Almanac.com Cooking Blog

Avocado and Bacon Spread (Dip) Recipe

Jack Burnett — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:06:49 +0000

Anything with bacon in it is a winner. This is a pretty easy recipe to make; I doubled it for a party (good thing!) and everyone loved it.

I did make a few modifications to the recipe: I added some dried cranberries on top for a little color and a little sweetness. I also used low-sodium bacon and non-spread butter and no one could tell the difference.

I would make this recipe again, but next time I would probably use chopped scallions instead of chopped shallots, just to give it a little more punch.

Are you a bacon lover?

Avocado and Bacon Spread

2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and cubed
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound sliced bacon
6 slices whole wheat bread
3 tablespoon butter, slightly softened

In a shallow bowl, combine the avocados, shallots, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce by mashing them with a fork to create a rough purée (using a blender or food processor would liquefy them). Transfer the mixture to a plastic container. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture, smoothing out any air bubbles with your fingertips. Refrigerate for two hours to allow the flavors to meld. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, then remove and drain. Crumble the bacon into bits.

Toast the bread, then lightly butter on side of each slice before cutting into four triangles. (Remove the crusts if you wish; reserve as salad croutons.) Arrange the bread, buttered side up, on a serving tray. Just before serving, blend the avocado mixture and bacon bits together and spoon into a small bowl to set in the middle of the toast points.

Makes 6 servings.

Wheat Germ Energy Cookies: A Great Way to Start the Day

Janice Stillman — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:00:49 +0000

These Wheat Germ Energy Cookies will help you to start the morning—or continue the day—feeling good and, yes, true to the name, energized.

They have it all: crunch, nuttiness, oats, and a hint of chocolate.

I especially liked the way that the molasses tempered the peanut butter. Both flavors appear, but neither one overwhelms the other.

I have come to prefer using mini–chocolate chips in baked goods, but on this day, I had only the regular size at hand. My solution was to try to chop the regular-size chips in a mini-processor.

Bad idea: Most of the chips danced around the blade and only a bit of chocolate “dust” was produced. It and the chips went into the batter, but the dust had little detectable effect.

I baked the first batch as directed—at 350°F for about 15 minutes. My oven tends to be very hot, so I should have checked the cookies after about 10 minutes. That first half dozen came out a little dark, but they were certainly edible. I baked the remainder at 300°F for the appointed time, and they were perfect. At least I presume they were perfect: I brought them to work and they disappeared ver-r-ry quickly!

Wheat Germ Energy Cookies

(from The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

Using an electric mixer, preferably a large stand model (see “Take a Stand,” below), cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, and peanut butter in a large bowl. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and the vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, about half at a time. Stir in the oats, raisins, chocolate chips, and nuts. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Using 1/4 cup of dough per cookie, shape the dough into balls. Place them on the baking sheets, leaving 3 inches in between. Bake one sheet at a time on the center oven rack for 15 to 17 minutes. When done, the cookies will be dome-shape and cracked and very soft to the touch. Do not overbake. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a rack and finish cooling. Makes 20 to 24 cookies.

Take a Stand

A stand mixer is a convenient tool when . . .

a recipe calls for a large amount of batter
a batter is sufficiently dense that a hand mixer may get bogged down
beating may take more than a couple minutes, and you want to avoid standing, holding a hand mixer, for a long time.

A stand mixer is not necessary to your success, but if you don’t have one, you might consider putting it on your wish list.

Chocolate Mud Bars Recipe

kelsey wenger — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:11:27 +0000

I dedicate this recipe to my father, the ultimate lover of all things chocolate.

When I was growing up, and had yet to develop my chocolate tooth, a giant chocolate bunny always managed to find its way into my Easter basket even though the Easter bunny knew very well that I did not like chocolate. And guess who in the house coincidentally always got to eat said giant chocolate hare? On the bright side, my father has since been validated by the medical community that his chocolate obsession is, in fact, healthy. However, I’m not sure a giant chocolate bunny counts as moderation.

The Chocolate Mud Bars from the Everyday Baking Cookbook are everything a chocolate lover could dream of. The ‘mud’ is a moist, rich chocolate filling which is studded with walnuts and surrounded on one edge by a graham cracker crust and on the others by a slightly crunchier chocolate shell. Use quality chocolate and I guarantee this will be the best “mud” you’ve ever eaten (and will become a favorite of any chocolate lover you know!).

Semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Mixing the smooth chocolate with the dry ingredients

The crust and the chocolate – a match made in heaven

Release the mud!

Finished bars! They really were the tastiest “mud” I ever did eat.

Chocolate Mud Bars

From the Everyday Baking Cookbook, page 54

CRUST:

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

¼ cup cake flour

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

For crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well with your hands. Add the melted butter, stir well with a fork, then rub the ingredients together well with your fingers until thoroughly mixed. Press the mixture evenly in the prepared pan to form a level layer on the bottom with a lip extending about ¼ inch up the sides of the pan. (Do not prebake the crust).

For filling: Combine the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over not-quite-simmering water. When melted, whisk to smooth, then remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the chocolate into a medium bowl and cool to lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 325^oF. Whisk the sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the lukewarm chocolate. Stir in the cake flour, mixing until smooth. Stir in the walnuts. Scrape the batter over the crust and smooth with a spoon. Bake on the center oven rack for 35 minutes only – no longer. Cool on a rack. Refrigerate an hour or so before slicing. Serve at room temperature. Makes 16 bars.

A Hungry Man’s Quiche

Sarah Perreault — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:28:06 +0000

Quiche! It’s what’s for dinner! Or lunch . . . or breakfast . . . but mostly, brunch.

This is my go-to fare when I am invited to a brunch. Except for the crust-making part, quiche is a very easy and versatile dish to create. (And you can always use my mother’s shortcut of buying a premade, uncooked crust. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone her secret!)

One of our most requested quiche recipes is A Hungry Man’s Quiche, which can be found in our best-selling Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Cookbook. You can make any number of swaps such as using sweet potatoes for white, trade diced chicken for ham, and use any kind of cheese that strikes your fancy. Like I said: versatile! Or, you can make the recipe as is and enjoy a guaranteed delicious and crowd-pleasing egg dish that will surely be the hit of any meal . . . and especially brunch.

A Hungry Man’s Quiche

1 10-inch deep-dish pastry crust
3 small potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/4 cup diced cooked ham
2 cups grated cheese
5 eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the pastry crust in 10-inch dish, crimp the edges, and prick the bottom in several places. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Layer the potatoes, ham, and cheese into the crust. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs and milk together and then pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F. Lower the heat to 350°F and bake for additional 10 minutes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Dried Cranberry–White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Emily Adamson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:18:42 +0000

It was a breeze to make the Dried Cranberry–White Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook.

Like all the other recipes I’ve made out of Everyday Baking, this recipe had: a simple ingredient list, straightforward directions, and a truly delicious end product.

It's important, however, to read the recipe all the way through before you get started (which I didn’t do) because you’re supposed to refrigerate the cookie dough for 2 hours before you bake the cookies. I started this project after 9:00 p.m., so once I got to the bottom and realized this, I decided to turn off the oven (which had been diligently preheating to 350 degrees), wrap up my dough to let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then turn in for the evening!

The next day, I sprinkled just a touch of fleur de sel (sea salt) on each cookie before I baked them because I love the combination of sweet white chocolate and a little bit of salt. Lucky for me, by Day 2, clouds and a few raindrops had rolled in, so having the oven on and the wafting smell of baking cookies throughout my kitchen was a pleasure.

I froze most of the cookies to bring on an upcoming boat trip to British Columbia, but I did keep a few fresh cookies out to bring in for my coworkers* to sample (it’s good to leave on vacation on a positive note!).

*Thoughts from one of said co-workers: “Delicious! These cookies made my Monday morning all the more manageable. I usually try not to eat cookies in the morning (‘try’ being the key word here . . .), but these were scarfed down with not a single regret. The flavors are truly a lesson in teamwork. The tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the chocolate already complement each other beautifully, but the addition of some salt on top hits every taste bud base in the best possible way. The only regret I had about eating this cookie in the morning was that there wasn’t one for me to eat later in the day!”

Dried Cranberry–White Chocolate Chip Cookies

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook (page 48)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Optional: Fleur de sel or sea salt, just a few pinches

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the sugars and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir the dry mixture into the creamed ingredients, half at a time, until evenly mixed. Stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and nuts (I used pecans). Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours (I refrigerated overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter two large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into 1-1/2-inch-diameter balls. Place the balls on the baking sheets, leaving about 2-1/2 inches in between. Optional: sprinkle a tiny pinch of fleur de sel over each ball, literally just about 5 granules on each cookie. Bake one sheet at a time on the center oven rack for about 17 minutes (this sounded like a long time to me, but because the dough was cold, it was perfect!). When done, the edges of the cookies should be golden brown and the centers much less so. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Makes about 30 cookies.

Bacon–Blue Cheese Scones

Emily Adamson — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:50:57 +0000

I love blue cheese. And I love bacon (who doesn’t?). So when I saw this recipe for Bacon–Blue Cheese Scones in The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook, I was sold!

I had visions of the ultimate breakfast sandwich dancing in my head.

I made these scones to bring on a summer vacation, and like other recipes I’ve made from Everyday Baking, it was well written, easy to follow, and simple to make! In fact, this recipe is so easy that it’s a little dangerous—I may be making these scones again and again!

While the scones were baking, the smells that were coming out of my oven were making me ravenous! No immediate gratification for me, though: This recipe makes exactly eight scones, which equals two breakfasts for four people (the exact quantity I was counting on for our trip). Once they were cooled, into the freezer they went. Torture, pure torture!

I’m happy to report that the wait was worth it. While on our trip, I defrosted the scones, divided them in half, and toasted them just slightly in the oven, melting cheese on one side. I then topped each one with scrambled eggs bacon (yes, more!) and arugula and—voilà!—I had one of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. I brought ketchup and hot sauce to the table, but this combo of flavors was so perfect that it didn’t need a condiment, so both bottles went untouched. My mom and dad requested a repeat of this breakfast again on the morning of their 42nd wedding anniversary, it was that good!

Bacon–Blue Cheese Scones

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook (page 10)

These savory scones are in the “Breakfast Treats” section of Everyday Baking, but they are also excellent for brunch or dinner, especially with hearty soups or stews. The dough is mixed in the food processor, and the trick is to use a light hand when pulsing the machine (do not overprocess). The scones have more “personality” if you use bigger pieces of bacon and blue cheese.

4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup heavy cream

1 egg, lightly beaten, for glaze

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

Fry the bacon pieces in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Break into small-but-not-tiny pieces when it cools. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Remove the lid, scatter the butter over the flour mixture, and pulse three or four more times, cutting the butter into small pieces. Remove the lid again and add the bacon and blue cheese. Pulse, no more than three times, to mix. Remove the lid once more and pour the cream evenly over the mixture. Pulse two or three times, just until the mixture forms large, damp crumbs; it should not ball up.

Dump the crumbs onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pack the crumbs together, then pat and roll the dough into an 8-inch-diameter circle. (If the edge cracks, just pinch it together and smooth it out.) Cut the dough into eight equal wedges and place them, evenly spaced, on the baking sheet. Brush each wedge lightly with the egg. Bake on the center over rack for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a rack. Makes 8 scones.

Serving Ideas for Savory Scones

• For brunch, serve Bacon–Blue Cheese Scones with just about any hot egg dish, including omelets, or with breakfast meats such as ham and sausage.

• Bacon–Blue Cheese Scones stand nicely on their own, but a dab of apple jelly is the perfect counterpoint to the salty bacon and blue cheese profile.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

kelsey wenger — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:58:38 +0000

The Pumpkin Cranberry Bread recipe from Everyday Baking brings a little of everything that we love about pumpkins and manages to strike the perfect balance between savory and sweet.

It’s perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, warm with a pat of butter. And in typical pumpkin fashion, the bread not only tastes good, but also manages to brighten the inside of your home as well, as the orange of the pumpkin and the bright red of the cranberry complement the changing leaves outside.

I adapted this recipe to make 12 delicious muffins, and they were truly delightful. The pumpkin flavor dominates, the texture is light, and the cranberries add a nice little burst of sweetness complemented by the crunch of the walnuts. It’s certainly hard to go wrong with pumpkin, cranberry, and walnuts, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook makes it easy to pull them all together in a delicious recipe that tastes like autumn.

The second best thing about baking with pumpkins: pumpkin pie spice mix! Yum, yum!

The first pumpkin purée of the season! And cranberries to make the perfect fall color spectrum!

Pretty, puffed, and cooling on the racks

Split them open when they’re warm out of the oven, throw some butter or honey on, and I guarantee that you’ll remember why pumpkin season is as loved as it is.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread**

From the Everyday Baking cookbook, page 23

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed or canned pumpkin

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, if using. In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat the butter while gradually adding the sugar. Best in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and pumpkin. (The mixture may look “curdled” from the pumpkin; that’s fine.) In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Blend a third of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, followed by half of the milk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing evenly between additions until combined. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon. Bake on the center oven rack for about 1 hour, until a tester inserted deep into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the bread out and cool on a rack. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

**Note: I made these as muffins and they turned out great. I started checking them at 10 minutes and took them out at 15 minutes, so be sure to adjust your baking time if you decide to make muffins instead of bread.

Rugelach

kelsey wenger — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:46:03 +0000

Rugelach are delicious Jewish pastries that usually have a cream cheese–based dough and can be filled with anything from raspberry jam to cinnamon and sugar or chocolate and nuts.

The word literally means “little twists” in Yiddish. However, after making and trying the rugelach recipe from Everyday Baking, the translation seems to have changed a little to mean “heaven in cookie form” in my home . . .

My grandmother makes us Christmas cookies every year, and every year they come in an adorable holiday cookie tin. Opening the tin is almost as exciting as unwrapping presents on Christmas morning because there’s always the most delicious assortment of baked goods that anyone could hope for. There are Christmas cane sugar cookies, peanut butter chocolate buckeyes, lace cookies, mint cookies, and, of course, rugelach.

The rugelach are my favorite. I won’t lie; I gold-dig through the tin like it’s my job to try to find each and every one. The pastry is flaky and delicious, and it twists in the prettiest way around the loveliest combination of fruit, nuts, and cinnamon sugar that’s ever melted in your mouth. Every year, I wait for the day when the rugelach arrives in its Christmas tin, and every year I’m reminded of Christmas values as I struggle not to eat each and every one, but rather to share these wonderful morsels with those around me.

The rugelach from the Everyday Baking cookbook are a different shape from the ones I grew up eating, but they’re still the same delicious cookie. If anything, I think that this shows the diversity of ruglelach: There are different ways to roll them (spirals, crescents, pinwheels) and dozens of different variations for fillings (apricot-pecan is one of my favorites), and you can make them in any size and crunchiness you like. They’re a wonderfully versatile cookie that’s guaranteed to be a huge hit at your holiday celebration. Just remember to share . . .

Simple filling goodness: walnuts, raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

The three dough rectangles, shaped and ready to be individually wrapped and refrigerated until firm.

Putting it all together . . .

Successfully rolled (definitely the most stressful part of the process), and ends sealed! Ready for more refrigerator time, and two more to go . . .

Carefully sliced, egg-washed, and cinnamon-sugared. Get ready for your entire house to smell absolutely heavenly while these babies cook.

Rugelach! Pretty pinwheels perfect for popping into your mouth any time of year.

Raspberry Walnut Rugelach

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking, page 40

DOUGH:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar

2½ cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup raisins

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

big pinch salt

1 tablespoon cold butter, in several pieces

¾ cup seedless raspberry preserves

1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

¾ cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, for coating

For dough: Using an electric mixer, preferably a large stand model, cream the butter and cream cheese until soft and smooth. Beat in the salt and sugar. Blend in the flour, on low speed or with a wooden spoon, about ½ cup at a time, incorporating each measure before the next one is added. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into thirds. Shape each portion into a rectangle about ½-inch thick. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1½ to 2 hours, or until firm.

For filling: While the dough chills, put the walnuts, raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a food processor. Pulse the mixture repeatedly, until everything is coarsely chopped. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and still separate (not clumpy). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.

To assemble: Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into the best 12x7-inch rectangle you can manage on a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper or parchment paper. (If the dough gets too soft or delicate at any point, slide it onto a small baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes, until it firms up and it becomes easier to handle and roll.) Trim all of the edges with a pastry cutter or paring knife, removing as little dough as possible. Stir the preserves briskly, to smooth. Spread one third of the preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle one third of the nut filling onto the dough evenly. Press the nuts gently, to embed.

Starting along one of the long sides and using the paper to help you, roll up the dough like a carpet. Keep it snug, but not too tight or you’ll force the filling out at the seam. Pinch the ends to seal. Wrap the filled dough in the paper and refrigerate. Repeat for the remaining two pieces of dough. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350^oF. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap one log at a time and brush lightly with the egg wash. Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the log into ¾-inch-thick pieces. Roll the pieces in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the baking sheet, spiral side up, leaving 2 inches in between. Bake one sheet at a time on the center oven rack for 25 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Makes 40 to 48 cookies.

'Any Fruit' Crumble Bars

kelsey wenger — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 20:40:13 +0000

I had a friend help me out recently and nothing says ‘thank you’ like fresh baked goods! One of her favorite things in the whole wide world is a good, old fashioned, fruit crumble. I found the 'Any Fruit' Crumble Bars recipe in The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Baking Cookbook.

For a recipe with a somewhat vague and non-committal title (“any fruit”? Really? Any?), it’s truly a phenomenal and versatile offering. The beauty of it is you can make so many different types of this bar depending on the preserves you like best, want to try, have in the house etc. I went with a raspberry peach champagne preserve and it was absolutely delectable. The bottom crust is dense and sugar cookie like, the preserves sit in the middle and really burst with flavor and the crumbly crust on top adds that special something as only a crumble can. And, of course, there was a whole lot of love in there too…

My friend called me later that night to thank me for the gifts and said, “I plan on gorging myself on these delicious desserts until I can’t move or fit into the shirt you got me.” Now if that’s not praise for a recipe, I don’t know what is.

Peach raspberry champagne preserves! Can’t go wrong with that combination!

Crumble makes my belly grumble.

The preserves spread evenly with a spoon and ready for the topping

Finished crumble!

Finished bars ready for the gifting! Aren’t they pretty?

Click here for the recipe to 'Any Fruit' Crumb Bars (for Recipe Box fans) or read below.

CRUST AND TOPPING:

¾ cup sliced or coarsely chopped blanched almonds

¾ cup sugar, divided

½ cup fine yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

½ teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ each vanilla and almond extracts

FILLING

1 jar (12 ounces) fruit preserves, such as peach, cherry, raspberry, or apricot

Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and dust it with flour, knocking out the excess, or line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.

For crust and topping: Put the almonds and ¼ cup sugar into a food processor and pulse to a coarse meal. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the remaining ½ cup of sugar, cornmeal, and salt. Stir. Add the melted butter and vanilla and stir well. The mixture will be damp but crumbly. Transfer slightly more than half the mixture to the pan. Spread it evenly, then use your fingertips to form a level layer on the bottom with a lip extending about ¼ inch up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350^oF.

For filling: Stir the preserves, then drop by spoonfuls over the crust. Spread the preserves evenly with the back of a spoon. Spread the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the preserves. Tamp down gently with your fingers to compress slightly. Bake on the center oven rack for 25 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool on a rack. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Serve at room temperature. Makes 16 bars.

You can also find the 'Any Fruit' Crumble Bars recipe on page 59 of The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Baking Cookbook.

Summer Corn Chowder

kelsey wenger — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:34:38 +0000

I believe in the forest, and in the meadow, and in the night in which the corn grows.

–Henry David Thoreau

I love a lot of things about summer, but one in particular is the sweet crunch of fresh corn on the cob. I grew up eating boiled corn, but the first day I sank my teeth into a piece of fresh, just-picked corn was a day that changed my views on corn forever. The Corn Chowder recipe from the Everyday Cookbook makes the most of summer’s corn bounty, and when you add potatoes, fresh veggies and cream, you’ve got yourself a lovely midsummer’s night meal, hot or cold.

I made a few changes to the recipe, adding a ½ cup each of red bell pepper and celery, using 1 pound of red potatoes and 1 pound of sweet potatoes, and adding in some leeks. Also, I love the taste and texture of fresh corn, but if you like yours a little softer, you can boil the corn first or use canned corn in its stead. Feel free to play around with it—and remember that bacon is always a lovely and well-received addition . . .

Summer's bounty, yum!

Corn chowder!

CORN CHOWDER

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Cookbook, page 56

4 cups chicken stock

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 teaspoon celery seed

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

3 cups sweet corn kernels

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the chicken stock and 4 cups of water in a stockpot. Add the potatoes, thyme, and celery seed and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until transparent. When the potatoes are tender, add the onion, cream, and corn to the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, but do not boil. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Crunch a Bunch o' Munch

Sarah Perreault — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:49:21 +0000

I’m always looking for easy, portable, delicious snacks. Well, in a perfect world: easy, portable, delicious, healthy snacks. Mission accomplished!

While perusing my copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Cookbook, I came upon Popcorn Granola Munch. All of the ingredients were already in my cupboards, so I gave it a try. Not only did my son gobble up this fiber- and protein-intensive snack, but my husband and I enjoyed it as well.

Popcorn Granola Munch Recipe

8 cups popped corn
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan or any large baking pan with high sides. After popping about ½ cup of popcorn kernels to get the required 8 cups of popcorn, simply combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: popcorn, wheat germ, shredded coconut (I used unsweetened), quick-cooking oats (I used old-fashioned rolled oats), and sesame seeds.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine creamy peanut butter, vegetable oil (I used canola oil), water, molasses, and honey. When this mixture is completely melted, drizzle it over the popcorn mixture. Stir well to coat. Spread the “munch” in the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

We thoroughly enjoyed this snack for days. The next time I make it (and there will be a next time), I will add unsalted peanuts in place of the sesame seeds and a little less wheat germ (quite a bit of it ended up at the bottom of the container).

Give it a try and tell us what you think!

Orange-Brown Rice Salad

kelsey wenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 21:07:29 +0000

Recently, I went to a barbecue where I had the most delectable mandarin orange rice. It had a lovely brown rice base that was bursting with colorful, crisp veggies and juicy mandarin orange chunks and was perfectly dressed with a refreshing citrus vinaigrette. When salad is as healthy, hearty, and delicious as this, it’s hard not to love it and even harder to forget it.

I was flipping through the Garden-Fresh Cookbook the other day and came across a version of the above recipe, orange–brown rice salad. I was so excited. Everything from the Garden-Fresh is delicious, so this was sure not to disappoint. And it didn’t! It’s everything I was hoping it would be. It’s a glorious citrus rice dish that is easy to toss together and serve as a side or a main dish, and it’s truly one of the best accompaniments to a sunny summer day.

Mixed veggies, tempeh, rice, and a juicy orange. Should be hard to go wrong!

All the ingredients, awaiting their dressing in citrus armor.

Yum! Orange–Brown Rice Salad with tempeh!

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Orange–Brown Rice Salad

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook (page 226)

2 cups cooked brown rice

1/2 pound baby shrimp, cooked and peeled*

1 to 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1 to 2 carrots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 cup olive oil

zest from 1 large orange

juice from 1 large orange

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup slivered almonds, for garnish

*I’m not a big fish person, so I replaced this with about 3/4 cup of tempeh (vegetarian protein). Simply cube it and sauté it in a pan until browned!

In a large bowl, combine the rice, shrimp, celery, and carrots.

In another bowl, combine the dill, olive oil, half of the zest, and the orange juice (be sure to zest the orange before juicing). Season with salt and pepper and whisk to blend. Add the dressing to the rice mixture, stirring gently to coat. Taste, then add more zest if you wish. Garnish with slivered almonds.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

High-Fiber Peach Raspberry Crunch: Good-For-You Twist on a Classic Dessert

Janice Stillman — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:49:36 +0000

When I saw that fresh peaches were going for $.99 per pound, there was no question of what I was going to do with them.

I bought 3 pounds (more than I needed, but they looked so luscious), a lemon, and a package of frozen raspberries and dashed to my kitchen to make High-Fiber Peach Raspberry Crunch from Everyday Baking. (Why frozen raspberries, you wonder? I prefer to use frozen raspberries for cooking and to eat the fresh.)

This dish is a good-for-you variation on the classic Peach Melba combination of peaches and raspberries topped with ice cream. I promise: You will not miss the ice cream. This dish doesn’t need anything else. (OK, life is short: A scoop of vanilla ice cream on this while it’s warm will put you over the Moon.)

I have made this a few times, always reducing the butter in the topping by a bit. (I don’t do this to trade the butter calories for the ice cream calories, but that’s an idea!)

This time, I used 2 tablespoons of butter, not the recommended 4 tablespoons, and could not tell the difference in taste. There was, however, a slight difference in texture. Here’s why: In the interest of time, I put all of the topping ingredients into the processor, as suggested. As a result, most of the oat flakes (and everything else under the blade) took on a powdery consistency. So while the topping lacked pieces to bite into, it retained the flavor and benefits of the ingredients. If I had worked the topping with my fingers, even with the reduced amount of butter, there would have been more crunch, especially from the oatmeal.

That’s a small point, especially if you’re short on time. The important thing is that you keep an eye out for fresh peaches.

Then try this and tell me what you think of it—with or without ice cream.

High-Fiber Peach Raspberry Crunch

(from The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking cookbook)

A double dose of crunchy, lightly sweetened oats blankets fresh peaches and raspberries. Whole-grain nutrition never tasted so good!

FRUIT:

3 cups peeled and sliced ripe peaches
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup mild honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

TOPPING:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup oat bran
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x9-inch baking pan and set aside.

For fruit: Mix the peaches, raspberries, honey, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix lightly. Turn the ingredients into the prepared pan. Set aside.

For topping: Combine the flour, oats, oat bran, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it with your fingers until you have uniform, gravel-like crumbs. (This can also be done in the food processor. Pulse until you have uniform crumbs; don’t let the mixture turn clumpy.) Spread the mixture evenly over the fruit and bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the juices bubble thickly. Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

In, then out, of a pickle

Janice Stillman — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:21:42 +0000

When an Almanac colleague and gardener greeted me one day with,"Good morning! I left a bag of pickling cucumbers in your office!", my eyebrows jumped, my jaw dropped, and "Oh, wow—thanks!" came out of my mouth.

At the same time, "Oh no, oh no, oh no" was crawling across the mental marquee on the interior side of my forehead. I had never made pickles. I seldom even eat pickles. Pickles involve boiling pots, hot glass, steam, stink, and seals that won’t stick, not to mention untold lost hours.

However, I sucked it up, decided not to waste the gift, and put pickles on Saturday's to-do list.

Fast forward: I now LOVE pickles! I love everything about pickles: making them, eating them, sharing them!

This recipe, for Sweet Pickle Chips, adapted from "Vegetables," a cookbook produced by the Culinary Institute of America, results in a bread-and-butter pickle that is quick, easy, delicious, and requires no processing. The CIA advises that these pickles will last up to a month under refrigeration. I can't vouch for that; mine were gone within days.

6 to 8 pickling cucumbers, washed and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon mustard seed
1 ½ to 2 cups sugar (to your taste), divided
4 cups water
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon celery seed
½ tablespoon crushed (not ground) allspice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Put the sliced cucumbers, onions, cider vinegar, salt, mustard seed, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and water into a large pot.

Turn the heat on high, bring the liquid to a simmer (not a hard, rolling boil), and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes—and not a moment longer. Drain and discard the liquid. Return the remaining ingredients to the large pot and set aside.
Put the remaining ingredients into a separate pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove this pan from the heat, pour the mixture over the cucumber and onion mixture, and stir once or twice.

When the ingredients are sufficiently cool, distribute them into jars, and refrigerate.

Makes 3 to 4 pints.

Got a good pickle recipe? Send it my way—even better, send pickling cukes! (Seriously, but postage paid, please.)

The Easiest Pickles Ever

Sarah Perreault — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:50:50 +0000

I’ve never been one to make my own jams, jellies, and preserves, but when a coworker brought in her homemade sweet pickles and the taste evoked nostalgia, I thought it was about time I learned about canning and preserving.

Luckily, there is an entire chapter devoted to this subject in The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook!

Photo by W. Atlee Burpee & Co.

I admit to taking the easy route and opting for Sweet Refrigerator Pickles—it was my first time, after all. This recipe could not be simpler. I tossed together the sliced cukes, onions, and peppers and sprinkled with pickling salt. As I waited the required hour for the salt to work its magic, I thought about my grandfather’s garden. He worked an acre of land (in the city!) and delighted us with such gems as raspberries, blueberries, grapes, Swiss chard, sweet corn, and parsnips, among many others. As the summer waned, he canned tomatoes, piccalilli, and my favorite, bread-and-butter pickles. Now that he’s gone, I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate his efforts more.

After an hour had passed, all that was left to do was to combine the cider vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, and mustard seeds. I drained the vegetables and added the vinegar mixture. After letting the pickles sit in the refrigerator for 48 hours, I had my first taste . . . and they are better than I thought they would be! Sweet, with a little zip from the hot peppers. Still not as good as my grandfather’s pickles, but I’ll work on it!

Below is the recipe for these sweet pickles. Prefer sour to sweet? Watch Catherine, the Old Farmer’s Almanac new media editor, make Refrigerator Dill Pickles.

Recipe for Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
(p. 154 of The Garden-Fresh Cookbook)

Ingredients:
8 cups sliced cucumbers ( 6 to 8 medium cucumbers)
2 large onions, sliced
2 large red peppers, sliced
3 hot peppers, sliced
1 tablespoon pickling salt
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons mustard seed

Directions: In a large bowl, combine the cucumber slices, onions, and peppers. Sprinkle with the salt and set the bowl aside for 1 hour. Drain and discard the liquid. In a bowl or jar with a lid, combine the vinegar, sugar, and seeds and whisk or shake until sugar is dissolved. Pour the liquid over the cucumbers. Transfer the cucumbers to a glass or plastic-covered container for storage and refrigerate. These will keep up to 3 months. Makes about 4 quarts.