Recipe: Bread Pudding

After making this many, many times over the past 12+ months, I think I've finally converged on what is important to maintain and what can be flexible and adaptable. The following results in a bread pudding where the texture of bread becomes very homegenous and uniform, not very "eggy", firm but still very moist and tender, and not cloyingly sweet. It's a combination that I like and have received numerous compliments.

Adapted from a cooking demonstration and recipe provided by New Orleans School of Cooking. 

Bread Pudding

Pudding Base

• 1 20 oz. loaf, stale white bread, broken into small pieces
• 4 cups milk (any kind) - may substitute with other liquids such as juice
• 2 cups granulated sugar - can reduce by up to half
• (optional) Up to 8 Tbsp. Melted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1-2 tsp. Vanilla extract
• (optional) Cinnamon, nutmeg, and other complementary spices

Add-Ins

• 1-2 cups of frozen, fresh, or reconstituted dried fruit
• Up to 1 cup of nuts

Instructions

1. Combine all pudding base ingredients in large bowl. The consistency should be like that of wet oatmeal. Let sit to soak and further dissolve and combine ingredients for at least 30 minutes, and up to several hours. 
2. Mix any add-ins into pudding base just prior to baking. Pour batter into large (9x13 or larger) baking dish.
3. Place uncovered into oven set at 350-375ºF. Preheating is not necessary. Bake 75 minutes, or until top is browned in spots and crispy. 

Notes

• Basic (inexpensive) white bread works just fine. Any kind of bread without seeds, grains, and nuts should also work fine. Unless you’re going for specific texture and/or flavor that they bring to bread. You really want bread that dissolves into a paste when combined with milk. To test, take a fresh slice, tear it up into a bowl, add a tablespoon of milk, and mash it around with a fork. If it turns into a paste, you’re good to go.
• I’ve looked at a dozen different recipes for bread pudding. Most use way more eggs than this recipe. They also seem to have a higher ratio of liquid to bread. I think what is happening is that the greater egg count is used to “set” all that liquid that is being used. The result is a more “eggy” custard. If you want a more “eggy” taste, by all means use more eggs. But I think that gets closer to a French toast casserole or an omelette, rather than a bread pudding.
• I’ve read both sides of the “should bread be stale and dry” argument. I’m going with using fully staled, dry bread, as much as possible. You can speed up staling by toasting bread pieces in the oven. Or stick them in a paper bag and let them dry out over several days. 
• I accidentally omitted using any butter one time, and discovered it didn’t affect the result noticeably. I think it was a little less “rich” in flavor, but no one missed it. So yes, you can cut down on the fat and calories (I mean, there’s still plenty of sugar) by reducing or omitting the butter.
• I prefer using a bag (12-16 oz.) of frozen fruit. It works really well. Don’t thaw it — add them frozen to the batter right before baking.
• If using dried fruit, you will want to reconstitute them. You can do that by heating a small amount of liquid (water, juice, liquor) and then soaking the dried fruit in the hot liquid. 
• If using nuts they are better if you have time to toast them beforehand. 
• Don’t overdo spices. You’re not going for fall pie flavors. Or maybe you are? Just a touch to give a hint of something there.
• I think the critical piece is that the batter have a consistency of wet oatmeal. This tells you that the solid to liquid ratio is correct and you will have a bread pudding rather than either a soupy mess or a dry, rubbery mass. 

Enchilada Lasagna

This is about as lazy as you can get for a casserole. Opens some cans, mix them together, open a package of corn tortillas, place them all in a pan, bake. Easy to scale up or down depending on need. I forgot to photograph it.

• 2 x 14 oz cans, fire-roasted, diced tomatoes with chile (I used Muir Glen Organics)
• 2 x 14 oz cans, refried black beans
• 1# bag frozen southwestern vegetables mix (mix of corn, peppers, onions)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt
• 1 small can, mild enchilada sauce
• 18 small corn tortillas
• Queso Fresco
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Spray 13x19 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Combine tomatoes (with juice), black beans, frozen vegetables and Parmesan in a large bowl. Add salt to taste.
3. Spread about half of enchilada sauce on bottom of dish. Layer six tortillas over the sauce. Spread half the tomatoes and beans mix over the tortillas. Layer another six tortillas, then the rest of the tomatoes and beans. Finish with remaining tortillas. Spread remaining enchilada sauce over top and top evenly with cheddar.
4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Crumble Queso Fresco over top, then sprinkle cilantro over top. Serve.

Winter Squash Pasta Sauce

I had some kabochas sitting around and I needed to use them in some way. Yesterday afternoon I was informed that our daughter was bringing a couple friends over to try on some dresses for homecoming and would be around for dinner.

Okay… what shall I put together for teenage girls whose culinary tastes I don’t know at all? Pasta is generally a safe choice. But how could I work kabocha into it? And should I even try? I figured that sauce from a jar would be present in case my plan failed, so with that I split open the kabocha and stuck them in the oven.

I imagined a cream based sweet-savory sauce, so I went to my usual go-to aromatics of onions and garlic to form the base. Some red pepper flakes and oregano to provide an accent, and I was on my way. Together with broth, cream, some grated Romano cheese, the baked squash combined into a thick sauce. I boiled some Rotini, and then right before serving stirred in a bit of Extra Virgin olive oil into the sauce.

Now came the verdict: what did the girls think about it? No one turned it down, and all went for multiple helpings – apparently a success. To further prove the point, I was asked to write down the recipe.

The backup Marinara sauce never got touched.

Winter Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut or kabocha squash, split and seeded
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Pinch, red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 red onion diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Place squash halves on baking sheet, cut side down. Place in oven (okay to start cold) and bake at 425F for about an hour or until very soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle without burning fingers. Meanwhile, prep any remaining ingredients.
2. In a large saucepan heat vegetable oil over medium heat. When hot drop in red pepper flakes and let sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add oregano and onions and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add broth and cream. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to keep at simmer.
3. Peel outer skin off of squash and add flesh to the broth and cream. Stir, breaking down squash into a thick sauce. Stir in cheese. Stir in 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add more to taste. Add more broth if sauce appears to be too thick.
4. Remove from heat and stir in olive oil.

Tater Tot Nachos or “Totchos”

Apparently tater tots are becoming the next “in” ingredient at some restaurants. Bon Appetit writes, “And while they'll always be second to french fries, chefs are starting to show them some respect on menus.” And in an article on alternative nachos the tots are featured in Mole Tots at Bunk Bar in Portland, Ore.

Inspired by the articles, here’s my take on the Mole Tot “Totchos”. There’s not much of a recipe. It’s mostly eyeballing stuff and intuition to get what you think will be good.

I made it for lunch today, and another to take to the KFSK radio annual member meeting potluck.

For the Totchos

• Bag of frozen tater tots
• Mole sauce
• Sour cream or crema
• Avocado
• Pico de Gallo
• Queso Fresca
• Green onions

For the Pico de Gallo

• Red onion
• Tomatoes
• Jalapenos
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• Lime juice
• Cumin
• Salt and pepper

Bake the tater tots (or you could fry them, but that means more fat). Overbake them a bit because they’ll be at the bottom of a bunch of wet layers.

Pour mole sauce over the tots. (I put the tots into another dish.)

Spread some sour cream next, and then lay down some avocado slices.

Continue layering with pico de gallo, queso fresca, and chopped up green onions.

Recipe: Mushroom and Potato Gratin

I came up with this dish this past Tuesday. It was well received so I am going ahead and putting it together again for the Thanksgiving potluck we'll be going to this evening at the Presbyterian church.

Mushroom Mixture

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  
• 1 large onion, cut pole to pole, then sliced across thin
• Pinch crushed red chili pepper
  
• salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 2 or 3 portabella mushrooms (or equivalent amount of brown creminis), trimmed and sliced
• 1/2 cup white wine
  

In a large skillet heat oil on medium heat. Add onions, chili pepper, sprinkle salt and pepper and fry until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add thyme and mushrooms, saute until soft. Add wine and deglaze pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

Gratin

• 5-6 medium russet potatoes, peeled
  
• Mushroom mixture (above)
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup cream
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• Black pepper

Preheat over to 450F.

In a food processor fitted with slicing disc, slice potatoes (should be 1/8-inch slices). Place sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Rinse and drain.

In a 13x9 baking dish, create a single overlapping layer of potatoes. Distribute 1/3 of mushroom mixture on top of potatoes. Sprinkle 1/3 of Parmesan over the mushroom mixture. Repeat two more times with potatoes, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Finish with one more layer of potatoes.

In a small bowl combine cream, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbling and potatoes are soft. Uncover, distribute topping (see below, or alternatively some shredded cheddar) over top, return to oven and bake until topping is browned.

Topping

• Panko (Japanese breading mix)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan

Combine panko and Parmesan in a small bowl until well mixed. Set aside.

Chicken in Creamy Red Curry Sauce

It’s been quite some time since I posted anything cooking related.

For this evening’s meal I put together chicken cooked in a red curry sauce. I browsed a few recipes to get some ideas and refresh my memory as to the different spice combinations and cooking methods.

I had some bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in the freezer. I have plenty of potatoes. I also had about a cup of cream left in a container. Finally I had a few carrots in the refrigerator. All of that combined with the usual suspects –onion, garlic, ginger, spices – should do the trick. I wanted red curry, not yellow curry, so I used some bright, red paprika and omitted the turmeric. One of the recipes employed white vinegar, but I had a can of diced tomatoes lying around, so I used that to add the acidity to the curry.

If the chicken was already defrosted and I had enough time, I probably would have marinated the chicken, or at least let it sit in brine, but I didn’t have time for that so the chicken turned out a bit bland all by itself. It was fine though eaten with the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. potatoes
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 inches fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 large onion, chopped medium
• salt
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. cardamom seeds
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
• black pepper
• 4-5 carrots, large dice
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 cup whipping or heavy cream
• More salt to taste

Directions

1. “Bake” potatoes in microwave (many microwaves have a “baked potato” setting – that is what I used). Let cool. Peel and dice into 1-inch chunks.
2. Place garlic and ginger pieces in food processor. Add 2-3 Tbsp. water and process until paste is formed. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large sauté pan (I use a 13-inch pan with 2.5-inch high sides with a lid) over medium-high heat. When hot, place chicken pieces in pan and brown, about 5-6 minutes per side. (Use a splatter screen.) Remove and set aside.
4. Without removing pan from heat, add onions into the chicken juices and fat, sprinkle with about 1 tsp. salt, and cook until they become slightly softened. Move onions to the sides of pan and in the open space in center, pour in the garlic-ginger paste. Stir and fry until most of the liquid has evaporated. Combine with the onions and continue to fry until onions are translucent.
5. Move the onion mixture to the sides of pan once more. Pour in the spices (cumin through black pepper) in the open area, stir and fry for about half a minute, then combine with the onions. Stir and fry another minute longer.
6. Add the tomatoes, their juice, cream, and carrots. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Add potatoes and stir gently to combine. Taste sauce and add more salt if desired.
7. Return chicken pieces to pan, skin side up, creating holes in the pan contents so that chicken sits well in the sauce, but without covering the skin. Simmer 18-20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.

Recipe: Cream Stew with Peas and Potatoes

I peered into our refrigerator this afternoon and saw there weren’t any vegetables left in there. I had already been out to run errands, so I didn’t really want to go out again. I looked into the freezer and saw several bags of frozen peas. So… theme for tonight: peas.

In Japan there is a boxed roux for what is called shi-chu – which I’m sure came from stew. The one I had most recently, which would now be several months ago, was a creamy, white type. Anyway, that idea popped into my mind, and thus I was on a mission to recreate something similar.

I did a quick search for recipes already on the web for something similar but didn’t really find anything where I looked. I was primarily interested in seeing what kind of spices and seasonings were used in other variations. There was one that seemed like a distant cousin and it used oregano and cumin. An interesting combination, I thought, but figured it was worth a try.

After pulling out all the ingredients, here’s what I had…

• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 medium russet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks (see note at end)
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced medium
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups sliced chunks of vegetarian steak (see note at end)
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen peas

1. In a medium bowl whisk milk, cream, and flour. Set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan (I used a 14-inch pan with 2-inch high sides) heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onions, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper and fry until onions start to become translucent. Add garlic and fry another minute. Add cumin and stir to mix. Add vegetarian steak and continue to fry for another minute or two.
3. Whisk mixture from Step 1 once more and carefully pour into pan. Add potatoes and bouillon cubes. Stir to combine, breaking apart the bouillon. Add more salt if needed (I found the 1 tsp. salt and the salt in the bouillon sufficient). Bring heat to low and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes to combine flavors, stirring occasionally.
4. Add frozen peas, increase heat to medium and cook another 7 to 10 minutes until peas are warmed through, stirring frequently to prevent burning on the bottom.

Note 1: While I prepped everything else, I cooked the potatoes in the microwave oven, using its baked potato settings. By the time I was ready to peel and cut the potatoes, they were cool enough to the touch.

Note 2: I had a can of Worthington vegetarian steaks. I used about six chunks and sliced them into about 1” x 1/8” sizes. I plan to use chicken breasts and mushrooms in a couple of days. For that I plan to brown the sliced chicken breasts first (and then remove and set aside, added back in with the potatoes) before frying the onions. The mushrooms will go in when the vegetarian steaks went in.

I’m not sure how close I came to the pre-made roux that I mentioned earlier, but the result was definitely satisfying and good enough to do again.

Recipe: Red – Potato, Radish, Tomato

I had some red potatoes sitting around, also some radishes, and a bit of fresh sage from a few days ago. What could I do with them…?

I didn’t know how it would turn out, but I crafted a dish that combined all of them. It turned out surprisingly well. It’s similar to several other dishes I’ve made, but today’s combination is brand new.

• 1 lb. red potatoes (about 3 large), washed, optionally peeled, and sliced thin (about 1/8”)
• 1 bunch (about 12) radishes, washed and sliced thin
• 1 large section of a shallot, sliced thin
• 2 tsp. minced fresh sage leaves
• 4 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt + a little more
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ketchup
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tomato, seeded and sliced
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup finely grated or shredded cheese (e.g., mozarella and parmesan mix)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon

1. Prepare potatoes, radish, shallot, and sage as directed above. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Over medium-high heat, heat 4 tbps. oil in a 12” frying pan. When hot, drop in half each of the shallots and minced sage. Fry until shallots become tender, about 2 minutes. Add radishes, sprinkle with salt (about 1/4 tsp.) and pepper, and continue to fry until they become tender. Remove from heat and using slotted spoon remove radishes, shallots, and sage and set aside in a bowl.
3. Return pan to heat, add 2 tbsp. oil. Add remaining shallots and sage and fry until shallots are tender, about 2 minutes. Add potatoes, sprinkle 1 tsp. of salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Fry, stirring occasionally until surface of potatoes are browned, about 8-10 minutes. While potatoes are frying, combine ketchup, soy sauce, and about 3 tbsp. of water in a small bowl. When potatoes are nearly done frying, pour mixture into pan, stir to mix and combine. Fry another 30 seconds or so. Remove from heat.
4. Place radishes from step 2 on top of the potatoes. Arrange tomato slices on top of the radishes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover (if you don’t have a lid, cover with seal with foil) and bake for about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake another 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile toast pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat until lightly tanned. Place into a bowl and set aside. When potatoes are done baking, remove pan from oven and sprinkle pine nuts on top. Drizzle lemon juice over the potatoes and serve. (Additional sage sprig or parsley can be used for garnish.)

Recipe: Black Beans and Corn flavored with Chipotle

Our annual Southeast campmeeting is coming up in just over a week. Once again our church is responsible for Sabbath lunch. I want dishes that are interesting yet not too complicated. I have in mind three dishes: Pasta with a tomato pesto; roasted vegetables; and now the black beans and corn.

The inspiration for this dish came from searching about for something to do with black beans. I saw a photo for a pizza with black beans and corn topping. I didn’t look at the recipe, however. It looked like an interesting combination so I pondered it in the back of my mind. I wanted something that wasn’t soupy but rather, dry. I didn’t want something that tasted like ordinary black beans or a chili.

The key would be what I used as the primary flavorings. I thought about chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. The problem is that these chiles are HOT when directly used in a dish. I’m okay with it, but not too many others that I know would be. So how could I get the chipotle flavor minus the heat…? I also thought that lime juice would perk up the taste. In addition to these two, the usual suspects of salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro would go in.

This afternoon as I began to work on the beans after I had soaked them all day, the thought came to me: boil the beans with the chipotle chile, smashed cloves of garlic, and salt. Now normally when salt is added to beans while cooking, they don’t soften up as much. In this case this would be a desirable feature. I wanted firm beans with the corn.

I threw in two chipotle chiles, whole, into the pot of beans and water. I crushed two cloves of garlic with the flat of the knife and threw that in as well. I poured in some salt and cooked it for about 35 minutes until the beans were tender but firm. When I drained it I removed the chiles. I went to remove the garlic also but discovered they were very, very soft. I thought, why not just mash them and include it in the beans? And so I did.

Next question was how to cook the corn… I was going to fry it, but should I use vegetable oil or butter? I opted for the latter. I fried about the same volume of frozen corn as the cooked beans until the corn was thawed, then added the beans, pepper, and a bit more salt. I also took a tiny bit of the adobo sauce and added it to the pan and fried them all together.

After a few minutes I took the pan off the heat, combined chopped, fresh cilantro, and the juice squeezed from one lime. Voila! It was done, and it was very good. The beans retain the smoky flavor from the chiles without their heat. The corn provides a sweetness to the dish and the lime juice gives it a needed tartness and lift.

Serves about 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry black beans, soaked according to package directions
• 2 whole, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 cloves, garlic, crushed with flat of knife blade
• Salt, divided (1-1/2 tsp. and to taste)
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups frozen corn
• (optional) Adobo sauce from chiles, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
• Juice from 1 lime

1. Place soaked beans into a 3-qt. pot and cover with enough liquid so that it is about 2-inches above the beans. Add the chiles, garlic, and 1-1/2 tsp. of salt. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until beans are tender but still firm to the bite. Drain beans and discard chiles. Lightly mash chunks of garlic. Set aside.
2. In a large frying pan, melt butter. Add corn and fry until thawed. Add adobo sauce, if using. Add beans and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to fry for a few more minutes until any liquid is absorbed or evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

This is, I suppose, similar to another one I posted some time ago. This one uses fewer ingredients and is done in a large slow cooker (i.e., Crockpot®). The quantities are large because I prepared this to be served at our weekly supper at our church.

Roasting the red peppers gives the dish a slight smoky flavor. The smokiness is very subtle. Another method for obtaining this flavor and make it more overt is to use chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, but then you have to be committed to a rather hot and spicy result. If you’d rather not go to the trouble of roasting and peeling, you could just add the diced peppers with the tomatoes. Depending on how long it cooks, it could be crunchy or tender.

Serves: 10-12 as a main dish, double that as a side dish

• 1 pkg (1 lb.) dry black beans, washed
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 red bell peppers
• 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 pkg (1 lb.) frozen corn
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 medium onions, diced
• 2 jalapenos (optional), seeded (or left in, if you prefer) and diced

For adding as it is served:

• Cilantro, chopped
• Cheese, grated
• Sour cream (optional)

1. Cook beans with 6 cups of water, and 1 Tbsp. salt in Crockpot until tender (was about 3 hrs. on high).
2. Oven roast red peppers as follows. Slice off tops and bottoms. Remove stem and seeds. Slice the middle section so that it lays flat onto a baking sheet. Also lay tops and bottoms on baking sheet. Set oven rack to top rack, turn broiler on high. Broil peppers for about 4 minutes, turn baking sheet around and continue to broil another 4-5 minutes until skin is black. When cool, peel skin and dice peppers. Set aside. (See note above.)
3. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, and corn; continue to cook (I lowered to Lo setting at this point).
4. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fry until fragrant. Add onions and another tsp salt, black pepper, and cook until lightly browned. Add jalapenos and cook another minute or so. Add mixture and diced red peppers to beans, stir to mix well and continue to cook to blend flavors.
5. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve with cilantro, cheese, sour cream.

Japanese-Style Fruit and Cream Cake

This was my project for today :) I got a food scale so I am able to measure ingredients by weight. I baked the cake, Elise spread the cream, I prepped the fruit, and Shelley did most of the fruit arranging.

This is cake as I think it should be :) Just a hint of sweetness, creaminess from the whipped cream, and lots of fruit. As far as cakes go, this is probably about as healthy as it can get. It’s not loaded down with fat and sugar, at least not in comparison to the Western decorated cakes.

Here is the recipe for the cake portion, found on the happysweet.com site, translated into English. I kept the measurements in metric except for the oven temperature.

Japanese-Style Sponge Cake

Ingredients (for 1 layer)

• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 45g sugar
• 40g cake flour
• 20g cornstarch
• 15g unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Sift the flour and cornstarch together and set aside. Preheat oven to 355F. Prepare 8 or 9-inch round cake pan by spraying pan with nonstick spray, lining bottom with parchment paper, and spraying nonstick spray on the paper.
2. Crack eggs into large mixing bowl. Using hand mixer, pulse to break apart yolk and roughly mix together. While continuing to pulse, slowly pour in sugar and mix.
3. Turn mixer to high and beat egg and sugar mixture together until it is nearly white and fluffy, about (I’m guessing here because I didn’t time it) 7-10 minutes. The mixture should be fairly stiff to to where you can draw a figure-eight with the batter and it will remain on the surface for several seconds.
4. Sift the sifted flour/cornstarch into the whipped eggs. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the flour into the eggs. Use a slicing motion to fold while slowly rotating the bowl.
5. Once the flour has been folded and batter no longer has a powdery appearance, add the melted butter and fold by gently scooping from the bottom.
6. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. From about a height of 2-inches, drop the pan onto a hard surface. This helps remove any large air bubbles in the batter.
7. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until surface is golden brown (Japanese: color of a fox) and tester comes out clean.
8. Immediately remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe: Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup

We are experiencing warm days this week, so I created a cold cucumber soup. I looked at a few similar recipes, then threw together one based on several of them.

The rest of the family’s reaction to this soup? “Startling.” It has a potent kick to it due to the tartness from both the yogurt and the lime, and also from the Serrano chili.

Serves 6

Note

• If you have a large blender, you may be able to combine all ingredients at once. Otherwise divide and blend in batches.

Ingredients

• 3 English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
• 2 cups plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 2 cups water
• 20-30 mint leaves (from about 4 sprigs)
• 6-8 fresh cilantro sprigs, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• (optional) 1 Serrano chili, seeded and roughly chopped
• Juice from 1 lime

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pulse several times to break large chunks apart, then puree for a minute or so until soup is liquefied.
2. Let cool in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

Recipe: Sliced Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese

This dish is something I threw together as I looked around the kitchen, basement, and refrigerator.

The story actually begins last night when Shelley asked me to do a clean OS install on her notebook PC. Since I tend to be meticulous about things like that, I started by doing a full image backup, then the clean install, then all of the system updates, and then security software and its associated updates. In the end it was close to 3 a.m. when I finally finished the job and went to bed. I got about 4 hours of sleep altogether.

Understandably, I was quite tired by the time late afternoon/early evening rolled around and I really didn’t feel like working through lengthy dinner preparation. I got out a couple boxes of prepackaged Betty Crocker potato casserole mixes and put it together, but just that one item just didn’t seem appropriate for supper. There were a few leftover deviled eggs from yesterday and that would add to the variety, but the problem was that both the potatoes and the eggs were yellow. I try to avoid monochromatic suppers.

I knew there were a couple of fresh tomatoes in the basement. I also knew they had to be used within the next day or two. I thought that since I was using the oven, perhaps I could do something that involved baking the tomatoes… As I pondered that option, a number of different tomato salad dishes I’ve had in the past began to float around in my thoughts. Well, why not try a combination? was my conclusion.

(Start of recipe…)

I started with the tomatoes (I had two medium) and arranged them on a plate. I sliced into paper-thin slices a little bit of onion (about five slices through an onion half) and layered them on top of the tomatoes. I sprinkled a bit of fine sea salt over the entire surface, then dressed it by liberally drizzling honey, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar over the top. I found some feta cheese so I sprinkled that liberally on top. I still had some fresh basil leaves (about 8 medium), so I sprinkled basil chiffonade over top. Voila! It was done. Supper was no longer just yellow.

Around here we don’t always have much choice in the quality of available ingredients. This salad relies on the quality of each ingredient. Try to use the best you can find: sweet, organic tomatoes; red onion; good quality sea salt; first, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil; good balsamic vinegar; good quality cheese; etc. You get the idea.

You can probably substitute mozzarella for the feta. Just make sure you get it in the fine or craft cheese section rather than the dairy section. You want fresh mozzarella instead of the dry, cardboard like stuff. If you get the small balls, you might dice it up into smaller chunks and sprinkle them on top. If you get a large ball, you can slice it and arrange them with the tomato slices.

Sweet Potato (Yam) and Ginger Soup

Since about February our church has been getting together every Tuesday evening for supper. There’s always bread, and most often a soup to accompany it. I try to make the accompaniment go with whatever items are on sale during the week, and try to find some informative article related to them.

This week, sweet potatoes are on sale, both the yellow and the orange kind. (I just learned that what Americans call “yam” is not a true yam, but another variety of sweet potato.) There’s always simply baking the yams in an oven. I prefer a slightly more complicated version that maximizes starch conversion into sugar. I’ve made gratins with it.

Well, what about a soup?

I suppose I could have gone to one of the recipe sites or one of my cookbooks to find recipe for one, but what’s the fun in that? I wanted to see how different methods of preparing the sweet potato, and how different combinations of ingredients affect the end result. So with that in mind, I brought together --

• Fresh sweet potatoes (yams)
• Canned sweet potatoes (to see if they would be acceptable substitutes for fresh)
• Carrots
• Ginger
• Vegetable oil
• Butter
• Salt
• Ground cumin
• Garam Masala

I cooked the sweet potatoes in the following ways --

• Baked (peeled, sliced, covered)
• Boiled #1 (bring to fast boil, simmer until done)
• Boiled #2 (simmer at low-ish heat until done)
• Opened a can

All the above were then pureed and liquified in a blender. I steamed some carrots and pureed them also. Each puree was seasoned with a bit of salt.

I started with just the sweet potato purees and had Elise and the girls taste test them. I then added the carrot puree to one and had them test. I then added grated, fried ginger (2 kinds, one in plain vegetable oil, the other in butter) and had them tested. I added the cumin, another test; then sprinkled the garam masala for another. I mixed in a bit of cream for the final test.

It was definitely a fun experience, both for me, the cook, and for the testers.

The result? I thought that because we prefer the more complex baked sweet potato, it would work too, in a soup. But I was a little surprised to discover that for soups, a more plain, true sweet potato flavor is preferable. So as far as preparation, Boiled #1 was the winner.

However, there is an exception. As more complex spices were added, the baked, then pureed preparation began to balance the flavors out better.

I recommend passing on the canned sweet potatoes. It has a “processed” flavor to it and doesn’t have the complexity or the freshness that the freshly prepared ones do. It might do in a pinch, but not recommended.

The addition of carrots was a mixed bag. It didn’t work when it was just the sweet potatoes and the carrots by themselves. Once ginger and cumin was added, the preference for it became equal to just the sweet potatoes.

As for the ginger preparation, the ginger-butter combination appeared to have a slight edge by giving the soup a mellower flavor.

So for tomorrow night, assuming the store has adequate stock of fresh sweet potatoes, we will be having sweet potato and ginger soup, prepared as follows:

1. Peel and large dice sweet potatoes. Place in large pot and add enough water to barely cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat, cover and simmer until done, about 20-25 minutes.
2. Carefully pour contents into a blender and puree until smooth. (If a large amount, you may need to divide and do this multiple times.) You may need to add more water if the puree is too thick. Clean out pot and fill with contents of blender.
3. In a small skillet, melt 1 tbsp. butter, then fry ginger for about a minute. Add butter-ginger to sweet potato puree.
4. Thin out soup, if needed, with more water (or chicken stock). Add salt to taste. Bring back to a simmer.

Recipe: Black Beans and White Cauliflower

… Or Black & White.

This is one from a couple weeks ago when I had some cauliflower and wanted to do something other than Cauliflower & Kidney Beans Curry, or Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese, or Balti-Style Cauliflower – my usual dishes involving cauliflower.

I wanted something relatively simple. Black beans and rice came to mind, and I figured why not add the cauliflower to it and see what happens?

I tried this both in a large sauté pan as well as a slow cooker. The slow cooker version didn’t turn out quite as good due to the cauliflower overcooking a bit. I haven’t had much success yet with cauliflower in the slow cooker. What I provide here is the regular, stovetop version.

Serves: 6-8
Cook and prep time (does not include time for beans to cook): 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry black beans, sorted and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 dried, red hot chili peppers
• 1 large onion, diced medium
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 Serrano pepper, optionally seeded and sliced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced medium
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Soak and cook beans as directed by package. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, drop in dried chili, stir and fry for a few seconds. Add onion and garlic and continue to stir and fry until onions are soft. Add Serrano and bell peppers and fry another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the ground cumin and chili powder, stir and fry 30 seconds. Add cauliflower, water, and about 1 tsp salt. Stir, then bring to a rapid simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes until cauliflower becomes tender but not too soft.
4. Add the tomatoes with juice and the cooked beans. Add another teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to mix well and blend flavors. Bring back to a simmer, cover and continue to cook another 5-10 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Mix in fresh cilantro and serve.

Recipe: Butternut Squash and Yellow Split Peas Curry

Originally this was something I threw together because I had a butternut squash sitting around that needed to be used. I wanted to do something that wasn’t too complicated, though you might think otherwise when you glance at the list of ingredients. I also had a bottle of red curry powder that I purchased about a year ago when we were done in California.

The first time I prepared the whole thing in a large saucepan. Yesterday, I sautéed part of it, and then threw everything else into a Crockpot and left it to cook while we were at church.

Serve with rice.

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Serves: 4 – 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes (or 10 minutes plus 4-8 hours in a Crockpot)

Ingredients

• 1 small (about 2 lbs.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and large diced
• 1 cup dried yellow split peas, sorted and rinsed
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 1/2 t. black or yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 t. whole cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chili peppers, crushed (about 1 tsp. pre-crushed)
• 1/2 cup ground meat or vege-burger (optional)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
• 1 serrano chile, seeded (optional) and sliced
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. ground cardamom
• 1/4 t. ground turmeric
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 t. salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped, fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook split peas according to package directions, about 20-30 minutes.
2. In a large saucepan or covered sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, drop in mustard and cumin seeds and fry until mustard seeds start to pop, about 1 minute. Add crushed red peppers. If using ground meat or vege-burger, add and and brown. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano and fry until onion begins to soften.
3. Add ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, and turmeric. Fry another minute, stirring frequently.
4. Add broth and butternut squash. Add more water if needed, to nearly cover the squash. Add salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to fast simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until squash begins to get tender.
5. Drain cooked split peas, then add to squash. Continue to simmer and cook for another 10-15 minutes until peas break down and squash also begins to break down into a thick sauce.
6. Remove from heat and mix in fresh cilantro, if desired.

Changes for Crockpot

• Skip step 1.
• Perform step 2 as given above.
• Place results of step 2 into Crockpot.
• Add split peas and ingredients in steps 3 through 5 into Crockpot. Cook at high for 4-5 hours, or low for 7-8 hours until peas and squash are soft.
• Add cilantro before serving, if desired.

Recipe: Italian and Indian Fusion Split-Pea Pasta Sauce

What do you do when you have a partially open can of whole tomatoes in the refrigerator, don't feel like cooking a rice-oriented dish, don't want to peel potatoes, and don't want yet another standard pasta sauce? Why, combine ingredients from two different cuisines together and see what comes out.

Both Italian sauces and Indian curries frequently use tomatoes as a base. Onions, garlic, and red chili peppers are also common to both. The rest is just combining the ingredients from each respective cuisines in a manner that complements rather than clashes. Turmeric, cardamom, and coriander were out. Those flavors are way too distinctive and strong. How about cumin and cinnamon? These go well in a sweet sauce, so these were in. I wanted to add some kind of legume to the sauce. I thought about lentils, but settled on yellow split peas, primarily because a few weeks ago I bought up about six 1-pound bags that were on clearance. Green split peas are normally cheaper, but the color wasn't quite what I wanted in the sauce.

On the Italian side of things, I added some tomato paste, some sun-dried tomatoes, capers, (okay, this is more Greek) some Kalamata olives, and basil.

From the American collection, I added a bit of tomato ketchup. (I've learned recently that ketchup has tons of umami in it. Although tomatoes have quite a bit, ketchup is a much more concentrated source. That's why even mediocre fast-food burgers taste relatively good when they're smothered in ketchup.)

I didn't exactly measure most of the ingredients, so the amounts that follow are approximations from what I can recall. Use your eyes and taste buds to adjust. The end result should be a sweet/tangy sauce more than a salty one. The sauce went over well with Elise and the kids. Your mileage may vary. Looking at the ingredient list, it looks like this should be vegan friendly also.

Sunday, 9/7: I forgot about the raisins. They're now added below.

Italian and Indian Fusion Split Pea Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup split peas
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 dried red chili peppers, broken to allow more heat in sauce (optional)
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 can (28 oz) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
• 1 tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. capers, drained and minced
• 6 Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
• About 8 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (for garnish)

Directions

1. In a small pot, cook the split peas according to package directions, about 30 minutes or until desired texture reached.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat. When hot, drop in the chili peppers, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. Stir and fry until cumin seeds turn brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onions and garlic and continue to fry until onions are translucent and starting to brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, then using a potato masher mash the tomatoes until no large chunks remain. Add the tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, ketchup, sugar, salt, capers, olives, raisins, and dried basil. Bring to simmer and continue to cook another 10 minutes or until peas are cooked.
4. When peas are cooked, drain and add to the tomato mixture. Stir well to combine, then continue to cook another 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mix and absorb. Remove from heat and serve over pasta.

Recipe: White or Yellow Beans in Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

Even with grocery prices shooting up, dry beans and other legumes are still relatively inexpensive. Indian cooking does wonders to create varieties of dishes out of lentils and split peas (and other beans, too). Kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans seem to be more the domain of Latin America with chilis, refried beans, and such. Then there are different types of legume soups. Although all these are good, I wanted to try something different.

A few weeks ago I purchased a bottle of balsamic vinegar. I can't recall now what it was for, but I was struck by how good it is -- I could almost drink it straight... Anyway the idea that came to me this past Friday was a bean dish seasoned with the balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar often is paired with olive oil, and that immediately brings to mind Italian seasoning: garlic, sweet basil, and oregano.

With the basic idea in mind, it was a matter of coming up with the right combination. I had about a handful of dry navy beans, so I decided to use that for my initial experiment. I proceeded with a quick soak.

While the beans were soaking I sauteed the garlic in some Canola oil, added some diced yellow bell peppers, a bit of white wine, then some chopped green onions, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. To finish off the sauce I added the balsamic vinegar and some extra-virgin olive oil.

After soaking I cooked the beans until they were al dente, then combined the drained beans with the sauce. The result was quite good. I refrigerated the left overs and had them sometime later. I was somewhat disappointed with it. The beans were now quite dry and tough. I would have to try this again with the beans fully cooked.

I had a bag of mayocoba beans so that was my next target. I let is soak and then fully cooked it. This evening I put together the sauce and added the drained beans to it. The softer beans and the remaining liquid, combined with the cooked sauce made the results much more saucy and pleasant. I think it is a little bit reminiscent of a bean salad, though much more mild and buttery in texture.

Elise, who does not like bean salad, says this dish is good. Shelley had multiple helpings. I really like the "bite" that the vinegar contributes to the dish. I could see adding some red pepper flakes to give it an extra pungency and bite.

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White or Yellow Beans in Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

Serves: About 6 as a side dish

Prep and Cooking time (excluding soak and cook of beans): 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups dry beans - white (e.g., navy) or yellow (mayocoba) - though I think other types would work just as well (canned beans can also work, too)
• 1 tsp. salt for the beans
• 1 tbsp. Canola or vegetable oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 to 2 red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, 1/4-inch dice
• 2 tbsp. white wine or water
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dry basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. dry oregano leaves
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 stalks green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. good-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• More kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (optional)

Directions

1. Soak and cook beans according to package directions. Near the end of cooking, salt the beans. Set aside. (Do not drain at this time.)
2. In a large (12") frying pan over medium-high heat, heat the Canola oil. When hot, add the garlic and quickly saute for 5-10 seconds. Immediately add the peppers and continue to saute for another 1-2 minutes until the peppers start to soften. Add the wine or water and the soy sauce. Add the seasonings (basil, oregano, salt, pepper). Continue to fry until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add green onions and fry for another minute.
3. Remove from heat and add vinegar and olive oil. Stir to mix.
4. If beans are no longer hot, place beans in microwave safe container and reheat. Drain beans, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water. Add beans to sauce. Mix well. If the beans seem too dry, add a little of the reserved water and mix until there is some thick sauce at the bottom of the pan. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the fresh basil leaves, if using.

Recipe: Lentils and Vegetable Curry

The Adventist churches in the southern part of Alaska will be getting together on Vank Island (a short distance south of our island) in a few weeks. Our church is responsible for putting together Sabbath lunch. I've been trying to come up with an interesting recipe that doesn't involve a huge amount of prep work, exotic ingredients, or complicated cooking steps. One idea that's been suggested is haystacks (taco salad using corn chips for non-Adventist readers). I think we'll still do that, but as I'm not a huge fan of haystacks, I'd like to put something together that is interesting and different from usual camp fare. And that's how I ended up with this curry recipe.

This is a basic lentil curry recipe that can be varied by changing the vegetables added to the curry. If the chili pepper isn't hot enough, cayenne powder can be added to adjust the heat to your liking.

I haven't done it yet, but I think it should be possible to use a slow-cooker with this recipe. Step 1 would have to be done in a frying pan and the contents transferred to the slow-cooker. Steps 2 through 4 would then be done as a single step and all added to the slow-cooker. The tomato paste (step 5) would be done a few minutes before serving. (Adding the tomato too early will probably prevent the lentils and possibly other vegetables from softening properly.)

Lentils and Vegetable Curry

Serves: 6 to 8

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 60 to 70 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped (or to taste)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
• 2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup dry lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 2 to 3 cups total of one or more of [carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, or others], cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems, divided
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, fry ginger, onion, garlic, and chili pepper until onion begins to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add water and lentils. Bring to boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables.
4. Add vegetables from step 3, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and half of the cilantro. Stir to combine. Bring back to boil, then lower heat again, cover and simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes until vegetables are tender.
5. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved and well mixed. Add more salt if needed. Continue to simmer another 5 to 10 minutes until the curry takes on a thick consistency as the lentils break down.
6. Remove from heat, add remaining cilantro, mix, and serve with (Basmati) rice or flatbread.

Recipe: Peach and Apple Cobbler

I'm not sure that "cobbler" is the right term for this. Until someone gives me a better name, "cobbler" will have to do. (The top/crust resembles cake more than anything...)

When I put in all the sugar, I thought it would end up being too sweet, but it turned out to be quite well balanced -- letting the fruit flavors come through without overpowering them.

The process of macerating and mashing, and the idea of using apples came from the July/August 2008 issue of Cook's Illustrated. What it does is pulls out more moisture from the fruit to provide more natural juices than otherwise would come out. The apples add more natural pectin to the fruit mixture, resulting in a thicker sauce.

 

Peach and Apple Cobbler

Makes: Fills one 13x9 baking dish

Total prep and cooking time: About 1-1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. fresh peaches (about 6 small or 4-5 medium)
• 1 Granny Smith apple (large)
• 4 tbsp. + 2/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/3 tbsp. orange juice
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1-1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Peel and slice each peach into 8 wedges. Set aside in bowl. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices. Set aside in another bowl.
2. Take about a quarter of each of the peach and apple slices and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tbsp. of sugar and the orange juice. Loosely cover and microwave on high for about 4 minutes until the fruit is very soft. Mash results with a potato masher until a coarse paste forms. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle 2 tbsp. sugar on the remaining peaches and 1 tbsp. sugar on the remaining apples. Mix to distribute the sugar well. Set aside and macerate for about 30 minutes.
4. While waiting, melt the butter and preheat oven to 400F. When butter is melted, take 1 tbsp. and coat the inside of a 13x9 baking dish with it.
5. Mix together the peaches, apples, and peach/apple paste. Distribute evenly in baking dish. (Use a silicon spatula to make sure to get all the juices!) Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix the Bisquick mix, remaining 3 tbsp. butter, 2/3 cup sugar, milk, and cinnamon in a bowl. The batter consistency should resemble pancake batter -- not too runny, not too stiff.
7. Take baking dish out of oven, uncover, and pour in the batter making sure to distribute it evenly over the fruit. (Or, if you prefer a more biscuit-like appearance, drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the fruit.) Place dish back in oven, uncovered, and continue to bake another 20 minutes or until the surface is cracked and starts to turn light brown over the entire surface.
8. Remove from oven, let cool for 10-15 minutes and serve.