MAKING THE PECAN WHOLE WHEAT WAFFLES FOR ROCHESTER WOMEN MAGAZINE

One of the many privileges I have by working for Rochester Women magazine is that sometimes I get to  do the cooking (and eating) for one of the articles.  This issue I was fortunate enough to get to make the Pecan Whole Wheat waffles! This was an easy recipe and everyone that lives here agreed - these were awesome waffles!

This is a bonus step-by-step, not found in the article. I just figured that since I was able to make them for the finished images for the step-by-step article on making maple syrup (check out page 42-43),  I might as well do a step-by-step for making the waffles too. Bonus!!

So whip out your waffle maker and let's get started!

PECAN WHOLE WHEAT WAFFLES

Pecan-Whole Wheat Waffles

1 cup each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour

4 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

3 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk (or sour milk)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to mix through.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk and melted butter.


While stirring, gradually blend the dry ingredients into the liquid until no lumps remain.

In a small bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.


Fold whites and pecans into the batter.

Bake in a greased waffle iron until golden.

Find some fresh berries.
 and some local maple syrup..

and eat!

Pecan-Whole Wheat Waffles

1 cup each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour

4 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

3 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk (or sour milk)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to mix through. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk and melted butter. While stirring, gradually blend the dry ingredients into the liquid until no lumps remain. In a small bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites and pecans into the batter. Bake in a greased waffle iron until golden. Serve hot with maple syrup. Serves 6.

GRILLED CHEESE WITH ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER, BASIL AND TOMATO SOUP

Nummy!  And another cold day treat.  I think I need to step it up a bit. Maybe grill outside some bison burgers and make coleslaw.

Or I could just fake my way through winter and eat all this great comfort food.  Seasonal cooking, right?

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER, BASIL AND TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

½  cup roasted red bell peppers

¼ cup chopped red onion

1 Tbs Ghee or butter

5 leaves of fresh basil

¼ cup mashed potato flakes or 1 medium baked potato, mashed

1 16 oz can of chopped or stewed tomatoes or use 2 lbs fresh

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Place roasted red bell peppers and basil leaves into food processor of blender and process until chopped fine but not pureed totally down to nothing.

Next process the chopped tomatoes. Same thing - don't over process.

Have you discovered Ghee yet?  Oh my!  So good for you (links to cholesterol reduction) and tastes like butter because it is butter, clarified butter.  Ya know the kind you get when you order lobster?  I don't order lobster, I hate fish, but some people do so I’ve seen it. It's actually considered dairy free.  Wow, really.

Place chopped onions into pan and add the Ghee. Cook until soft.

Place all the ingredients into a pot.

Stir and cook under a slow simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add a grilled cheese sandwich, some homemade pickles and life is good!

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER, BASIL AND TOMATO SOUP

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

½  cup roasted red bell peppers

¼ cup chopped red onion

1 Tbs Ghee or butter

5 leaves of fresh basil

¼ cup mashed potato flakes or 1 medium baked potato, mashed

1 16 oz can of chopped or stewed tomatoes or use 2 lbs fresh

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Place roasted red bell peppers and basil leaves into food processor of blender and process until chopped fine but not pureed totally down to nothing.

Next process the chopped tomatoes.

Place chopped onions into pan and add the Ghee. Cook until soft.

Place all the ingredients into a pot.

Stir and cook under a slow simmer for about 10 minutes.

GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISAN PIZZA

Its winter and I find myself making more and more comfort types foods for dinner and lunch. Yesterday I cooked up a chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy!  Oh gosh, I forget how awesome gravy tastes!  Anyway, I am still thinking comfort food sounds like a good idea, and it's time for pizza.  And you know me - regular ol' pizza will never do, I have to have "good food" pizza. Made with the best, fresh ingredients I can find and if I grow them myself - even better. Well, I had some of these ingredients I grew myself, like the sweet potatoes, but the rest I bought from the Farmer's Market or the Good Food Store. Now I'm thinking I need to challenge myself to make the "Artisan Pizza of the Month." I've been eying up those beets I bought a while back that might need to be used up soon….

So how did I come up with this kind of pizza?  My step-daughter told me how her brother-in-law made a pizza very similar to this one when they were visiting once.  So I made it and never looked back!  Best pizza - EVER!  I get a craving for this pizza at least once a month, and I don't know what it is, maybe its the salty taste from the goat cheese and bacon and the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, or the ton of garlic I add to it, but it is so darn good, I can't help but eat half of it!  and then eat the other half for breakfast.

GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISANAL PIZZA

8 oz goat cheese (use herbed goat cheese if you dare)

2 cups chopped spinach

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (use candied or spiced ones if you are really in for a taste sensation)

1/2 lb bacon ( I've been known to use a whole pound - shh!  don't tell my doctor)

2 medium size sweet potatoes - baked

1 tbs garlic

1 tbs garlic salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs butter

1 12" pizza crust - Gluten-free if you prefer.

Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and once cooled, remove skin and place in a bowl.

Add milk, garlic, garlic salt, and butter.

Make into mashed sweet potatoes.  This will be your 'sauce.'

Spread onto the crust (I added rosemary to the crust for even more flavor)

Chop the spinach and toss onto the pizza pie.

Chop the walnuts and add to the awesomest pizza ever.

Cut the bacon into small strips and fry it up in a pan (and never ever let you forget you're a maaannn - oh! sorry) until semi-crispy or to your liking. Drain on paper towels.

Add to the pizza.  At this point you will be salivating heavily.  Find a napkin and wipe your chin.

Add the goat cheese.  Unless you are like me and want to eat half the goat cheese by licking the soft cheese off your fingers the whole time as you are trying to break it up and put it on the pizza, freeze the cheese while you are making everything else and it should crumble better.

If using a regular crust, bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is browned and toppings slightly brown.

If using a gluten-free crust, which will be partially baked, cook under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, again until top is lightly browned.

And there ya have it!  The best, most incredible, taste tantalizing, awesome, drool inducing pizza in the world.  I shared this with you.  You will be forever grateful.  You are welcome.  I take credit cards. And cash.

GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISANAL PIZZA

8 oz goat cheese (use herbed goat cheese if you dare)

2 cups chopped spinach

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (use candied or spiced ones if you are really in for a taste sensation)

1/2 lb bacon ( I've been known to use a whole pound - shh!  don't tell my doctor)

2 medium size sweet potatoes - baked

1 tbs garlic

1 tbs garlic salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs butter

1 12" pizza crust - Gluten-free if you prefer.

Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and once cooled, remove skin and place in a bowl.

Add milk, garlic, garlic salt, and butter.

Make into mashed sweet potatoes.  This will be your 'sauce.'

Spread onto the crust (I added rosemary to the crust for even more flavor)

Chop the spinach and toss onto the pizza pie.

Chop the walnuts and add to the pizza.

Cut the bacon into small strips and fry it up in a pan until semi-crispy or to your liking. Drain on paper towels and add to pizza.

Add the goat cheese.  

If using a regular crust, bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is browned and toppings slightly brown.

If using a gluten-free crust, which will be partially baked, cook under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, again until top is lightly browned.

A GOOD FRIEND, LOTS OF GOOD WINE AND TONS OF GOOD FOOD = ONE HAPPY DAWN!

Awhile back I helped my friend Cathy with a little healthy cooking.  She just wanted someone to guide her through cooking some food with the whole bunch of dietary limitations she has.  She knows how much I love food and good food for that matter so she gave me a call.  I was happy to help.  We went shopping at the local co-op, good, all fresh, organic, gluten free and dairy free food.  The challenge for me was to cook without cheese!  I know, right?  No one should eat meals without cheese.  Just sayin'.

So I cooked up some incredible chicken broth from the chicken carcass that I baked, made some enchiladas with ground turkey, my grandma's recipe for stuffed peppers made with ground up bison meat, eggplant parmesan without the parmesan but with homemade marinara sauce, and a braised pork loin. Nummy!

Well, because Cathy is just this awesome person, she wanted to treat me to a night out.  A local winery here, called Four Daughters,  had a Chef's dinner night, so Cathy said we had to go.  Who could turn that down?  They were offering a tour of the winery, a three-course meal and wine tasting.

We took a cab so we could really enjoy ourselves and had just the best time chatting with the cabbies.  I never took a cab here in Rochester, didn't know they were so friendly and fun, them cabbies.

We got there about 7 and sat at the bar to wait, there were supposed to be a few more signed up for the dinner.  About 7:15 they assumed they weren't coming so we got started with the tour.

Our first course was a scallop with bitter greens and balsamic redux.  We got that while having the tour.  Then our next course was a peice of artisinal pizza.  At this point I'm thinking this is great!  But the best part is when the two Chef's announced that they were 'practicing' tonight and were gonna serve us more like 8 courses, which turned out to be 9.  Yeehaaa!  Glad I wore my leggings instead of my jeans. Seriously.  And don't forget wine poured with every course!  Yeehaa!  Dawn's living it up tonight!

We didn't get pics of the first two courses, we were still in a state of shock from the sumptuous taste of the them.

Next came a baby pear, goat cheese and beet …. I guess you can call it a... salad.

Then it was duck proscuitto and housemade grape jelly.

Then the Chef loves to use a noodle.  One long noodle.  And a shrimp with some house pickled pepper pepita salsa. Chef said he likes redundancy.

Then there was the potato soup with bacon - yes, BACON!  (Bacon should always have an exclamation point)

And then… it was the pan seared roasted duck breast with sauteed kale and this bread pudding made with housemade driend grapes and andiuolle sausage. I think… it was getting a little fuzzy by then and I didn't write all this down.

then the intermezzo was a house made pita chip with 5 year old cheddar.  Cheese!

Well, now that we are ready to roll out of the room, dessert arrives. It's two ginger pancakes stuffed with this amazing cream filling that tasted like heaven!

Now that's what I call a good time.  Great food, good wine, good friends and just an overall great night out.  I just really love my life.  Of course it wouldn't be this great without my really great friends. : )

And Marilyn.

CHORIZO STUFFED DATES WRAPPED IN BACON

There's this great restaurant in town, that I love, because they serve food that's Farm To Table.  Meaning, they shop at the farmer's market like me and they buy locally, they call that a locavore. That's me, that's this restaurant.  5 Stars, in my opinion. Sontes. And they also have my art hanging up in there. : )

So when they first opened 6 years ago, they had on their menu Chorizo Stuffed Dates.  They were wrapped in bacon and served with a simple tomato sauce.  They took them off a few years ago and brought them back on on their anniversary date this year.  Well, since I had some left over dates from the Date, Goat Cheese, Proscuitto and Caramelized Onion pizza and some Chorizo and Enchilada Sauce from the Chorizo and Bison Enchiladas, I thought I would try my own version.

CHORIZO STUFFED DATES WRAPPED IN BACON

8 oz chorizo
8 Medjool Dates
8 slices of bacon
1 cup leftover (or not) enchilada sauce

Cook chorizo in a frying pan.

Cut dates in half.

Remove pit and separate.

Fill date with cooked chorizo.

Wrap with bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Place a little sauce in a baking dish and place filled dates in.  I put some sauce on top and then after baking it realized it would be better to pour some heated sauce over the top after broiling.

Broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until nicely browned.

Enjoy!

 CHORIZO STUFFED DATES WRAPPED IN BACON

8 oz chorizo

8 Medjool Dates

8 slices of bacon

1 cup leftover (or not) enchilada sauce

Cook chorizo in a frying pan

Cut dates in half.

Remove pit and separate.

Fill date with cooked chorizo.

Wrap with bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Place a little sauce in a baking dish and place filled dates in.

Broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until nicely browned.

Pour some heated sauce over the top after broiling.

Enjoy!