Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

I was able to reunite with a few friends from high school when we traveled to Utah in May of this year. The cafe in Salt Lake where we had dinner together had a dessert I had not heard of before, but wanted to try. It was Lavendar Infused Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries. It also had ricotta cheese on the side of, and pistachios crumbled on top. It was very delicious. I wanted to make it at home and did some research. Apparently, it wasn't very unique. One of the gals I'd visited in Salt Lake sent me her recipe (see below). I found more recipes online and learned this:  "Panna cotta is Italian for 'cooked cream.' In its simplest form, it consists of nothing more than simmered cream and sugar into which gelatin (first dissolved in a little water) is stirred." I also saw the picture above in a local grocery store ad, so found their recipe online. We had fresh blueberries, and the missionaries were coming for dinner, so I had the perfect excuse to experiment. I went back and forth between the two recipes. I had allowed the three hours mentioned in the first recipe I'd read. Unfortunately, I later read the other recipe said allow six hours for the dessert to set : (. I decided not to invert it, and just serve it in Cheryl's wonderful blueberry-decorated Salmon Falls crockery dishes. All enjoyed. The next day I inverted the two 'extra' desserts and sent them to a sweet couple Scott home teaches.

Panna Cotta I

1 quart heavy cream
1 c. sugar, divided
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. unflavored gelatin
3 T. water
Lemon, for zesting
2 c. blueberries, plus extra for serving

In a saucepan, combine the cream, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla extract. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until evenly moistened, about 5 minutes. Uncover the cream mixture and reheat just to a simmer. Remove from heat, add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Pour the mixture into eight ramekins and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set but still jiggly, about 3 hours. Lightly boil 2 cups blueberries with 1/2 cup sugar until thickened. Invert mold onto serving plate serve with sauce and a sprinkle of fresh berries. Top with fresh lemon zest or powdered sugar. 

from Dee's friend Sheri,"I use Giada de Laurentiis recipe. So easy. So good. I often half this recipe because if I make the whole thing, chances are I'll be tossing some out because not everyone around here loves it like I do. And here it is..."

Panna Cotta II

1 c. whole milk 

1 T. unflavored powdered gelatin
3 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. honey
1 T. sugar
Pinch of salt

Place milk in heavy, small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand for 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour the cream mixture into dessert cups/ramekins/whatever you've got or use. Cover and refrigerate til set (at least 6 hours). Spoon berries on top and serve.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Rice and Beans Bowl + using beans for oil and butter

picture from Native Bowl in Portland

This dish is so very yummy!!! 

Here is my concoction for seasoned black, small red, etc.

Rice and Beans Bowl
2 (15 oz.) can of beans (small reds are my favorite)
1/2 t. white pepper
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. garlic powder (I always add a little more because I like things garlicky)
1/4 t. salt
1 - 2 T. coconut oil

1. Pour the beans with their liquid into a large saucepan. Turn the heat to medium.

2. Add the pepper, paprika, coconut oil, garlic powder, and salt.

3. When the beans begin to boil, use a fork to mash some of the beans against the side of the pan. Stir the mixture constantly for about 20 min until the beans reach the consistency of re-fried beans. (Smooth, creamy texture with some whole beans still swimming around.)

Ok, here is my disclaimer. Sometimes I follow this to the end. Other times I am in a hurry or I want a different texture so sometimes I just throw everything into a microwavable bowl and heat til hot and use the beans whole.


One of my favorite concoctions is: (Layer the following in a bowl and enjoy)

Brown Rice
Seasoned Beans
Fresh chopped tomatoes
Fresh chopped avocado
Texas Pete shaken on top
Sometimes I add some fresh cilantro

by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

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TIPS FOR USING BEANS FOR OIL AND BUTTER

from Everyday Food Storage

1. If your recipe calls for oil, you are going to use a bean puree.  What is a bean puree you ask?  It’s simply cooked beans with enough water to whirl in your blender.  If you want a simple way to try this, take a can of beans (the entire can) and dump it in the blender and blend it.  Done.
2. If your recipe calls for butter, you are going to use cooked, drained beans.
3. For substituting beans for both butter and/or oil you are going to use a 1:1 ration.  That means if your recipe calls for 3/4 C. oil, you are going to use 3/4 C. bean puree.  If your recipe calls for 1 C. butter you are going to use 1 C. beans.  You’ll use the same measurements for beans as your original recipe says to use for either the oil and/or butter.
4. When wondering which beans to use-you are going to match color for color.  If it is a chocolate cake, use black beans. If it is a spice cake, use pinto beans.  If it is a white cake, use white beans.  Now, here is the tricky part…you can also use white beans in chocolate cake but you can’t use black beans in your white cake.  Your family will wonder what all of those black specks are.   To be safe, you can use white beans in almost anything.
5. Now, you’re going to add the beans however your recipe says to use the butter and/or oil.  So, if your recipe says to cream the butter with the sugar-you’re going to cream the beans with the sugar.  If your recipe says to add the oil to the dry ingredients, you’re going to add the bean puree to the dry ingredients.
6. If you are using beans in something like brownies or cookies that are supposed to be chewy, the beans will not make it chewy-it will be cake like.  So if you’re family is big on chewy that doesn’t mean you have an excuse not to use beans.  It just means you need to use half oil/butter and half beans.  It will still be chewy and you’ll still be saving money and adding fiber and protein!  Remember, I’m not big into all or nothing-even a little or half is better than nothing and it’s important that your family likes what you make!

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Other bowl ideas from a food cart menu in Portland

'Seeded' Watermelon Frosty

The watermelon frosty was great…could have used less maple syrup! Probably depends on the fruit and your own taste, but very cute and I actually liked the chia seeds in it (me and chia have an iffy relationship at present) so this is good. 

Watermelon Frosty 
2 1/4 c. frozen watermelon cubes
1/2 c. water (approximately)
2 T. maple syrup
1 large lemon, squeezed (lime juice also works very well! use 2 limes)
1 fresh banana

Blend. Fold in about 1/2 t. of chia seeds per glass. Serve!

See link here, and more chia information

optional: a few dashes of cayenne powder in the blender or over top when you serve!
Garnish: a few slices of watermelon - with rind on - frozen. Serves 2

link here

Lime Watermelon Frosty 
2 c. frozen watermelon
1 large ripe banana
2 T. agave syrup (or maple syrup)
4 T. lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 t. lime zest
1/2 c. + water as needed to get blender moving

optional: a few dashes of cayenne for a spicy sip
optional: a few ice cubes for an extra frosty sip – I like to use coconut water ice cubes

serves 2-3
Blend. Serve!
video link here

contributed by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Chocolate Beet Cake

One of my goals is be able to do year-round gardening. Last year I had a beet crop I kept in the ground through the winter, just picking as needed. I just pulled up the last of the beets, and have new seedlings ready to go in. I wanted to make some cupcakes for a party tonight so steamed my beets for this recipe. 

And if you missed this beautiful—really!— video post on baking a cake with beats, check it out here.)

Chocolate Beet Cake
3 eggs (organic, range fed)
1-½ c. Sucanat (unrefined cane sugar)
¾ cup coconut oil (can substitute applesauce for half of this, if desired)
1 t. vanilla
1-3/4 c. steamed beets (about 2 medium-large beets, peeled and chopped)
4 T. raw cacao (best) or nonalkalized baking cocoa
2 c. whole-wheat flour (soft white wheat, ground fine)
1 ½ t. baking soda
½ t. sea salt

Puree beets, then add eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add chocolate and other ingredients. Bake in 9″x13″ oiled pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (I made a half batch for a dozen cupcakes.)

Frosting
Cream together:
¼ c. unsweetened cocoa (even better, raw powdered chocolate)
½ c. butter, softened (or coconut cream concentrate, if it is soft but not turned to liquid. please note that you can’t put frosting made with coconut oil/cream on a refrigerated cake or it will become hard)
½ cup powdered Sucanat (if you have only regular Sucanat, blend it in your BlendTec until very fine, or your frosting will be grainy)      from Green Smoothie Girl

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Monster Cookies

Scott went to support the young women camp fundraiser this year. After the dinner, they have a dessert auction. Scott bought a plate of cookies by Jill. She definitely makes the best cookies. We decided to start the love"—and calories—and have them delivered when Jason and Erik and their families were visiting here in Portland.  Scott picked Jill's monster cookies and we have all thoroughly enjoyed them. The last cookies was shared for lunch as I type. If you go to Barbara's cook book above, you can check out another version of Monster Cookies. I remember Jared making these, and even mailing them to us!

Monster Cookies
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
24 oz. peanut butter
6 eggs
2 t. vanilla
4 t. baking soda
8 c. oats
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 large bag of M&Ms

Directions:
Cream together butter, sugars and peanut butter. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add baking soda and oats, and then chocolate chips. Mix together. Form each cookie with a 1/4 c measuring cup. Place 6 dough balls on each cookie sheet, and smash each one down with your palm. Place 10 M&Ms on each cookie. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 45 large cookies.

Granola

I tried the first of these granola recipes a week or so ago. 

It is good, and better if you add a sweet fruit like banana or raisins. 

I want to try the more simple one next time. 

The top photo shows the nut mixture after soaking.

The bottom photo is the granola on a dehydrator tray.

These are from The Green Smoothie Girl collection.

Pineapple Smoothie

Just made this as part of our breakfast.....AMAZING!!!!!

(Carissa, Erik and Ethan celebrate Carissa's birthday.)

Pineapple Smoothie 

1 frozen banana 

1/3 of container of pineapple star fruit concentrate 

1/3 c. frozen mango chunks 

1 c. pineapple juice 

1/4 c. vanilla yogurt 

1 c. milk

Ethan getting into videos, bubbles and his duck.

by Erik, grandson of Barbara