be cancelled for a few more days so I can keep sitting at home surfing the web. Of course today, I came across a big dilemma, and the reason for my post. No Diet Coke in the house. I drank the last one yesterday and didn't really give it much thought. I figured I'd be heading in to work today, so I could stop and buy more. As you can see from the snow drift in our driveway, I wasn't going anywhere. Later this afternoon I hear a lot of commotion out front, it's the neighbor in his John Deere, plowing us out. My first thought is to run outside screaming, "wait, I want to be snowed in!". My second thought is, "dig faster, I need my Diet Coke!!".

Of course we got dug out and made it safely to town. Now there's not 1, but 2 cases of Diet Coke sitting in the pantry, just in case we have another snow day.

If you were snowed in, what couldn't you live without?