Best laid plans...

I know it may seem like I am making excuses for why I "didn't do my homework" of writing an exciting, fresh blog post on time today, but...I am dog sitting (no, the dog is lovely and did not eat my homework!), and I have just spent the last couple of hours trying to figure out how to fix my own personal blog. It seems that Blogger is not supporting FTP publishing any more, so I have to "migrate" my blog to their own hosting services. To clarify, I have always hosted my blog on my own web host, created the posts using Blogger's software, and used FTP to upload the content to my web host's servers. But no more. The migration instructions are a little confusing for my particular situation, so researching what to do has taken more time than I anticipated. And I still haven't fixed things yet!

So here I am, 4:00 5:00 6:30 8:45pm, trying to keep my canine guest amused while wracking my brains over this "migration" issue (I want to fly south right now), and I am still staring at a blank blog page. What to do? I decided to fall back on what BBESTers like the most: food! Since I don't eat wheat due to allergies, I bake gluten-free using alternative flours. My staple kitchen grain is rice flour, which comes in white and the more whole-grain brown. I use white rice flour for finer baked goods such as cakes and fancy pastries, while brown rice flour makes great bread, pancakes and muffins. Either can be used for coating meats, though I prefer the texture of white for this purpose. My next two favorite flours come from tubers and roots: potato and tapioca starches. Make sure you use potato starch flour in baking as potato flour is heavier and rather odd-tasting (somewhat potato-ish); potato starch is fine, white, and similar to cornstarch in consistency. Tapioca starch is extracted from the root of the plant species Manihot esculenta, also known as the cassava or manioc, which is native to South America. Both starches can be substituted for wheat flour in white sauces as they act like thickening agents. You may also want to try substituting flours made from other plant sources, such as amaranth, corn, soy, nuts, teff, quinoa, chick pea, sorghum, or millet.  It may take some experimentation to find the taste and texture combination that is right for you. For some tried-and-true flour formulas, visit http://www.csaceliacs.org/recipes/FlourFormulas.php I use Bette Hagman's Original Formula, fourth one down on that page.

Our favorite sandwich bread recipe. Use brown rice flour for more whole-grain fiber.

http://www.gfcfrecipes.com/breads.htm

Some of you may be a little timid about trying to cook without America's favorite grain, wheat, but never fear, it isn't so hard. With just a few careful substitutions, anyone can enjoy cooking and eating gluten-free.** Just be aware that the texture of gluten-free baked goods can be more dry, crumbly, and not as airy compared to the texture of gluten-based baked items. Don't expect gluten-free cakes and cookies to rise as much as their wheat-containing counterparts. That is because gluten, the protein in certain grains (wheat, barley, spelt, and rye), when combined with water, adds elasticity to dough and helps it rise. Wheat contains "two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, which turn into gluten when they come in contact with liquid. As soon as glutenin and gliadin are surrounded by water, the gluten molecules develop and begin to form strong, sticky, elastic bonds. These elastic bonds give dough its stretchy, 'doughy' qualities...Two other factors that affect the development of gluten are (1) the amount of water that's added to the flour (the more water, the more gluten, and the chewier the dough), and (2) the amount of mixing or kneading. Kneading helps the bonded gluten molecules form into long elastic strands or sheets. That's why dough can rise when yeast has been added. The yeast gives off gasses, the gasses are trapped by the sheets of gluten molecules, and the dough rises." (http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/cookingglutenfree/a/FlourBasics.htm)

In some recipes, simply substituting rice flour or a wheat-free flour blend for the regular flour will be fine. This one-to-one replacement works best in things that don't need to rise much. Most other recipes will require some tricks to compensate for the lack of gluten. About.com has a few good suggestions:

• Bake breads and rolls in containers with walls.Without gluten, bread loafs and rolls don't hold their shape. Bake bread in loaf pans or Bundt pans, and use muffin tins for rolls.
   
• Add gums to your gluten-free flour. The sticky effect created by gluten can be simulated to a certain extent by adding gums, for instance, guar gum or xantham gum. These gums are only added to recipes in small amounts (such as 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour) and are already included in some of the commercial gluten-free flour mixes.
   
• Add some protein when you use gluten-free flour. Chef Coppedge explains that because gluten is a protein, it can help to add some protein to baking recipes when you're substituting gluten-free flours for wheat flour. For instance, he suggests, try replacing half a cup of water in your recipe with egg or liquid egg whites. (http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/cookingglutenfree/a/FlourBasics.htm)

Before I leave you for yet another walk with our doggie guest (walk number five since noon!), I'll give you a recipe in the sweet spirit of BBEST:

Chocolate-Buttermilk Cake (gluten-free)

¾ cup boiling water
¾ cup Droste Dutch Process Cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
2 ½ cups gluten-free flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. xanthan or guar gum
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ tsp. gluten-free vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round layer-cake pans. Pour boiling water over cocoa to dissolve. Stir in buttermilk; set aside and cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture alternating with cocoa mixture. Pour into pans, dividing batter equally. Bake 25 minutes or until centers spring back. Cool cakes for 10 minutes and turn out of pans. Frost each cake layer and refrigerate. (I like to use a homemade mocha frosting but you can use any variety you like.)

Enjoy a special treat! Yum!

(Adapted from a cake recipe provided on the Droste cocoa box.)

When choosing basic ingredients such as vanilla and baking powder, makes sugar they are gluten-free. If a package is not labeled, you can check online lists, or contact the manufacturer.


**Gluten sets off an autoimmune response in people with Celiac disease, which causes damage to the small intestine. This, in turn, causes the small intestine to lose the ability to absorb the nutrients found in food, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other complications. The only effective treatment for CD is adhering to a strict gluten-free diet. For more about Celiac disease, see the Celiac Sprue Association's website. http://www.csaceliacs.org/celiac_defined.php

Food, glorious food!

Is it worth the waiting for?
If we live 'til eighty four
All we ever get is gru...el!
Ev'ry day we say our prayer --
Will they change the bill of fare?
Still we get the same old gru...el!
There is not a cust, not a crumb can we find,
Can we beg, can we borrow, or cadge,
But there's nothing to stop us from getting a thrill
When we all close our eyes and imag...ine
Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we're in the mood --
Cold jelly and custard!
Pease pudding and saveloys!
What next is the question?
Rich gentlemen have it, boys --
In-di-gestion!
Food, glorious food!
We're anxious to try it.
Three banquets a day --
Our favourite diet!
Just picture a great big steak --
Fried, roasted or stewed.
Oh, food,
Wonderful food,
Marvellous food,
Glorous food.
Food, glorious food!
What is there more handsome?
Gulped, swallowed or chewed --
Still worth a kin's ransom.
What is it we dream about?
What brings on a sigh?
Piled peaches and cream , about
Six feet high!
Food, glorious food!
Eat right through the menu.
Just loosen your belt
Two inches and then you
Work up a new appetite.
In this interlude --
The food,
Once again, food
Fabulous food,
Glorious food.
Food, glorious food!
Don't care what it looks like --
Burned!
Underdone!
Crude!
Don't care what the cook's like.
Just thinking of growing fat --
Our senses go reeling
One moment of knowing that
Full-up feeling!
Food, glorious food!
What wouldn't we give for
That extra bit more --
That's all that we live for
Why should we be fated to
Do nothing but brood
On food,
Magical food,
Wonderful food,
Marvellous food,
Fabulous food

* * * * *

When the BBEST team did a challenge last month we were asked to list our favourite seasonal foods on our Member’s Board; the words from Oliver sprung to mind!  Well, we might not be little ‘Olivers’ but one thing this great team has in common….. the love of food, glorious food!

I often used to close my postings by describing my menu for dinner.  Unfortunately, due to heavier commitments this has not appeared lately.  However, this does not mean we do not eat in my household!  Far from it, we still love our food.

In fact, the other day, I decided to make some sausage rolls.  The idea of this recipe and the way I shall present it came from another team member by the name of Joon.  Now, if you know Joon you will know her name is synonymous with every type of recycling.  Check out her shops on Etsy, joonbeam.etsy.com, joonE.etsy.com, flyinghousewife.etsy.com Now, in her blog she details her recipes with pictures which makes it so easy to follow. So, I thought I would take a leave from her – thank you Joon!

Homemade Sausage Rolls!

All I used for this dish was a pack of puff pastry which was ready to roll, a pack of sausage meat, an apple (grated), harrissa seasoning (used in Moroccan dishes with couscous to add a little hot spice), tomato concentrate and a mix of herbs.

The joy of this recipe is that it changes every time you make it!  Just add what you have in your kitchen cabinet and fridge and… create!  Here you will see the bowl in which I have mixed all these ingredients.

Next!

Now to collect the ingredients to make the pastry. You can make puff pastry from scratch but these days what with time constraints, ease of use etc etc we like to make life as easy as possible.

So, open the packet of puff pastry, flour your kitchen surface, roll the pastry into manageable rectangles of roughly 4” x 6”. Take a teaspoon of meat mixture and make a ‘sausage’ to place in the middle of this rectangle.  Sometimes, you can add a little more or a little less.  Then, take your egg which you will have beaten, a pastry brush and smear/paint the edges of your pastry rectangle.  Pack a parcel of your sausage meat and make sure your edges are well sealed.  You will see what happens when you don’t do that in the last picture!

All ready to roll, or cook in the oven at 180C for about 25 – 30 minutes.

Oooooh, the anticipation and the yummy smells that start to emanate from the oven as they start to cook!!!!!

 

The moment of truth!

See what I mean about not sealing the edges properly?  Doesn’t detract from the taste at all.  Mind you don’t burn yourself as these are sizzling hot!

Oh yes, I forgot to say, I got around 12 sausage rolls out of this batch but it will vary according to how large/small you make them.  And, the beauty is that you can freeze them at this stage and just heat them up for 10 - 15 minutes in your oven when you need them!

Bon apetit!

Food, glorious food!  We BBESTers know how to celebrate this!  Often you will find some of our super talented team will be listing something related to food on Etsy such as …

Vintage Golden Shred Marmalade by

Herons Treasures

This image is one that I grew up with in UK but is now no longer PC to create.  A shame as the fellow used to make a lovely, comforting toy doll for kiddies – quite apart from delicious marmalade to be eaten on hot buttered toast!

 

To make us feel a little more chaste about eating healthily what about this image?

 

Juicy Watermelon by Artsy Clay

What tastes better in the summertime than a slice of sweet juicy watermelon?

Well you can dream, can’t you?

 

If you can’t eat these delights, you can certainly taste them when you slide these on your lips!  Yummy Lip Butters by AJ’s Country Cottage’s Shop

Packed with lots of great ingredients such as cocoa butter, shea butter, and soy, these yummy lip balms give your lips just a hint of glossy shine without all the calories!

A great favourite and often a hot topic for BBESTers is that of ‘chocolate’! Here is a delightful image from the Neighbourhood Girl Series by Six Sisters

Chocolate by Six Sisters

A wonderful ACEO hand painted showing one of our favourite comfort foods.

There!  I have said the magic word, ‘chocolate’!!  All feels so much better, it always is such a comfort too.

 

 

And so, my friends, I hope you enjoyed the culinary journey.  Remember to visit to find out more about us and see what is on the menu now!

CHOCOLATE -- Food of the Gods!

If you have followed the BBEST thread regularly, you may have noticed that we talk a great deal about one of our favorite subjects…chocolate. I would guess that not a day goes by without some mention of chocolate. Kisses, M&M's, cookies, truffles, bars, cakes, fudge, brownies, ice cream, it’s a regular thing. We all share a love for that wonderful stuff. But chocolate is not only decadent and delicious and dreamy and soothing to the soul, it’s actually GOOD for you!

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. Theobroma means literally “food of the gods.” Cacao is native to tropical South America, grown in the lowlands, and has been cultivated for at least 3000 years. Its earliest documented use was around 1100 BC, when Mayan and Aztec peoples made it into a beverage of ground cacao seeds, which have an intense bitter taste. That first chocolate drink was nothing like modern cocoa. It was very bitter. Kudos to the person, whoever that may be, who came up with the idea of adding sugar!

The seeds of the cacao tree must be fermented to develop the flavor. After they are fermented, the beans are dried, cleaned and roasted, and the shell is removed. The remaining “nibs” of cacao are ground and liquefied, producing pure chocolate in fluid form. This is referred to as chocolate liquor. The liquor is further processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Chocolate most commonly comes in dark, milk and white varieties.

Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate (sugar added) that contains milk powder or condensed milk. The dark variety has the greatest percentage of cocoa solids. White chocolate? It’s not really chocolate. It has no cocoa solids in it at all!

The makers of chocolate bars, truffles, eggs, drops, wafers and kisses are numerous. Just consider chocolate manufacturers in the U.S., and Hershey, Godiva, Ghirardelli and Whitman come to mind. Who doesn’t have fond memories of the wonderful Whitman’s Sampler? They even put a "map" on the inside of the lid to show you exactly where to find your favorite! That yellow box was a favorite of ours on holidays, and particularly on Valentine’s Day. My brothers and I would rush to get “first dibs” on the chocolate-covered cherries, the chocolate-covered caramels and the chocolate-covered marshmallows. Our parents had rather more esoteric tastes and didn’t mind so much, as long as we three didn’t eat the whole box!

Having tasted chocolate from many different domestic manufacturers, I truly think that each has its own signature flavor. My favorite happens to be Ghirardelli dark chocolate. It has a rich, fruity, smoky flavor unlike any of the others. I visited their chocolate factory when I traveled to San Francisco. A close second favorite has to be Godiva. I won’t even begin to compare Ghirardelli, Godiva or any other domestic chocolate to the chocolate made in Europe, particularly Belgian chocolate, as I have not had enough experience in this area, but I understand that it is “to die for.” It is all truly a matter of taste.

Chocolate is such a big part of our lives: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Hallowe’en, other holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and any day when the sun comes up or goes down!

There’s nothing more wonderful than a mug of hot cocoa after traipsing through the snow to find a Christmas tree, building a snowman, or after a day on the ski slopes!

But I think that perhaps the most fabulous invention of all is the chocolate fountain. An endless river of flowing chocolate. For strawberry-dipping, ice-cream coating, or finger-licking! Pure heaven!

Now, here’s the very good news: Researchers have found that chocolate is good for you. It is believed to keep high blood pressure down, your blood flowing and your heart healthy. It contains flavinoids which are powerful anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants, nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries.

The action of flavinoids in keeping platelets in the blood from sticking together and clogging arteries is equal to that of aspirin. So flavinoid-rich cocoa and chocolate reduce the blood’s ability to clot and thus reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Dark chocolate, since it contains a higher percentage of cocoa solids, is higher in flavinoids.

Other studies have shown that chocolate contains several bioactive compounds that promote alertness, lessen pain and promote well-being. Some of these compounds include theobromine, caffeine, tyramine and phenylethylamine, which are stimulants; tryptophan, an essential amino acid which lessens anxiety by producing serotonin; and endorphins, which are the body’s natural opiates, and which reduce sensitivity to pain.

So don’t feel bad about consuming chocolate. It’s very good for you. A small bar of dark chocolate every day can keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well by lowering your blood pressure and lowering cholesterol. Dark chocolate has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent. Consuming a small bar (or truffle!) every day will reduce stress, keep you calm and promote a feeling of well-being.

So let’s get healthy. Here are a few recipes that are easy to do and will not only please your palate but your cardiovascular system as well. ENJOY!

(1) Chocolatey Mochaccino
Ingredients:
1/4C hot milk
1/4C hot, strong coffee
2-3 Tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark syrup
Whipped cream


Directions:
Stir together hot milk, hot coffee and chocolate syrup in large mug or cup. Top with whipped cream. Serve immediately. One serving.

(2) Ganache Dark Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients:
3/4C Hershey’s cocoa
1/2t baking soda
2/3C butter or margarine, melted and divided
1/2C boiling water
2C sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3C all-purpose flour
1t vanilla extract
1/4t salt
1C Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
CHOCOLATE GANACHE (recipe below)
Fresh strawberries

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3C butter. Add boiling water, stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3C butter, stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in 1C chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 35-40 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Pour over brownies. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes. Cut into 3-inch squares; cut squares diagonally in half to form a triangle shape. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Makes 12 brownies.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Place 2C (12-ounce package) Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1C whipping cream into microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium power (50%) for 30 seconds. Stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Makes about 2C ganache.

This third recipe is absolutely delicious. I made it once, and it served about 200 people because it is SO rich that you have to cut it into very tiny squares. If you decide to try the recipe, do so at your own peril, for all of the wonderful benefits of chocolate are completely cancelled out by the butter, sugar and eggs!

(3) Mississippi Mud Cake


Directions:
Cream 1 lb. butter, 4C sugar, 1C cocoa. Add 8 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
Add 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking powder.
Add gradually: 3C flour, 2C flaked cocoanut, 2C nuts (pieces)
Bake at 350 F in an 11" x 15" greased pan for about 40 minutes, or until a silver knife comes out clean.


Frost with the following recipe:
2/3C cocoa
2 boxes powdered Confectioner's sugar
3/4C milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine and beat until smooth.

Top Ten Reasons To Chat on The BBEST Weekly Thread

Our Wonderful Etsy Team encourages active participation. Our philosophy is to seek out and form new friendships and provide encouragement and support to our peers. We have a Message Board (MB), two weekly etsy chat room times, this Blog, Monthly Challenge Activities, a weekly promo thread where you can share all your business news, a Yahoo group and a Flickr Pool. These are all easy and effective ways to get involved in our team at your leisure and in your own style. But, and I think I speak for most of our members, the BBEST Weekly Chat Thread, found in the etsy Teams & Events Forum Section, is the liveliest, most entertaining and ~ full disclosure time ~ addicting BBEST Team feature. It has the unique ability to guide you to all things BBEST, while encompassing the ups and downs of our members' daily lives, covering every imaginable topic ~ and more ~ with a heartwarming blend of tears and laughter.

In the spirit of fun, which is an important thread element, I pay homage to David Letterman, and submit to you now this tongue-in-cheek list. I invite and encourage you to join in. See you there. joon

Top Ten Reasons To Join in the Weekly BBEST Chat Thread

10. All the thrill of a freight train ride without the fuss.
9. Get hip to Exciting New Acronyms like: BBIAB :::TY:::LOL::: YW:::DH:::DS:::DD:::NSDH:::GMTA:::PPF:::BF:::IMHO:::BIA
8. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. We like to chat about chocolate.
7. Harken back to your Soap Opera Days with Medical Diagnoses that will have you reconsidering that long overdue plunge into medical school.
6. Type chocolate and people pop out of the ionosphere like daisies.
5. The Friday Night Three Ring Circus.
4. Expand your vocabulary with groovy terms like: lutrador+dorkens+haggis+chutneywalla+copacetic+Johnny Depp+TA DA!
3. You absolutely positively cannot kill the thread ... just occasionally lull it into a chocolate stupor.
2. Ask any question and you'll get some kind of answer after only 15 follow-up questions.
1. We {and chocolate} are here for you.

Clockwise from Top Left: Chocolate Peach Delight Focal, Neopolitan Bag, Dark Chocolate and Teal Sticks, Delicious Chocolate Caramel Beaded Glass Set.

To find dozens more luscious BBEST Riches, simply search "bbest chocolate".

*Special THANKS to my BBEST friend, Liv, of The Filigree Garden, for her gracious assistance composing my dream photo for this post.