Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown Bread

Boston brown bread is an enigma. It's not really a bread, as it isn't baked and doesn't contain butter or eggs. It satisfies a sweet craving even though it has very little sugar. And it can be a breakfast bread, dessert, and a companion to butter, cream cheese or a slice of sharp white cheddar.

Boston brown bread could actually be described as a whole-grain pudding, in the British sense of the word. It is composed of whole grain flour and corn meal that is cooked together with buttermilk. The buttermilk adds just a hint of leavening to the bread so that it doesn't have the consistency of cooked oatmeal or cream of wheat. Raisins act as a sweetener, while molasses and a bit of brown sugar add depth and give Boston brown bread it's distinct and unique flavor.

The bread isn't baked, but is simmered on the stove in a pot of boiling water. Traditionally, the batter was poured into a metal coffee can which was then covered with aluminum foil and placed in the water bath. Today, most people don't buy coffee in a metal can, but any large metal can that has been cleaned will do (the large cans that contain pumpkin or tomatoes are good). Or a 9 x 5 loaf pan will suffice. The round cans are much easier to fit into a saucepan; you may need to use a Dutch oven or canning pot for the loaf pan.

Boston Brown Bread

1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. rye flour
1/2 c. yellow corn meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. molasses
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 c dark raisins

Grease a 1 lb. coffee can or other large can and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients except raisins in large mixing bowl; whisk together until thoroughly combined. Fold in the raisins last.

Pour batter into prepared can or loaf pan. Cover with aluminum foil, tied to the can with a string.

Place can into deep saucepan and surround with boiling water that reaches halfway up the side of the can. Cover the saucepan. Turn burner heat to medium-low, and keep the water in the saucepan just at a simmer. Allow batter to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until toothpick inserted into center of batter comes out clean.

Remove can immediately, allow to cool on a wire rack. To remove bread from can, use a can opener to remove the bottom from the can and push the bread out. Makes one large loaf.

Barbecued Beans with Kielbasa

Barbecued Beans and Kielbasa

What's Polish for "beanie weenie"? How about "Fasolka z grilla i kielbasa." No matter the language, barbecued beans with kielbasa makes an excellent one-pot weekend meal that fills you up and is spicy enough to warm you from the inside out.

The trick to this recipe is the use of a pressure cooker. Where the traditional baked bean recipes call for slow cooking over several hours, our beans require a mere 30 minutes to fully cook. We then cook the kielbasa in the barbecue sauce, using the simmer setting on the pressure cooker. There is very little handson preparation time required.

Barbecued Beans and Kielbasa
2 c. dried navy, pinto or red beans, prepared for cooking
1 lb kielbasa, cut into 1" lengths
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 quarts plus 2 c. water
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. garlic paste, or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. ketchup
1/2. c. honey
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dry mustard powder

Prepare the beans the day before by covering the dried beans with 4 quarts of water to which 2 tbsp. of kosher salt are added. Allow to soak for at least 8 hours. Discard any "floaters". Drain the beans in a colander.

Combine beans and 1 tbsp. oil in a pressure cooker. Coat beans with the oil by stirring with a wooden spoon. Add 4 quarts water and 1 tsp. salt. Lock on pressure cooker lid, bring pressure to high and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, allow pressure to reduce slowly for 15 minutes. Remove lid, drain cooked beans in colander and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp. oil to pressure cooker. Heat on medium heat, and add chopped onion, garlic paste and kielbasa pieces. Brown meat on all sides, and allow onion to sauté until slightly soft. Stir in water, ketchup, honey, dark brown sugar, vinegar and mustard powder. Gently stir in beans. Allow all to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.

NOTE:  This can be used as a side dish or main meal. Any leftovers can be frozen and reheated using a microwave oven. The beans stay nice and firm.

Pecan Maple Bars

Pecan Maple Bars

Now that we've passed Groundhog Day and the weather is slowly turning from snow to "stuff" and then to rain, it's time to start thinking of spring. In parts of Michigan and Indiana, it's also sugar time for maple and birch tree farmers.

Sugaring is the practice of tapping maple and birch trees for sap. The sap is gathered, the excess water cooked out of it by slowly simmering it over low heat, and the thick, sticky substance left over is maple or birch syrup. If the syrup is jarred and refrigerated, it crystallizes into sugar. It takes 40 gallons of maple sap to produce one gallon of syrup, which accounts for the high price of the genuine stuff. But that price is well worth it when you add this flavorful sweetener to dishes such as baked beans, smoked bacon or pecan maple bar cookies.

These cookies are a fusion of pecan pie filling and a shortbread crust. Using maple syrup instead of dark corn syrup to sweeten the filling adds a different dimension to the traditional pecan pie flavor. You still get the gooey crunch of a traditional pecan pie, supported nicely by a very rich shortbread. Use your food processor to make the crust - it's much easier to "pulse" the shortening into the flour base than it is to use a pastry cutter, and the results are a lot more uniform.

Use the parchment to lift the entire cookie out of the pan before cutting.

Cut these into bite sized bars. There is enough sugar in each one to fuel a sugar high for an entire cub scout pack, so a little piece goes a long way.

Pecan Maple Bars
Crust
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. sifted confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. vegetable shortening

Filling
3 whole eggs
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 c. pure maple syrup
2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter (no substitutes)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with a large sheet of parchment paper; there should be enough overhang to create a "handle" for lifting the baked product out of the pan in one piece.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Place into bowl of food processor. Add vegetable shortening by tablespoons, pulsing after each addition. When all the shortening has been added, pulse an additional 10 times to fully coat the dry ingredients with shortening.

Pour the crust into the prepared pan, and use a spatula or back of a wooden spoon to spread evenly over the parchment paper. The texture of this mixture will resemble fine sand. Gently press the crust into place. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

While the crust cools, prepare the filling. Crack eggs into a large bowl. Whisk gently, then add sugars. Whisk together until sugar is dissolved and evenly distributed. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla, then fold in pecans.

Pour filling mixture onto cooled crust. Return to the oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting. Makes 52.

NOTE: Walnuts can be substituted for pecans, if desired.

Royal Banana Bread

As pretty to serve as it is delicious to eat,
Royal Banana bread is fit for a king!

Royal Banana Bread

Bananas are in season during December and January, and sad to say, overripe bananas are all too common. We keep our homes warm, which hastens ripening. Luckily, banana bread is one way to make good use of the overripe fruit.

Bananas can be hard to pair with a spice; there are too many spices that overpower the banana flavor. One product that is tried, true and found to enhance bananas is dark rum. Think Bananas Foster and you have the right idea.

This recipe for banana bread uses red and green candied cherries and your choice of either candied citron or pineapple soaked in dark rum as inclusions. The alcohol bakes out of the bread, but the rum flavor remains. The use of light brown sugar also creates some caramel notes in throughout the bread.

Serve slices plain, with cream cheese or with butter. This bread also freezes very well, so if you have a lot of bananas or loaded up on candied fruit after Christmas, bake several loaves, freeze them and enjoy this delightful bread throughout the year.

Royal Banana Bread
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. banana pulp (approx. 3 very ripe bananas)
1/3 c. melted butter (no substitutes)
1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 c. mixed red and green candied cherries, citron and pineapple
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. good quality dark rum

Place candied fruit in a small bowl. Pour rum over fruit and cover. Allow to soak at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 bread pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Place melted butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl, beat together until sugar is well dissolved. Add eggs, and beat on medium speed for one minute.

Add flour mixture slowly, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle and toss candied fruit with 1/4 c. flour. Gently fold fruit and any remaining rum into the batter. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean and the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan on a baking rack, then remove and allow to cool completely for an hour before slicing.

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

No one has to know that this is made with zucchini!

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

The holiday season is the season for chocolate. It's also the season we start to use all of those fruits and veggies we have canned, frozen or preserved during the summer. This chocolate fudge cake combines the best of both; it has a rich, chocolate flavor, and its incredible moistness comes thanks to the inclusion of shredded, frozen zucchini squash. The squash is undetectable, so even veggie haters will relish this cake.

In addition, this recipe requires only two pieces of equipment: one medium mixing bowl for the dry ingredients and a food processor that holds at least 11 cups. The recipe is a gem when it comes to easy preparation and clean up.

This recipe creates enough batter for a three-layer cake, but because it really needs no frosting, I prefer baking it in a Bundt pan or tube pan. This makes 12 - 16 hefty slices.

The cake freezes well, making it ideal for baking ahead and serving when time is short but the craving for something sweet is not.


Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake


3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. butter (no substitutes), softened to room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Measure flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until dry ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Using the blade attachment in the food processor, add the zucchini to the bowl. Puree on high speed. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; pulse together until mixture is well blended. Add granulated sugar and butter, one tablespoon at a time; process until butter is incorporated. Add in dry ingredients, pulse to incorporate, then process for two minutes until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and batter is smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" Bundt or tube pan with a nonstick spray for baking. Pour batter evenly into pan; shake to eliminate air bubbles. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean and edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before releasing from pan.

Rice Pilaf

Rice Pilaf

One of the best complements to a roast duck is a side dish made with rice. Those people living in Minnesota have their native wild rice available, but the rest of us have to depend on what we can find at the store. A casserole dish of rice pilaf is a simple, easy to make side dish.

Chicken stock, soup base or boullion flavors the rice. For a vegetarian version, use a vegetable soup base rather than the chicken soup base.

The success of this side dish depends on one technique. By coating the rice in the melted butter before cooking it in the chicken stock, the starch in the rice grains stays contained. The end result is rice that is light and fluffy rather than sticky.

Bake this along with your meat dish in a 375 degree oven. Fluff it before serving, while the meat rests.

Rice Pilaf
4 tbsp. butter
1 onion, diced
1 large can (13 oz) sliced mushrooms
1 c. long grain white rice, uncooked
chopped giblets (optional)
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
ground black pepper
2 c. chicken stock, or 2 c. water with 2 tsp. chicken soup base added

In a large skillet, melt butter. Saute onion and mushrooms until onions are soft and golden, about 12 minutes. Add poultry seasoning and black pepper, and continue to saute until the flavor of the herbs blooms, about 1 minute.

Remove sauteed vegetables from skillet into 3 quart casserole dish. Add 1 c. uncooked rice and toss, coating the rice grains with flavored butter. Add in the chopped giblets, if desired, and the chicken stock.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover the casserole dish and cook for 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving. Makes 4 - 6 servings

Roast Duck with Spice Rub

Duck roasted with a spice rub stays moist inside and crisp outside

Roast Duck with Spice Rub

It may not be traditional, but I prefer roast duck to turkey during Thanksgiving. Duck is nearly all dark meat and thanks to the fat content of the animal, has a very rich and savory flavor.

The average duck weighs between 5 and 8 pounds, so duck is also a good choice for a small gathering. Like a turkey or chicken, a roasting duck comes with giblets; set these aside after thawing the bird, because we'll add them to our rice pilaf side dish.

In order to keep the meat moist but allow the fat to render away, I coat the duck inside and out with a spice rub. Because duck has a unique and to some, overpowering, flavor, it can handle one that is fairly spicy. The inclusion of baking powder creates a dry, crisp skin and doesn't add an overly salty flavor to the duck. It does create the same sodium barrier that keeps the flesh moist. In addition, I create an air pocket in underneath the skin. This allows all of the subcutaneous fat to release and helps the skin to crisp and brown.

To create the air pocket, gently lift the skin away from the meat using a wooden spoon. Use your hand to loosen the skin over the drumsticks (it is less icky if you put on a disposable food service glove), wings and neck area. Then, rub the fowl over the skin, under the skin and inside the cavity with the spice rub.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place prepared duck on a roasting rack and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes per pound. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before carving in order to preserve the juices.

Spice rub
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper