13
Odds and Ends
BUTTERS AND SPREADS
ALMOND NUT BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped toasted almonds, and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
APRICOT BUTTER
Soften ¼ cup dried apricots in simmering water to cover for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain well, and finely chop. In a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, apricots, and ¼ cup apricot preserves.
CHEESE HERB BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, mix together ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, or dill. Add ½ cup softened butter and mix or process until well blended.
Variations:
• Substitute 2 teaspoons dried herbs for the fresh.
• Add 2 cloves minced garlic and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• Add 2 tablespoons minced onion.
CRANBERRY BUTTER
In a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, ¼ cup dried finely chopped cranberries, 2 teaspoons grated orange peel, and 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar.
Variation:
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts.
HONEY BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter and ½ cup honey.
Variation:
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped pecans.
LEMON BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel.
MAPLE BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon maple extract.
MUSTARD BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter and ¼ cup Dijon mustard.
NUT BUTTER
In a food processor or blender, cream together 1 cup roasted peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or cashews and 1½ teaspoons oil until they form a smooth butter.
Variations:
• Add ¼ cup honey for honey nut butter.
• Add ¼ cup maple syrup for maple nut butter.
KALAMATA OLIVE SPREAD
Place 2 cups of pitted, ripe black olives (preferably Kalamata) and 1 large garlic clove in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Pour into a bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil until well blended.
ORANGE BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter and ½ cup orange marmalade.
PARSLEY BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, and 1 clove minced garlic.
PEACH BUTTER
In a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 3⁄4 cup peach preserves, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg.
PESTO AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons prepared pesto, and 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Variations:
• Add ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Substitute 4 ounces of softened cream cheese for the butter.
PRALINE BUTTER
We have the great bakers at Toastmaster to thank for this one. It’s even better when you use fresh butter made in their Bread and Butter Machine!
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, and 1⁄8 teaspoon maple extract.
RUM BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons rum or ½ teaspoon rum extract.
SESAME BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter and 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.
STRAWBERRY BUTTER
With an electric mixer or in a food processor, cream together ½ cup softened butter and ½ cup strawberry preserves.
VEGETABLE HERB SPREAD
In a food processor, cream together 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped carrots, 2 tablespoons chopped celery, 2 tablespoons chopped radishes, ½ teaspoon dried dill, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Variation:
• You can substitute any vegetable or herb of choice.
Candied Orange Peel
If you’ve ever wanted to make Panettone in July but couldn’t find the candied orange peel, here’s a simple recipe to the rescue.
ORANGES 6
WATER ¼ cup
SUGAR ½ cup
EXTRA SUGAR FOR COATING
1. With a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin of about 6 oranges into thin strips until you have about 1 cup of orange peel. Cut away any of the white pith underneath; it has a bitter flavor.
2. Place the peel in a heavy saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and repeat this process 2 or 3 more times to reduce the bitterness.
3. Rinse out the saucepan then add ¼ cup water, ½ cup sugar, and the orange peel. Heat to boiling and boil until the liquid is completely absorbed and the peels are translucent, about 15 minutes.
4. Place peel in a deep bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Toss until well coated.
5. Place on a rack overnight to dry thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.
Yields about 3⁄4 cup
Cinnamon Crunchies
You’ll never have a problem with leftover bread if you turn it into cinnamon crunchies. We like to store these little bite-size pieces of cinnamon toast in a pretty glass jar on the kitchen counter. They’re super as an afternoon snack or a quick eat-on-the-run breakfast treat. They also team up well for dessert with a piece of fresh fruit or a bowl of ice cream. By the way, if you store them in an easy-to-reach jar, you might want to add the label “Beware—Addictive” to it.
LEFTOVER WHITE, WHOLE GRAIN, OR SWEET BREAD 6 cups
BUTTER OR MARGARINE, MELTED ½ cup
SUGAR 3⁄4 cup
GROUND CINNAMON 1½ tablespoons
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Remove crusts from bread and cut into ½-inch cubes. Place bread cubes in a large bowl; drizzle with the melted butter, tossing to coat well. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the bread cubes in the bowl, tossing to coat evenly.
3. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan before storing in an airtight container.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER ½ CUP SERVING
Calories 123/Fat 6.1 grams/Carbohydrates 17.2 grams/Protein .8 grams/Fiber .4 grams/Sodium 137 milligrams/Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Croutons
Here’s one of our favorite ways to use up those leftover slices of bread.
LEFTOVER BREAD 6 cups
OLIVE OIL 3 to 4 tablespoons
ITALIAN HERBS 1 tablespoon
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut bread into ½-inch cubes. Place bread in a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on herbs and toss to coat.
3. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Store indefinitely in an airtight container.
CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
1. If you prefer to trim the crusts from your bread first, use a pizza cutter to make a quick job of it.
2. Add 1 clove garlic cut in half and 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the olive oil. Heat in a small saucepan, cool, strain, and pour over the bread cubes. Proceed as directed from Step 3.
3. You can also sprinkle ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the bread cubes.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER ½ CUP SERVING
Calories 52/Fat 3.7 grams/Carbohydrates 4.3 grams/Protein .7 grams/Fiber .2 grams/Sodium 43 milligrams/Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Dog Biscuits
There are some very spoiled dogs by the names of Briscoe, Missy, Susie, Shadow, and Misty who insist on these treats regularly. Thankfully, we’re not the only ones this loony about our pets because several specialty cookware stores now carry assorted sizes of dog bone-shaped cookie cutters!
SMALL
BEEF, CHICKEN, OR VEGETABLE BROTH ½ cup
EGGS 1
OIL 2 tablespoons
MOLASSES 1 tablespoon
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 3⁄4 cup
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR 3⁄4 cup
BULGAR 2 tablespoons
CORNMEAL 2 tablespoons
MILLER’S BRAN 2 tablespoons
WHEAT GERM 2 tablespoons
BREWER’S YEAST 2 tablespoons
NONFAT DRY MILK POWDER 2 tablespoons
GARLIC POWDER 1⁄8 teaspoon
RED STAR BRAND ACTIVE DRY YEAST 1½ teaspoons
MEDIUM
BEEF, CHICKEN, OR VEGETABLE BROTH 11⁄8 cups
EGGS 1
OIL 3 tablespoons
MOLASSES 1½ tablespoons
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1¼ cups
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR 1¼ cups
BULGAR 3 tablespoons
CORNMEAL ¼ cup
MILLER’S BRAN 3 tablespoons
WHEAT GERM 3 tablespoons
BREWER’S YEAST 3 tablespoons
NONFAT DRY MILK POWDER 3 tablespoons
GARLIC POWDER 1⁄8 teaspoon
RED STAR BRAND ACTIVE DRY YEAST 1½ teaspoons
LARGE
BEEF, CHICKEN, OR VEGETABLE BROTH 11⁄8 cups
EGGS 2
OIL ¼ cup
MOLASSES 2 tablespoons
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1½ cups
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR 1½ cups
BULGAR ¼ cup
CORNMEAL ¼ cup
MILLER’S BRAN ¼ cup
WHEAT GERM ¼ cup
BREWER’S YEAST ¼ cup
NONFAT DRY MILK POWDER 4 tablespoons
GARLIC POWDER ¼ teaspoon
RED STAR BRAND ACTIVE DRY YEAST 2 teaspoons
1. Place dough ingredients in bread pan, select Dough setting, and press Start.
2. At the beep, turn off bread machine, remove bread pan, and turn out dough onto a lightly floured countertop or cutting board.
3. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Using small cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Continue to reroll the excess dough and cut more biscuits until all the dough is used.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and cool on wire rack. For crisper biscuits, turn off oven, remove biscuits from oven for 30 minutes, then return to still-warm oven for 3 hours or overnight.
5. Store in an airtight container.
Small recipe yields about two dozen
Medium recipe yields about three dozen
Large recipe yields about four dozen
BAKE CYCLE: Dough
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER BISCUIT
Calories 28/Fat .7 grams/Carbohydrates 4.5 grams/Protein 1 gram/Fiber .6 grams/Sodium 13 milligrams/Cholesterol 3 milligrams
Italian Bread Salad
We included a recipe for bread soup (see here), so it seems only natural we should come up with a recipe for bread salad, too!
SALAD
CRUSTY ITALIAN OR FRENCH BREAD 8 cups
MIXED GREENS, WASHED AND DRIED 2 cups
RIPE PLUM TOMATOES, DICED 6
SEEDED AND CHOPPED CUCUMBER (OPTIONAL) ½ cup
CHOPPED FRESH BASIL ¼ cup
CHOPPED RED ONION ½ cup
FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE ¼ cup (1 ounce)
DRESSING
EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 6 tablespoons
BALSAMIC VINEGAR 3 tablespoons
STONE-GROUND MUSTARD ¼ teaspoon
LARGE CLOVE GARLIC, CRUSHED 1
SALT ½ teaspoon
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE
1. Tear bread into bite-sized pieces. Place bread cubes on broiler pan and toast in a 475°F oven for 5 minutes until golden-brown.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
3. In a wooden salad bowl rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, toss together all of the salad ingredients except cheese.
4. Drizzle some or all of the dressing over salad and toss to coat. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow bread to absorb the dressing.
5. Toss salad again, sprinkle grated Parmesan on top, and serve.
CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
1. You can turn this salad into a meal by adding 3 ounces of diced Italian salami, 3 ounces shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese instead of the Parmesan, and a 15-ounce can of drained garbanzo beans.
2. If you prefer a softer salad, drizzle with dressing and allow salad to stand at room temperature for as long as 1 hour.
Serves 6 to 8
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING (1⁄8)
Calories 237/Fat 11.9 grams/Carbohydrates 27.4 grams/Protein 6.1 grams/Fiber 2.5 grams/Sodium 431 milligrams/Cholesterol 2.8 milligrams
Lemon Orange Curd
This marvelous spread is so easy to make that it’s a shame to spend a small fortune on it in the stores. Serve this with a sweet bread and a plate of fresh fruit for a simple and yummy dessert.
UNSALTED BUTTER ½ cup
SUGAR 1 cup
EGGS 3
FINELY GRATED ZEST OF 1 ORANGE AND 2 LEMONS
FRESH ORANGE JUICE ½ cup
1. In a microwave-proof bowl, melt butter on HIGH in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. In another bowl, combine sugar, eggs, orange and lemon zests, and orange juice; blend with a wire whisk.
3. Slowly whisk in the hot melted butter.
4. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 4 minutes until thickened to a thin pudding consistency, whisking well after each minute.
5. Pour into a clean glass jar and store up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Yields about 2 cups
Ten Downing Street’s Bread Soup
Here’s a unique British recipe that comes from a once-popular San Diego restaurant called Ten Downing Street, which unfortunately closed its doors many years ago. The original recipe is quite high in fat, so we’ve followed it up with a much lighter version that we think is every bit as good. One word of caution: This is a very filling soup, a meal in itself. It’s not suitable as a first course, but it sure makes the perfect meal for starving college students—it’s cheap, easy to make, very filling, and feeds a gang.
CHICKEN BROTH 10 cups
GOOD LOAF OF BREAD (FRENCH OR ITALIAN) 1
LARGE ONION 1
LARGE CARROTS 2
PARSNIP 1
STALKS CELERY 2
WHITE TURNIP 1
BUTTER ½ cup
FLOUR 3⁄4 cup
HEAVY CREAM 1 cup
MILK 1 cup
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
1. Cut or tear the bread into large chunks; place in a large kettle. Add 8 cups of the broth; soak bread until it is very soft.
2. Meanwhile, wash, peel, and cut the vegetables into small chunks and add to the kettle.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender, adding water if it seems too thick. Stir often as the mixture has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Puree the mixture in several batches in a blender or food processor or pass it through a sieve. Return the mixture to the kettle, add the last 2 cups of broth, and bring the mixture back to a boil.
5. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and flour; cook lightly but do not brown. Add enough of this mixture to the soup to thicken it and give it the creamy texture desired.
6. Add the cream and milk. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper, but do not allow it to return to a boil once the cream has been added.
LOW FAT REVISIONS:
1. Replace the chicken broth with canned or homemade vegetable broth.
2. Omit the butter, flour, cream, and milk.
3. Once the vegetables are tender, puree the soup as directed. Return the mixture to the kettle, add the last 2 cups of broth, and bring to a boil. Serve.
Serves 10 to 12
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING (1⁄12)
ORIGINAL RECIPE:
Calories 403/Fat 22.1 grams/Carbohydrates 38 grams/Protein 12.1 grams/Fiber 2.7 grams/Sodium 1275 milligrams/Cholesterol 61.8 milligrams
REVISED RECIPE:
Calories 231/Fat 4.5 grams/Carbohydrates 37.4 grams/Protein 9.8 grams/Fiber 2.4 grams/Sodium 1212 milligrams/Cholesterol 4.8 milligrams
Tomato Herb Bruschetta
In the unlikely event that you have a leftover loaf of crusty French or Italian bread, here’s one of the best ways to make it disappear. Serve these with a plate of spicy barbecued shrimp for an easy, light summer meal.
PLUM TOMATOES, HALVED, SEEDED, AND CHOPPED 1½ pounds
COARSELY CHOPPED BLACK OLIVES ¼ cup
CHOPPED FRESH BASIL ¼ cup
CHOPPED FRESH OREGANO 1 tablespoon
MINCED GARLIC 1 tablespoon
BALSAMIC VINEGAR 1 tablespoon
OLIVE OIL 1 tablespoon
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
CRUSTY FRENCH OR ITALIAN BREAD, TOASTED 6 slices
1. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, basil, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for up to 3 hours to blend the flavors.
2. Mound some tomato mixture on each slice of toast and serve.
CREATIVE SUGGESTION:
Add as desired, sliced green onions, drained capers, fresh lemon juice, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or crumbled goat cheese.
Serves 6
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SLICE
Calories 171/Fat 6.2 grams/Carbohydrates 25.1 grams/Protein 4.7 grams/Fiber 3.1 grams/Sodium 332 milligrams/Cholesterol 0 milligrams