Whiteley Creek Homestead

I had miscalculated and ordered way more buttermilk from our local food co-op than what I could use in a reasonable amount of time, so to whittle down my excess stock… which wasn't yet beyond its expiration date, pudding came to mind.  An Internet search produced a recipe from Simply Recipes. 

 
The buttermilk provides a slight hint of lemon flavor… very, very nice. 

Buttermilk Pudding

2 tsp powdered gelatin (I used 2 tsp ChillOver Powder* (agar agar) produced by MaryJanesFarm.)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup. Next time, I will try reducing to 1/4 cup.)

½ tsp vanilla

2 cups cultured buttermilk**

Mix the gelatin with 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl and set aside. (If using agar agar, omit this step.) Put the cream and sugar into a small saucepan and heat over low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved remove from heat and add the gelatin (or agar agar) to the warm cream mixture. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved. (If using agar agar, simmer gently over low heat for 3 minutes.) Once the cream has cooled to room temperature, add the vanilla and buttermilk and stir. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to catch any bits of undissolved gelatin. Pour the mixture into ramekins, about ½ cup per ramekin. (The pudding is very rich.) Chill to set for at least four hours. Serves 6.

*ChillOver Powder is kanten (agar agar), an odorless powdered sea vegetable that can be used as an alternative to Knox Gelatin.

**The cultured buttermilk is not heated, therefore its probiotic goodness is not compromised. 

At the Farm of Plenty CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Farm south of Brainerd near Randall, where my weekly shares of produce come from… the pumpkin that came home with me.

Autumn and roasted vegetables… a perfect pair. Think about it. What veggies have you recently harvested from your garden? What in-season veggies are showing up at local farmers markets? Squash, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and broccoli… all perfect for roasting. The flavor of roasted veggies is much richer and the natural sweetness is more intense than eating raw or steaming. 

Here are a few methods for roasting veggies. Method 1: Roasting veggies is as simple as cutting them into uniform pieces so they cook evenly, scatter on a parchment paper- lined baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, mix to coat, season with salt and pepper, and place in 375° oven for 30 – 45 minutes or so depending upon the vegetable variety. Method 2: Preheat oven to 375°. Place fresh (firm), scrubbed veggies in a baking dish with a lid. If no lid, you can cover with aluminum foil. Covering the veggies causes them to roast more evenly. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt, if you like. Roast until tender. When roasting beets, fresh (firm) ones cook faster. Smaller beets take about 25 minutes. Larger and older beets can take up to an hour. When beets are fork tender, allow them to cool enough to handle then slip their peels off using a paring knife or by rubbing them with your fingers or… Method 3: You can place beets in a glass baking dish with about ½ cup water in the bottom. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and roast until tender. Cool, then peel.  

Fudge… there are so many recipes. Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge requires cooking to 234 degrees on a candy thermometer then cooling to 110 degrees. Next, it requires beating until thick, about 15 minutes. Too fussy. Marshmallow Creme Chocolate Fudge only requires melting the ingredients then allowing them to harden on their own, but the ingredient list is a bit long- sugar, butter, evaporated milk, marshmallow creme, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and vanilla. Still too fussy. My daughter, Heather, and her two year-old son made "Easy Fudge" with just two ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. A while ago, they boxed some up along with the recipe and sent it to Dick because he loves chocolate in any form. It solidifies perfectly, is so smooth, and the flavor is scrumptious. I made a batch today before Dick finished off all of the chocolate chips in the freezer.

 
Easy Fudge

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 – 14 oz can organic sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

chopped nuts

Mix together chocolate, condensed milk, and salt in a saucepan. (I used a double boiler.) Melt over low heat. Mix nuts into melted mixture. Pour into a buttered pan. Allow mixture to harden.

When Dick and I stopped by Caribou Coffee for a hot chocolate recently, I tucked the napkin into my backpack… the messages imprinted on it were worth revisiting again.

 
I ran across the napkin this afternoon, which reminded me of the hot chocolate we had shared. The drizzly, chilly (49 degree high) day begs for a cup of hot chocolate. I pulled out a simple recipe that I have made many times. It is equally good with or without the cinnamon stick, but it does add a nice subtle flavor. Since I had a stick on hand today, I tossed it in. Life is short. Slow down to feel the warmth of your fingers wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate… savor each sip.

Vanilla Hot Chocolate

1 cup milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (kind used for baking)

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp water

¼ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp dark chocolate, 72% cacao, shaved

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and cinnamon stick together over low heat until scalding hot (little bubbles are forming around the edge of the pan), about 4 minutes. While the milk is warming, mix together the cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Add the water and stir until combined. Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk, add the chocolate mixture and vanilla to the milk, and whisk until slightly frothy. Pour the hot chocolate into a mug, top with chocolate shavings, and enjoy. Serving size: 1 cup.