All About Barb

 Rhubarb, that is. Such a polarizing plant. You either love it or despise it. I happen to love it and will eat it raw. Just peel and munch. Delish. Since relocating to Maine, I have found myself embedded with fellow rhubarb lovers. These recipes are some of the best ways I have found to enjoy it.

Rhubarb Syrup

1 lb rhubarb, washed and sliced

1 quart water

1 Cup sugar

Mix ingredients and simmer, covered on low heat until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain liquid into a bowl, pressing out liquid. Let cool. You have essentially made rhubarb simple syrup. Reserve cooked rhubarb and serve on crackers with salty cheese like feta or ricotta salata. Add the syrup to water for a light refreshing juice or mix it into your favorite cocktail. 

Strawberry Apple Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

Adapted from Bunson Burner Bakery

Fruit Filling

1 quart strawberries, sliced
2 cups (approximately 6 stalks) rhubarb, sliced into half-inch pieces

2 honeycrisp apples. cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cookie Layer
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cup rolled oats

1. To prepare the strawberry/apple/rhubarb layer, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and toss with a wooden spoon to coat the fruit.  Cook over medium heat until rhubarb is fork-tender and juices have thickened, about 6-8 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Cover a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on both ends of the pan.  Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add sugars and beat until well combined, another 2-3 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix on low speed until just combined.  Add in oats and mix on low speed, stirring by hand a few times to evenly incorporate the oats.
5. Press 3/4 of the dough mixture evenly into the foil-lined baking pan.  Place the remaining quarter of the dough mixture into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Spread the fruit compote over the layer of pressed dough, spreading evenly over the surface with a rubber spatula.  Crumble the remaining chilled dough over top of the fruit.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the crumble layer is golden brown.  Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
8. Remove from the pan using the foil handles.  The bars are heavy, so the center may require support from a spatula – it will start to sag when lifted by the foil.  Slice into 18 large bars or 24 squares.

I have also made this with blueberries and with blueberries with sweetened mascarpone cheese. Both were fantastic.

Life is Sweet (sometimes)

 Wow, 2 years since last post! Dang. Life goes by fast. Eat the sweets. You need a scale for this one. No artificial or boxed anything here so no guilt until you eat the 6th one. lol. 

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Real Strawberry Cupcakes with strawberry Crunch Topping 

Strawberry Puree

1 lb Fresh strawberries

Cake

330 grams flour (about 2 3/4 Cups)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

385 grams sugar (about 2 cups)

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C greek nonfat yogurt (plain)

5 oz strawberry preserves (about 1/3 Cup)

1/2 cup strawberry puree

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

4-6 Cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup strawberry puree

Topping

16 vanilla sandwich cookies (like golden oreos)

10 oz freeze dries strawberries (get them at Aldi for less)

1 - Make strawberry puree - you can do this ahead of time. Put 1 lb fresh strawberries in a blender and puree them until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer until reduced to approximately 1 cup. 20-30 minutes. let cool

2-Make cake. Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer. Combine dry and we ingredients in separate bowls. Whisk each bowl so that ingredients in each are combined nicely. Alternating, add wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture in increments, mixing in between additions, until everything in just combined. Scoop batter into lined/greased muffin tins. Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes until done (tops will spring back when touched). Let cool completely before frosting.

3-Make frosting - Using a mixture combine all ingredients until desired consistency is reach. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. If too loose add more sugar, if too stiff add more strawberry puree. Frost cupcakes when they have cooled completely.

4-Make topping - In a food processor (or in a ziplock bag) crush cookies and dried strawberries until they are in approximately 1/4 inch pieces or smaller. Transfer to a bowl and dip frosted cupcakes into topping to coat. 

Share with friend and receive their praises!

TV Dinner

 No. not the kind where you remove foil to expose chicken, lol (I am dating myself since they no longer use foil - plastic, plastic everywhere!). I got this recipe from watching TV - Americas Test Kitchen to be specific. I LOE that show and its sister show Cooks county. I saw this recipe and seeing as I had all the ingredients on hand, I made it. Actually the one ingredient I did not have was the whiter wine - I drink red. BUT I subbed with white wine vinegar and I think it was outstanding. 

Chicken Scampi

2 eggs beaten with 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C flour + 1 Tbs 
salt and pepper
2 pounds chicken tenders (I used boneless skinless chicken breast that I cut into strips.)

6 Tbs vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

8 cloves garlic, sliced

1 1/4 C chicken broth

3/4 C white wine (I used white wine vinegar)

4 Tbs butter

2 Tbs parsley

season chicken with salt and pepper, dip in egg and dredge in 3/4 C flour.

Brown chicken  in 2 Tbs oil in skillet on both sides, remove and set aside. This will take 2 batches so wipe of pan in between and add another 2 Tbs oil before second batch

When chicken is done, wipe out skillet and add the last 2 Tbs oil. When hot saute peppers until soft and browned. add garlic and saute until fragrant. Sprinkle 1 Tbs flour over skillet and saute to cook out raw flour flavor. Add wine (or vinegar) to deglaze pan scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, add chicken broth. Lett simmer to reduce to a nice sauce. Add butter and return chicken to the skillet to coat. Serve with bread, salad or over angel hair pasta.

Catching Up

 So, it has been a while since I made any updates and that is because this summer was CRAZY! New job, new home in a new state certainly upended our lies for a while and we have been balls to the wall since July. But things are finally starting to calm down a bit allowing me to catch up on the recipe thing. First off is an ode to Autumn in Maine, where I now reside. This is a twist on a Cinnamon Roll Whoopie Pie recipe I saw over on evil genius Peabody's website (LINK). In her recipe she piped the cinnamon swirl to make the cakes look like cinnamon rolls - I truly suck with a piping bag and I cold not for the life of me get the cinnamon mixture to flow out nicely so I just ended up putting globs of it on the cakes more like a streusel. Wasn't pretty but they tasted fantastic. My husband and I brought the extras to work and got thumbs up all around.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll/Streusel Whoopie Pies

Cake
2 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 small can pumpkin

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 C granulated white sugar

1/2 C brown sugar (preferably dark but light works too)

1 large egg

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Swirl/Streusel Topping

1/4 C + 1 Tbs brown sugar

2 Tbs melted butter

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Filling

1/2 C butter

1/2 C shortening

1 C marshmallow fluff

1/2 Tbs maple extract

1 Tbs maple whiskey

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 C powdered sugar

1 Tbs cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Make the filling first:

Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Place a 1-quart resalable bag into a glass or cup.

Pour cinnamon mixture into the bag; refrigerate until filling is as thick as toothpaste, about 10 minutes.

To make the whoopie pies: Beat together the oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add pumpkin.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Mix into the wet mixture, stirring until well combined.

Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls or pipe batter onto the pans.

Fill a piping bag with the cinnamon swirl filling and cut a very tiny hole at the bottom for the filling to come out.(This Didn't work for me so if you have the same problem just sprinkle on top!)

Swirl the filling on to the tops of the whoopie pies being careful to leave an edge for the cookie.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch.

For the frosting:

Beat softened butter and shortening and full until well blended. 

Add whiskey vanilla, maple extract, vanilla and cream

Add powdered sugar and mix until combined

Once cakes are completely cooled. Place a heaping spoonful of filling on flat side and topped with another cake. ENJOY!

Say Yes to the Dress(ing)

 This post has nothing to do with weddings, although I do admit that I love that show. This is all about my favorite salad dressing. It is a copycat of the roquefort dressing served tableside at the Student Prince in Springfield, MA. I have not dined there since it changed hands a few years ago but the dressing has never left my thoughts. While the restaurant has sworn to never give out the recipe, they did hint that a base or creamy french dressing is a similar base. I did some searching and I came up with something pretty darn close tot he real thing and I couldn't be happier. 

1/2 C mayo

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 medium onion chopped fine

1 tsp hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 lb roquefort cheese (or quality blue cheese)

Mix together everything but the cheese, then break the cheese up and stir in. Let rest 1 hour before serving

How Low Can You Go.

  Yep, I am doing the low carb thing again and it seems to be working, albeit slowly. The hardest part is coming up with creative and tasty dishes to keep things from getting too repetitive. I can't live on zoodles and salads. I need variety! This weekend I wanted to try and use up some of the REALLY god ricotta that I got at the Italian deli and some zucchini that had been sitting in my fridge too long. I made a low-carb stuffed zucchini that was really out of this world and very easy to make. It did require 1 sort of specialty ingredient and that was a pre-cooked chicken Italian sausage that I get at Aldi. So not super special and you can certainly sub it with regular old Italian sausage if you prefer. I liked the Aldi sausage because I didn't have to cook it ahead of time cutting down on the prep work.

Low-Carb Stuffed Zucchini

1 medium zucchini, split lengthwise with centers removed (I use a melon baller to scoop out the insides)

1 Aldi pre-cooked Italian style chicken sausage

2 handfuls fresh spinach

3 cloves garlic

1 Cup GOOD Ricotta (The stuff that comes in a metal can, not plastic containers), drained

1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1 Tbs balsamic glaze

1 Roughly cut up sausage and place in a food processor with spinach and garlic. Pulse until everything is chopped fine but not pasty. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

2 Add ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and stir to combine thoroughly. S & P to taste.

3 Scoop cheese and sausage mixture into zucchini shells

4 Bake at 400F for 45 minutes or until zucchini is soft.

5 Drizzle with glaze and enjoy!

Tenderloin TIP

I came up with this marinade for tenderloin tips and it was fantastic. It even works great as a glaze for sautéed vegetables so reserve some after you've finished marinating the meat!

 Beef Tenderloin Tip Marinade (and vegetable glaze)

1 C Italian dressing

1/2 C brown sugar

1/4 C ketchup

1 Tbs yellow mustard