Blueberry Yogurt Bundt Cake with Orange-Rum Glaze

This past Saturday I stumbled upon the BEST yard sale. You know its good when you arrive and find, right away, vintage cocktail glasses and a woven leather belt in your size. I acquired numerous items at this sale but NONE compared to the antique Wagner Ware cast iron Bundt Cake pan. As soon as I picked it up (all 9 pounds of it) I knew that what I held in my hands was not only an amazing piece of baking history but personal history as well. Sure enough two seconds later the woman who was hosting the sale approached me. It was her Grandmothers. And that she had baked pound cakes in it for decades. I asked her why she was selling such a beautiful artifact. She replied that she did not use it anymore and that her husband is diabetic. She continued on about her Grandmother, who had raised her in Baltimore, and how important family is. She asked 10 dollars for the pan, I did not bargain with her and reassured her that it would be put to good use and well taken care of.

My beautiful Bundt...



Now there is an interesting twist to this story. First a brief history...The bundt pan is a variation on ceramic cake forms used in Germany, Austria and Hungary. Bundt cake pans found their way into our baked goods vernacular though a man by the name of David Dalquist, founder of Nordic Ware in Minnesota; who upon request by a group of Zionist women in Minneapolis was asked to manufacture a bundt cake pan. Dalquist modified the heavy ceramic or cast iron pans and incorporated the fluted Scandinavian designs to make the pan from aluminum. He then trademarked the Bundt pan in 1950. After luke warm sales the Bundt cake came into full American culinary view after a Bundt cake took second prize at a Pillsbury sponsored baking contest in 1966. Bundts surpassed Jell-O molds to become the best selling pan in the United States, more than 50 million have been sold by the Nordic Ware company. Side note: My Grandfather worked at Nordic Ware for a short time and my Mother was employed as a free-lance graphic designer for Pillsbury.


At home I already had dough rising for Pan co'Santi for a potluck that evening (recipe to follow). But I cold not resist my beautiful new baking accessory and immediately started searching for a Bundt cake recipe. I found one for a Yogurt Bundt cake in the Joy of Cooking revised edition (1997). I adapted it only slightly. I added fresh organic blueberries, used organic sugar and used eggs from our CSA share. I then dressed my Blueberry Bundt with a very fragrant Orange-Rum glaze. Pure Gloriousness. The cake did not make it to the Potluck, I just couldn't bring myself to relinquish my first Bundt cake to strangers.



Blueberry Yogurt Bundt Cake with Orange-Rum Glaze

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour one 6-cup Bundt pan.

Sift together:

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (make sure its not expired!)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Gradually add and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 2 to 3 minutes:

1 cup sugar

Whisk together, then gradually beat in:

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with, in 2 parts:

1 cup yogurt (non-fat, low-fat or full-fat)

Beating on low speed until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. When mixed fold in 2 cups fresh blueberries (washed and picked over for stems). Scrape the batter into the Bundt and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-40 minutes in a Bundt pan (depending on if yours is aluminum or cast iron)Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Tap the sides of the Bundt pan against the counter to loosen the cake. Invert the cake and let cool on a rack or a pretty plate.

ps you don't have to have a bundt cake for this recipe, any old cake pan will do, just watch your baking times...

Orange-Rum Glaze

Stir together briskly until thoroughly combined:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy

2 to 3 tablespoons rum

1/2 teaspoons orange zest

Drizzle over cake while warm....dust with powdered sugar right before serving

Week 1: Great Kids Farm CSA

Yesterday was the first week of 24 of our CSA share from Great Kids Farm. Great Kids Farm is the brain child of Toni Geraci, Food Service Director for Baltimore City Public Schools, the basic idea is to teach city school children about growing vegetables and sustainability while acquiring healthy eating practices...more info on the endeavor here from the Washington Post.

For those of you who are asking what a CSA is(Community Supported Agriculture) the U.S. Department of Agriculture breaks it down very well here.

If you are interested in joining a CSA you can find one by looking here on the Local Harvest website. I highly recommend it. You can join up with friends and split the cost. There is something so pure and simple about preparing and eating food that was grown so close to your home by a farmer and volunteers who care about good food for you and the environment.

Thank you to Farmer Greg Strella, the farm manager at Great Kids Farm and numerous volunteers for making our first share such an amazing gift. Here is what we received and what I made for dinner last night with some of the share items.

Week 1...Great Kids share

6 fresh eggs
strawberries
Herbs: Oregano, Lemon Verbena, Parsley
kale
Scallions
Green Garlic
French radishes
bag of mixed salad greens

Dinner...
Spiced Brown Butter Fried Rice with Eggs

To Make: Spiced Brown Butter
(makes a lot, keep what you don't use in the fridge for more cooking!)

1 stick organic salted butter
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
6 shallots chopped really well (from the Waverly Farmers Market)
Spice Mixture: Bring and mix together in a small bowl
1/2 teaspoon each of the following:
ground ginger
paprika
coriander
cinnamon
scant 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon + sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the shallots gently for 10 minutes or until the butter starts to brown. Stir in the spices and remove from heat. Transfer into a glass jar to use throughout the week.

Preparation for...
Spiced Brown Butter Fried Rice with Eggs
serves 2, total prep time 20-30 minutes

2 tablespoons of your Spiced Brown Butter
4 Green Garlic bulbs, sliced thin, greens too, remove the roots (csa)
Wash and slice to 1/4 inch: 4-6 leaves of kale (csa) and other green like baby broccoli or asparagus roughly 5-6 stalks
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2 eggs (csa)
1 tablespoon or so fresh parsley roughly chopped (csa)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the brown butter and saute the green garlic for 2-4 minutes on med-lo heat. Add the kale and other green to the pan and saute for another 5 minutes, be careful not to over cook your greens.
Meanwhile make your egg cake: whisk together the eggs, pinch of salt, black pepper and parsley. Heat some of your brown butter in a small skillet, until hot, add your eggs. turn down to med-lo and cook. DO NOT scramble, your making an egg pancake. Rotate the pan around to cook the runny egg on top, once the egg-cake "slips" from the bottom of the pan gently flip it. Cook briefly, remove from heat and set aside.

Back to your greens- add your rice and saute until the moisture is removed from the pan and you have that fried rice look. Remove from heat and slide the egg-cake on top. Serve it up!

Dinner vs Supper: Spinach lasagna

Over the weekend I visited NYC with my friend Jackie and met up with my Dad and Stepmom and a long time friend. We had an amazing weekend together filled with food, shopping, art, drinking and all around visual consuming. By Sunday the schlepping of bags and constant hum of the city was starting to wear on me. I missed my house. Especially my kitchen and the people that inhabit it. So last night after a long day at work and the juggling of more errands, I wanted to make a proper meal. And not just any meal, I wanted comfort food. And so did the people I was cooking for. By the time I got around to making dinner it was 9pm. Which is technically supper, but unlike supper (defined as a "light meal before bed") this was slightly heavy and served at exactly 10:25pm. But no one seemed to care, I was hungry (literally) for some QT with my buddies and a full belly after the long day and jam-packed weekend. I decided on making one of my favorite dishes adapted from the cookbook that taught me how to prepare vegan food; How it All Vegan. Its for Spinach Lasagna and it never fails. I'm proud to list this as my first adapted recipe because no matter what type of food consumer you classify yourself as (or don't) you will LOVE this dish. If my carnivore Dad likes it so will yours.

Shane and Douglas consuming lasagna last night...



Spinach lasagna*

Preheat your oven to 350, Prep time about 30 minutes
Total time: 1-2 hours depending on your kitchen agility.

Lasagna pan or similar deep pan

1 box or more Lasagna Pasta (I like to use Bionature 's whole wheat lasagna)

1/2-1# Mozzarella, shredded

Pasta Sauce: (make a bunch of this when these veggies are in season...freezes really well)

4-8 Tomato's, diced (best if in season)
1 24 ounce can of diced Tomato's
2 Carrots sliced into 1/8" thick rounds, or finely chopped
1/2 Red Pepper, chopped into 1/2 squares
1/2 Green Pepper, chopped into 1/2 squares
8-10 Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
A hearty handful of fresh Basil, washed, dried and chopped well
1Tbsp of fresh Oregano, washed, dried and chopped well
1Tbsp of fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Scant tbsp sweetener of your choice (optional)

When your ingredient's are chopped and prepped for the sauce start a large stock pot of salted water for your pasta. Then heat half of the olive oil in a large sauce pan on med-lo, when heated saute the mushrooms until slightly browned, remove to a bowl, add the rest of the olive oil and saute the onions until translucent, add the mushrooms back along with the herbs, peppers and carrots. Saute until the veggies are soft but not mushy, 5 minutes. Add the tomato's and whole can of diced tomatoes (juice too), add the black pepper and salt, stir, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust your heat so that your sauce stays at a simmer. Taste and adjust your seasonings accordingly, add some sugar if the mixture is to acidic. Cook for 10 minutes more and remove from heat. The sauce will be thick, thin with water or vegetable stock if you want a thinner sauce.

While your sauce is cooking start your pasta, add 1/2 a box at a time, cook until almost al dente about 5-6 minutes. While you pasta is cooking make your Spinach-Tofu Mixture.

Spinach-Tofu Mixture: (note you can make this ahead of time and it freezes well)

1# Firm Tofu
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 large shallot bulb, roughly chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, quartered
1/4 cup soymilk or whole milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups fresh chopped spinach (you can use frozen too just make sure you have gotten all the excess water out)

Blend all ingredient's together except the spinach to a smooth consistency, if your blender is less than perfect you may want to blend in batches. Stir in the spinach. Set aside.

Assembly:

Spread a thin layer of the Pasta Sauce on the bottom of your pan (just enough to coat it) add a layer of pasta followed by a layer of the Spinach-Tofu Mixture followed by a layer of mozzarella. Another layer of pasta followed by a layer of sauce followed by the rest of the spinach tofu, another layer of sauce and mozzarella. Bake for 30-45 minutes until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. You may want to rotate half way through for even browning. Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve to loved ones with a simple green salad and olives. Wine, candles and goofy boys are optional.

*Notes:

You can use many variations on this dish. Try adding finely grated in-season zucchini, carrots and mushrooms. Add some browned veggie or real sausage. I've also made this vegan-gluten free with great results. Make a double batch and freeze one for later. Try making individual lasagnas in ramekins. If you are not using cheese add more pasta sauce to the top and if you like Nutritional Yeast sprinkle a little of that on top for flavor.

Sacred Space

Spring in Baltimore has been unseasonably cool and rainy. Usually by mid-May Bmores infamous humidity begins to rest its heavy sleepy paws onto the backs of its residents and by mid June the giant humidity dog has settled in for a long summer snooze, only to be stirred by a thunderstorm or the onset of fall. The humidity will come but for now I'm delighted in the lighter cooler weather. If you work in an office 5 days a week you know that spring and summer are well...painful. You know its nice out, you can see the sun shining but there you sit starring at the glow of a computer screen. Everyday I leave for lunch, rain or shine, I just don't understand the concept of lunching at your desk. I think that its important for employees to leave their desks, walk around outside and take the time to eat a proper lunch, alone, with friends/co-workers, or if your lucky go home. Today I'm sharing my sacred lunch space with you. I usually eat alone in a park near my work, and I'm surprised at how few people I see doing the same. Today for lunch I had a spinach salad with sprouts, carrots, red cabbage, a leftover garbanzo bean burger, sliced tomato with tahini and Braggs and for dessert I had an orange. All while soaking up some vitamin D, hearing the birds chirp and saying hello to strangers. Back at work I felt recharged to finish the day...Garbanzo bean Burger recipe coming later tonight!Here are some snapshots of what I saw...

Ode to the Onion

When I think about how a particular ingredient is incorporated into a recipe I like to imagine the item as a friend going to a reunion. At this reunion the smells are the memories and at the end when everyone has mingled and caught up the final product is a testament to those good times. Then we get to sit down and enjoy the party with the others. So when preparing dinner for myself, Shane and our friend Douglas the other night I took a Vidalia from the crisper and had a moment...

The Onion, what a glorious food. Referenced in music, worshipped by Egyptians, despised for making cooks pour tears, the satirical news source "The Onion", onion breath, a cure for snake bites, hair loss and infertility. Roman Gladiators rubbed onions on their muscles to firm them before fighting to modern day middle school science class and on and on...Onions are extremely nutritious and one of the worlds oldest vegetables. And they are critical in almost every savory and sometimes sweet recipe, from mirepoix blanc to mince meat pies, to pickled onions served with fish n' chips. Onions are high in vitamin C, good for your bones, Anti-Inflammatory/Anti-Bacterial, protect against ovarian cancer, supports gastrointestinal health and cardiovascular health.

So when my onion mingled with the turnips and carrots in the roasting pan, and the smells began to waft into my kitchen I couldn't help but feel satisfied knowing that this food will nourish and warm the people I love.

Mary Mary quite contrary how does your Garden Grow?

With Water and Sun of course! Everything is starting to sprout and take off. All of my seeds have come up and I have some serious thinning to-do very soon. I took a walk around the neighborhood last night and noticed three other households who have installed raised beds in their front yard!This is very exciting...I'm looking forward to watching every ones progress and perhaps sharing in the bounty of home grown veggies.

Thank You Dinner with J and M

A couple of weeks ago my friend Jackie asked me to develop a diet plan for her. Being obsessed with healthy eating my friends always seem to come to me for advice on how to eat better, and I LOVE giving good sound food advice. This was the first time I actually put my food resources to paper and I surprised myself to just how much I know. We took some time to talk about her eating habits and her goals. I wanted to make sure that I did not impose my particular eating lifestyle in learning about and developing hers, because everybody is different and everyone needs different foods to benefit them. What I ended up giving her was a 5 page document that listed all the foods that I thought would benefit her, what foods are best purchased organically as well as foods that I thought would be her personal Superfoods along with a list of new items to slowly start incorporating into her Palate and Pantry vocabulary.
Last night she thanked me with a beautiful dinner along with another M friend of ours. It was fantastic! And to my delight she told me that the new eating plan was working for her and her initial goals are being reached. Its so exciting to see that food is empowering her to explore and eat new things. Needless to say I was totally flattered and impressed by the meal she made.
Go Jackie Go!

She prepared the following:
Mango and Avocado Salsa
Bruschetta
Quinoa and Zucchini Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Vegetarian Lentil Burgers

Veg!

My future in vegetable gardening has begun! I finished all of my seed planting last weekend. This is what i planted last Saturday:

Arugula
Sassy Salad Mix
carrots
Beets!
Onions
Basil

Man oh man i tell you planning out where everything goes is definitely a science. I spent 5 hours in total plotting, measuring and spacing then finally planting. I think i may have over "seeded" but i can always thin them out. Also the passer-by comments have officially gone from something along the lines of "Your Crazy" to "What are you growing?" and "WOW! Your garden is looking fantastic!" to other veggie gardeners sharing their success stories and failures and just general support. I even saw someone else in my hood become inspired with their own planter boxes. Right in their front Yard!

Lets hear it for Veggie Gardens!