The Christmas Tamalera - a la Petit

a

"tamalera"

is

a 

tamale-making

extravaganza

you can

really

NOT

make

tamales

alone

you must

have

a 

gaggle

of

friends

(or family)

...

each assigned

to a task

First,

you need

to think about

what

you

want

to stuff

inside 

your tamales

                            our Christmas tamales this year were:

1.  Ashley's slow cooked chicken and corn

2.  slow cooked chipotle pork

3.  Black bean and roasted corn with cotija cheese

4.  Jack cheese and jalapeño strips

while 

you

prepare

the fillings

you
must

soak
 the

corn husks

(I had to put a plate over the husks to keep them from floating to the top of the sink)

for

a minimum of

two hours

    then

you can mix up

 the masa

(we used Crisco instead of lard)

and

then the

tamale-making begins

*****

Ashley

spread the 

masa

on the softened corn husks

just

like

this

 

Emily

aka M.C.

spooned

the filling

in

the middle of the 

masa

and

Annie

folded

the corn husk

around

the filling

it is

quite

the social

event

I

tried

to keep the

troops

ON TASK,

but.....

I 

thought

it was

time

to help

get

back on

the

tamale-making task

(and

I 

am

known

for

always

"staying on task"

...NOT)

.....

fast forward

three tamale-making hours

 later

we

spread, filled and folded

just about

 109

tamales

John readied

the

large pot and a small pot

for 

the tamales

to steam

and

they were

ready

after about

11/2 hours

Deliciousness!

(photos in next post)

here's

the

masa recipe

we

used:

1 c. Crisco

1 TBS. sea salt

2 tsp. baking powder

3 1/2 c. masa harina

2 1/2 c. warm water

In an electric mixer, beat shortening, salt and baking powder

until light and fluffy

-about 5 minutes

(scraped down the sides often)

add the dry masa harina

and

mix until

just incorporated

with mixer on low

slowly add

 1 1/4 c. water

increase speed,

continue mixing

and 

stream in remaining

warm water

Masa

should 

have

the consistency

of cake batter

and

is ready

to spread 

on corn husks

Fillings

can

be 

just about anything!

  I cooked a pork butt in the crock pot with a can of pureed chipotle chiles for 6 hours - delish!

  Chicken or turkey thighs can be slow cooked the same way.  Ashley added Trader Joe's Roasted Corn to her slow cooked chicken.

   Black beans, the same roasted corn and Cotija (or Jack Cheese) is good

   Apples, raisins, cinnamon and cream cheese is good

   Jalapeño strips and Jack cheese strips is super yummy

   Cooked pureed sweet potatoes, or cook pureed butternut squash with chevre and toasted pecans is divine

   Shredded beef - YUM!

         

Persimmons and Really GOOD Advice

a 

persimmon

is

a berry 

"God's Pear"

divine fruit

if heart shaped

eat when squishy (Hachiya)

if squat and tomato shaped

eat when firm (Fuyu)

(Fuyus are my favorite addition to salad with chevre and toasted hazelnuts)

the information above

is

VERY IMPORTANT

..

(we were

given a

huge bag of

persimmons

and in 

my 

blind

excitement,

I sliced 

up

a

hard

heart shaped

persimmon

and

took a 

BIG BITE

    blech...)

learn from my mistake, people!!!

patience

makes 

for

squishy persimmons

ready to

bake

 into

coffee cakes

breads

muffins

 and

 doughnuts

Emily

aka MC

baked

these

squishy beauties

into

Persimmon Doughnuts

s

yum,

right?

they

are light

and delicious

you will 

need a doughnut pan

here's one

from

Sur la Table

.....

Persimmon Doughnuts

2 medium Hachiya (squishy) persimmons, ripe [puree should yield 1 cup] 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup soft unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups + 2 TBSP granulated sugar, divided

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup sour cream

350 degree oven

Peel persimmons and 

puree 

jelly like fruit 

in a food processor.  Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients.  Se aside.

Beat together softened butter and sugar  until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs until combined.

Add 1/2 of dry ingredients and 1/2 of persimmon puree

to the butter mixture

 and mix together.

Add sour cream and the remainder of the dry ingredients and the persimmon.  Mix until combined.

Spoon or pipe into doughnut pan.

Bake for 15 minutes.

There is a 

Vanilla bean Buttermilk glaze,

but

it is very watery

(a cream cheese glaze (or frosting would be delicious)

 powdered sugar is perfect, really...

C'est la Vie - Autumn in Europe 2012

Lucerne, Switzerland

...

after

quite

a 

long journey

from

SLO

to

SFO
on to

London

and then
to

Zurich

we 

finally

arrived
by train

to

the

first

stop

of

our 

Autumn in Europe 
Adventure
...

Lucerne

sits
like
a 
brilliant
jewel

on
 Lake Lucerne

in

the 
shadows

of the
majestic

Swiss Alps

It is in

the 

German speaking

region

of 

Switzerland

but

everyone

speaks

English   French    Italian

as well

as 
German

(how progressive, no?)

from
the train station
we
walked
to our hotel

Hotel zum Rebstock

which
we
found
located
directly in front
of

the

Church of St. Leodegar

(Hotel zum Rebstock is just beside the Swiss flag to the left)

we came
 to learn
that
this
church
(who's bells charmingly chimed throughout the night)
was
  built in 
the year
735
and
was
named after
the
Patron Saint of Lucerne





thoroughly and totally

jet-lagged

we

wandered

around

the glistening lake
inhaling
the clean air

the flowers
and
the
history
of Lucerne

 


we found
 the
Kapellbrucke

the
iconic bridge
originally
built in 1333

(and 
turns out
is
the
 oldest
covered Bridge
in Europe)
the

the tower
 (according to Wikipedia)
predated the
bridge
by
30
years

(so..like 1303?)


"Lucerne is unique in the fact that its three wooden pedestrian bridges, the 14th century Hofbrücke (now destroyed) and Kapellbrücke and the 16th century Spreuerbrücke, all featured painted interior triangular frames. This feature is not replicated in any of Europe's other wooden footbridges.^[7] The paintings, dating back to the 17th century by local Catholic painter Hans Heinrich Wägmann, depict events from Lucerne's history. Out of the original 158 paintings, a total of 147 existed before the 1993 fire.^[7] After the fire, the remains of 47 paintings were collected, although only 30 were ultimately fully restored.^[7]

The wooden boards upon which the paintings were painted on were from 150 centimetres (59 in) to 181 centimetres (71 in) wide and 85 centimetres (33 in) to 95 centimetres (37 in) wide. Most of the panels were made from spruce wood boards, while only a few were made from linden wood and maple. The paintings were created during the time of the Counter-Reformation, featuring scenes promoting the Catholic Church. The paintings themselves were sponsored by the city's council members, who upon sponsoring a panel, were allowed to attribute their personal coat of arms on it. An explanation of each painting was printed below each scene. The paintings ran all along the bridge, dating from the life and death of Lucerne's patron saint St. Leger to the legends of the city's other patron saint St. Mauricio."

the
paintings
were
mesmerizing

drawing
you
into
dark
religious
history
of 
Lucerne

in the evening

we found

a

wine bar

La Bonne Cave

and

enjoyed

a 

Spanish Tempranillo

and
plates
of
rich cheeses

salty charcuterie
fruit
nuts
and bread
(all of our no-no's)

punchy
and giddy
we
made it back
to
the hotel

 passed out
and ....

woke up

jet-lag free

to

this view

  from our window

Guten Morgen,

Luzern

a

glorious

beginning!

        ......and on to Strasbourg, France

The Kinda-Sorta and the Not So Much

I just

love

muffins for breakfast - 

past tense

LOVED

muffins for breakfast-

I mean

you

go to

Starbucks

(or Petit  Soleil)

and

get

one

of their

amazing
 muffins

and

a 

Pumpkin Latte

and

you

are

over the top

of your

fat - sugar- calorie

allotment

for the day

BUZZ KILL!

so,

I found

this
 recipe

for 

Granola Muffins

and

made

one
batch 
kinda sorta healthy

and

one not so much

Kinda Sorta Healthy Granola Muffins

I replaced

the butter with coconut oil

the brown sugar with coconut sugar

the regular granola with Bear Naked Fit Granola

and white flour with whole wheat flour

I threw

in a few 

blueberries and raspberries

that I

had

to use up

the

Kinda Sorta Healthy Muffins 

were

good

and

after two cups of tea

really

filled up the tummy 
in 
a 
happy sorta way

the

next batch

I used

TJ's Ginger, Almond and Cashew Granola

and

butter  sugar  and  flour  

I 

am

sharing 

those

delicious

bad boys

with

all the nurses

and 

staff

at my

Dr.'s office

:)

Kinda Sorta Healthy Granola Muffins

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. Bear Naked Fit Granola

1 c. coconut sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. coconut oil (melted)

1 egg

1 tsp. real vanilla

1/2 - 1 c. fresh blueberries or raspberries (or any fresh fruit you like)

Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Set aside.  Mix the buttermilk and oil together.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Mix the dry ingredients with the wet until just incorporated.  Carefully fold in the fruit.

Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

GRANOLA MUFFINS

2 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. your favorite granola

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon (I used ground ginger for the Ginger Almond Cashew Granola)

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. melted butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Whisk together dry ingredients and follow the same directions as the 

above 

Kinda Sortas

(you might as we be really bad and add a cup or so of mini chocolate chips

to the batter before baking)

An Apple a Day....

...

l'automne est arrivé

yes

Autumn has arrived

when

the 

See Canyon

and

Gopher Glen

Apple Orchards

open their

gates

and

the trees

are

heavy

with

fruit

you

 know

that

autumn

truly 

has 

arrived

the trees

are

laden

with

Golden

and Granny Smith

Red Delicious

and

crisp Braeburn apples

.

See Canyon

is

north

of

the Avila Valley

and 

the

See Canyon Fruit Ranch

is

about 

1.5 miles

up See Canyon road

the

 Ranch

it is a

gloriously

lazy

place

surrounded

by 

apple orchards

and

hidden

within

the 

green willows

and oaks

of the

canyon

would be a beautiful venue for a wedding

.......

I 

visited

the fruit ranch

because

simply

fresh picked fruit

just tastes

infinitely 

better

and 

See Canyon apples

make

delicious

Harvest Apple Coffee Cakes

Bavarian Apple Tortes

Apple Streusel Muffins

and

are

the

very

 best

with 

cheeses and wines

crisp  sweet  flavorful

mmmmm

I picked

up

some

local honey

(collected on the ranch)

and

a jar

of

 Pumpkin Butter

(for pancakes)

the fruit ranch

has

squashes

and tomatoes

peppers

and 

other

fresh picked

jewels of the season

Petit Soleil guests

will

enjoy

this

bag

tomorrow

..

next

week and 

the week after
 that

I'll go
        for more

until

   the

         all

              the

                          apples are

                                gone....

Thanks!

See you soon

See Canyon Fruit Ranch

click for their blog

and

directions

Sunrise Corn Muffins

Bon Jour!

it is

a

good 

day!

here is 

a

hearty

yet

citrusy

fresh

Orange Corn Muffin

for 

breakfast

or

for

dinner

with

a

spicy

chipotle chicken chili

you need a orange

and buttermilk

and dried cranberries

the recipe

makes

about 

10 muffins

the 

cornmeal

gives the muffins

a crunch

the orange zest and cranberries

a

nice tang

Sunrise Corn Muffins

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. cornmeal

1 TBS. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

zest of 1 large orange

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3/4 c. dried cranberries

Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.

Zest the orange and add to the 1 cup of buttermilk. Whisk in eggs.   Let steep together for 5 minutes or so.

Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients.  Add the melted the butter to batter and fold in cranberries.

Spoon batter into greased muffin cups (add about 1 TBS. of water to each empty cup.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

…how about this - combine 1/4 c. soft butter with a bit of orange juice and honey to serve with muffins

Are

you 

Kidding?

deliciousness

...