Organic Half & Half

Ok, so it has been awhile since a recipe has been posted. The organic talk has been minimal as well because of all my recent travel. Lame excuse but for all those that travel you know how hard it is to eat smart. Organic life is tough enough because we live in a Partially Hydrogenated World and then you add travel and being on the road…ouch, that is a deadly cocktail.

So lets all ease back into better eating with an organic dessert. Baby steps right?

Makes: 3 dozen

3 cups spelt flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs baking soda
1 tbs cinnamon (get the good stuff if you can-Chinese Cassia)
1 tsp sea salt (kosher will work if you don’t have sea salt)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) organic salted butter @ room temperature
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
1 1/2 cups succanat
3 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract (use the good stuff)
3 cups dark chocolate or carob chips
3 cups steel-cut oats
2 cups natural flaked coconut
2 cups chopped organic pecan pieces

**REMEMBER THE RULE TO GREAT COOKING: GREAT INGREDIENTS**

Preheat to 350. Mix flour, BP, BS, cinnamon & salt together in a big bowl. Beat butter on medium speed till smooth & creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars, beat to combine, 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans. For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup dough onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart (cookies will spread out). Bake 17-19 minutes until edges are lightly browned (watch them closely – set the timer before 17 minutes to check on them).

Best served with fair trade organic coffee. Enjoy.

SB

So last night while in the vibrant orange town of Auburn I dined and chatted with the locals. I experienced and enjoyed 2 things I’ve never had before and I like that. I like new. I like trying out the local flavor and creating memories…

First was Doritos Nachos. It’s been at least 2 years since I’ve put these triangle snacks in my mouth but “when in Rome…” A little dive called Mamma G’s serves up nachos like none other. Doritos pilled with melted pepper jack cheese and jalapenos. Yum.

Later in the night I enjoyed a Chai Tea Latte. Now most of you have probably had this wonderfully mellow drink but I bet you haven’t had it like this. Instead of milk I asked for it to be made with their brew of the day. So the next time you crave Chai think java instead of milk. Yum.

I’m ready to get back to REAL food. But for the moment I’ll savor…and go create more memories.

SB

There’s nothing more that I love then when I find a one of a kind place to enjoy food and drink. On my journey from Houston to Waco I decided to stop in Aggieland other wise known as College Station, TX. I needed some free wifi and a place to catch up on work so I took a pit stop at Sweet Eugenes House of Java. It is hidden jems like this that upset me that I live in the Big D that is yet to prove they can have even 1 coffee house close to the caliber Sweet Eugenes is.

I think an essential element a coffee houses has to be a cozy feel. If you walk in and it’s not welcoming then you just won’t stay long. It’s set up for grabbing your coffee and leaving. Starbucks ::cough::. That’s why big open spaces never work. But Sweet Eugenes pulls it off. It’s probably one of the largest coffee houses I’ve been to. Part of their large size is due to the fact they roast thier own green beans on site.

Ambiance. This place gets 5 stars. It’s got a hoge poge feel to it with old street lamps and many differet couches. There are people laying on leather couches reading and some studying at little cafe style tables that have mixed matched chairs. Behind every corner is a new little room filled with unique flavor and design. One room has an entire wall with old books that make it feel like a library you’d find in an old dusty mansion. Another room has a big opening in the wall so you can see right into the next room. Multi-color lights hanging from the wall and tin knights standing tall in a corner. Brick walls and tshirts that say “I spent the night with Euguene”. Classic place and the coffee was better than your average brew. I did notice what looked like a crepe station and the desserts looked yum.

Other notables:
Houston - Diedrichs Coffee: caramel fudge cheesecake
Waco - Common Grounds: cowboy coffee

SB

So I’ve been wanting to post about this forever but I never have the time. If anyone has connections with wealthy people who would like to have me blog every day and would pay me for it then please let me know. I think I would like that job. I’ve enjoyed writing for OH&H and you might think I’m crazy but I’ve started to enjoy the world of book reading. That’s right, reading. I’m contemplating 2 books: Henry David Thoreau “Cape Cod” or do I read “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Now I remember TKAM in high school and I remember not liking it. Wait, maybe that I was because I never read it. I have always hated reading. STOP: I’m writing about HEMP I SCREAM. PLAY: so let me continue…

Do you see the picture of this man? Crazy looking dude huh? Well, lets just say he makes the meanest ice cream sandwich you’ve ever tasted. And it’s not even real ice cream. It’s Hemp! That’s right, ganja. Weed, pot, Mary Jane, (please post if you have other names for it). And I have been able to get them at my local Whole Foods. If your local WF does not carry it then ask them to get it. They are made in Boulder, CO and it’s D-liciousoso! I promise

So find it. And enjoy with a tall glass of organic milk. Or better yet with a hot cup of organic coffee. Have I shared that I drink my coffee black? It’s a whole new world (queue Aladdin soundtrack). Take a break from your stressful week and enjoy something sweet. You deserve it. Hemp I Scream that melts in your mouth with the slightest bit of crunchy yet chewy cookie taste…That’s good eatin!

SB

This recipe is in honor of a good friend who currently lives in everyone’s favorite vacation spot of Moldova.  You get a dollar if you can guess what countries border this wonderful place.  So here is to my friend Mark Dalton and his love of queso.  For all of you who live in Dallas you might have gone to a little place called Mattitos.  They have what is called the Bob Armstrong Dip (not even on the menu).  Well, this is my version and it won’t disappoint.  If you want to be a hit at the next party than bust out your crock-pot and throw all this in.

1 block Velveeta cheese
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef (stay away with anything that is super lean, fat is flavor)
1 can of Mexican Ro-Tel
1 pkg Taco Seasoning (the best stuff out there is Penzeys Bold Taco Seasoning)
1 Cup of Sour Cream (please for the love of all things don’t buy the light)
1 pkg pre-made guacamole (find this on the produce side of the store and it comes in 2s)

chips: Tostitos Scoops and Fritos Scoops are perfect for this dip.

To get this started chop up your cheese and throw it into your crock-pot.  If you have the time start the temp at low.  Then open up your Ro-Tel and pour it over the top.  After that, brown your beef and add the taco seasoning.  DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT drain the grease.  I know I know, you ALWAYS drain the fat but not when you want full flavor baby.  Then you just let it all melt and ooze together.  About 20 min before you serve the dip add the sour cream and guac.  It is very important that you do not put these 2 items in until you are ready to serve.  Stir it all together and hear the mariachis playing because its fiesta time!  

Now if you want to get fancy and “plate” the dip to bring to a table then garnish with chopped red onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Simple and wonderful.  Hope you enjoy this recipe one bite at a time.

SB

Out of all the recipes I have in my little wooden box of wonders this one might be one of my favorites.  It’s a recipe by Jewell Bailey my grandmother from Bunn, NC (pop. 357).  “Gran” as we call her raised 5 little ones on this cake and then passed it on to my mother who then passed it on to me.  If there is ever a recipe that takes patients and love its this one.  You can’t open and close the oven door, you can’t over mix or under mix…everything has to be just right.  Much practice goes into making this work.  There are stories where Gran would not let anyone talk more than a whisper and if you ran through the house you’d get whooped with the wooden spoon.  I ventured into the world of baking my junior year in college and was very ambitious as I started with this recipe.  I ruined 5 cakes before I kinda got it right.  The beauty of a recipe like this is over time it gets better.  So maybe one day when I’m 77 I’ll have learned to get it just like Gran ☺

3 C Flour (measure after you sift it)
3 C Sugar
2 Sticks Land O Lakes at Room Temp
6 Eggs
1 C Sour Cream
1/4 tsp Baking Soda (sift with flour)
1 tsp Vanilla (Penzey’s Double Strength if ya got it)

Preheat an oven to 325. Grease and flour a tube pan.

In a bowl of a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar.  Now one at a time as the mixer is going add 1 egg at a time.  Do not over mix, just mix until all together.  Get the flour w/baking soda that has been sifted and put a little bit into the bowl and mix.  (This is where having a Kitchen Aid is wonderful because you can just keep that mixer going.)  Then put a little bit of sour cream in.  Then a little flour.  Then sour cream.  And so on.  Last stir in the vanilla. 

Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 min.  Time will depend on your oven (+/- 5 min).  Use the toothpick test to know if its done.  Try to keep the opening and closing to a minimum.  If you can pull it out clean without gooey then you’re good.  Let cool in pan for about 10 min and then unmold it and cool on rack.

Ok, so the best part of this recipe is the crust it forms on the top.  Oh mama!  But the tricky part is dealing with it rising too fast and the crust over cooking before the cake is done.  So if you encounter this then you may want to place a piece of foil on top to allow the cake to continue to cook.

Cake is BEST hot out of the oven with coffee.  Strawberries and real Whipped Cream make it heavenly.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have and if you are brave enough to tackle this recipe and have questions then let me know.

SB

What I’m about to share with you could very well change your life.  This is a recipe that has been in the works for about 6 years now.  My sister and I started this back at Baylor and tried all kinds of wonderful combinations.  More butter, more sugar, more chocolate…all the key things that make sweets what they are.  My wonderful wife helped me with final touches and what we have today is a work of love.  The secret ingredient is the instant pudding.  We have tried EVERY flavor and the butterscotch is the rock star.  Everyone tries to put their finger on it and can’t quite figure it out.

In all my recipes I stress the importance of ingredients.  That is truly the key in all cooking and when it comes to these cookies there is no question that quality ingredients make this a darn good cookie.  The spices used in this recipe are from a store called Penzeys.  My best friends wife, Mary, introduced me to them a while ago and I’ve enjoyed it ever since.  If you do not live in Dallas (where they just opened a store at Preston/635) then you can order them online at Penzeys.com.  My tongue is doing a little dance thinking about how awesome these cookies are.  So here goes:

Remember quality ingredients:

2 sticks Land O’ Lakes butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar-packed
1 small box Jell-o Instant BUTTERSCOTCH pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 package Ghirardelli MILK CHOCOLATE chips

Start off by preheating oven to 375.

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Add the Jell-o (just the powder), 2 eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  DO NOT OVER MIX.

Add flour and baking soda.  Then add chocolate chips, but remember just bring it all together ~ don’t leave it mixing while you go to the bathroom or anything ☺  

Place balls of dough onto an UNGREASED cookie sheet, scooping dough for each cookie with a tablespoon ~ this will allow you to have equal-sized cookies. Between batches make sure you wipe down the sheet and that it’s cool before using it for the next batch. Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Every oven is different so watch those cookies closely.  Every 30 seconds in that oven changes the cookie.   Remember that cookies continue to bake a little bit once removed from the oven, so take the cookies out right before you think they are done.  Put them on a cooling rack immediately to cool completely.

I don’t share all of my recipes but this is one that I will.  Enjoy the Yum factor and savor every bite.

SB