Not so bad on skeeters. We had a month long dry spell that dried up everything, making for no breeding grounds for the little blood suckers.
Temps are still in the '90's. It's October already, we should be cooling down now.
Not so bad on skeeters. We had a month long dry spell that dried up everything, making for no breeding grounds for the little blood suckers.
Temps are still in the '90's. It's October already, we should be cooling down now.
One big downside to watching foodie shows is that they make cakes and pastries. I resist a lot, but I had to cave in this time! @kkay59 likes when I tell my little food adventures, so here ya go!
What got me this time was chocolate ganache. I did make ganache, but it’s still setting - it has to get cold to thicken up for icing. I had to buy a cupcake/muffin pan and cupcake papers.
The other thing that got me was desserts with pistachios. I’m nuts about pistachios. (See what I did there? LOL)
I found a recipe for Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Icing. Bingo! The pic is the cupcake pre-icing, and it was so yummy! I might not even need to make ganache next time. These are so good on their own.
The tricky part was that if you don’t have pistachio flour, you have to make your own. I have pistachios, so how hard can it be? Hah! You must:
1) De-shell a full cup of pistachios. Now my thumbnails hurt.
2) Blanch pistachios.
3) Drain water and put pistachios on a towel.
4) Rub pistachios with towel to remove inner skins. This took FOREVER.
5) Place pistachios on a baking sheet and put them in a 325 degree oven for a few minutes to dry them.
6) Put pistachios in a food processor with flour (or alone) and blend for a few minutes until finely ground. Blend too long and you get pistachio paste.
Phew! So worth it though. Can’t wait to have one with my coffee tomorrow morning.
What got me this time was chocolate ganache. I did make ganache, but it’s still setting - it has to get cold to thicken up for icing. I had to buy a cupcake/muffin pan and cupcake papers.
The other thing that got me was desserts with pistachios. I’m nuts about pistachios. (See what I did there? LOL)
I found a recipe for Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Icing. Bingo! The pic is the cupcake pre-icing, and it was so yummy! I might not even need to make ganache next time. These are so good on their own.
The tricky part was that if you don’t have pistachio flour, you have to make your own. I have pistachios, so how hard can it be? Hah! You must:
1) De-shell a full cup of pistachios. Now my thumbnails hurt.
2) Blanch pistachios.
3) Drain water and put pistachios on a towel.
4) Rub pistachios with towel to remove inner skins. This took FOREVER.
5) Place pistachios on a baking sheet and put them in a 325 degree oven for a few minutes to dry them.
6) Put pistachios in a food processor with flour (or alone) and blend for a few minutes until finely ground. Blend too long and you get pistachio paste.
Phew! So worth it though. Can’t wait to have one with my coffee tomorrow morning.
Oh dang girl, that sounds wonderful. I love pistachios too. One of my favorite ice cream flavors is pistachio. You are going to wait until the morning to have one? I would've already wolfed one down once it was ready, just to try it out. Now and then I have lemon poppy seed muffins for breakfast. Usually though, it is just some type of breakfast bar.
Oh, I had one for sure as soon as they were done. Then another while cleaning up. Baking is messy! Baking bread isn’t as messy as baking sweet treats. I usually have a smoothie for breakfast after my coffee. I like having breakfast bars too!
I’ll be buying more pistachios because these are so dang good. I’ll make the pistachio flour ahead of time though. It was a lot to do all at once.
I also had to zest a whole lemon into the batter and it really adds a lot to the flavor.
Now that the ganache is set, it’s amazing too. I used cacao, which is really intense. I have to figure out how to keep it for a while, because I won’t be using all of it on the cupcakes.
On YouTube we found episodes of the UK Master Chef. It’s so much better than the US version of MC - or any competitive cooking show from the US.
None of the drama! Humility rather than ego! No mean comments. Almost no cussing. Judges who offer praise along with constructive criticism. Direct honesty offered without humiliating the person. The competitors seem to compete more with themselves - just to keep improving.
It’s actually about food and cooking. Really enjoying it.
None of the drama! Humility rather than ego! No mean comments. Almost no cussing. Judges who offer praise along with constructive criticism. Direct honesty offered without humiliating the person. The competitors seem to compete more with themselves - just to keep improving.
It’s actually about food and cooking. Really enjoying it.
Lori, if I lived next door to you, you would have to barricade all your doors and windows to keep me from sneaking in and stealing all those tasty treats you make. Those muffins look and sound fantastic!
I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost every single morning. My wife thinks I'm nuts. She won't get within 10 feet of a bowl of oatmeal.
I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost every single morning. My wife thinks I'm nuts. She won't get within 10 feet of a bowl of oatmeal.
Good Morning Army. My feet and my pickup need new treads. So Shoes and tires today.
Have a Safe and Blessed Day
Have a Safe and Blessed Day
Pizza and beer for breakfast.
I'm in Dallas for family bizzness
I've forgotten how crazy this place is traffic wise....
Downright scarey...
I'm in Dallas for family bizzness
I've forgotten how crazy this place is traffic wise....
Downright scarey...
Pizza and beer for breakfast.
I'm in Dallas for family bizzness
I've forgotten how crazy this place is traffic wise....
Downright scarey...
How about those sixty feet high elevated clover leaf exits ? Gotta love those ....
I refuse to drive in DFW now. I absolutely hate the traffic like that.
Pappy, I do like oatmeal now and then for breakfast. I have that more in the colder months. I don't like it nearly as much when it is hot outside.
Pappy, I do like oatmeal now and then for breakfast. I have that more in the colder months. I don't like it nearly as much when it is hot outside.
Lori, those muffins look and sound delightful! Although making that flour sounds labor intensive to say the least.
BK have fun with the family. I’ve never spent any time in DFW area.
Pappy, I love oatmeal but don’t eat it too often. Not sure why. Maybe I’ll make some tomorrow.
My patio furniture arrived yesterday, all in boxes with a little putting together required. Spent the day goofing around with that, still waiting on the darn barstools, they were back ordered. Swapped out some curtains in my living room, everything’s coming together. I fall short with accessorizing spaces, once I get the main pieces I tend to stop, but I’m pretty determined to get things a little cozier around here.
Weather this weekend here is gorgeous. Hopefully we’ve made our turn into the nicest time of year.
Enjoy you Saturday!
BK have fun with the family. I’ve never spent any time in DFW area.
Pappy, I love oatmeal but don’t eat it too often. Not sure why. Maybe I’ll make some tomorrow.
My patio furniture arrived yesterday, all in boxes with a little putting together required. Spent the day goofing around with that, still waiting on the darn barstools, they were back ordered. Swapped out some curtains in my living room, everything’s coming together. I fall short with accessorizing spaces, once I get the main pieces I tend to stop, but I’m pretty determined to get things a little cozier around here.
Weather this weekend here is gorgeous. Hopefully we’ve made our turn into the nicest time of year.
Enjoy you Saturday!
I wish you did live next door to me! I love making these things but it’s always too much quantity. I automatically think of sharing with the neighbors. That’s what we used to do all the time. I’d be knocking on your door all the time to give you goodies! You’d get sick of it.
These days folks don’t have enough trust or friendliness to be able to do that. I understand but it makes me sad. I just cut the recipes down and freeze what I can’t eat right away.
April, I love hearing about your nesting & making your space cozy! Only a little putting together? You chose well. Patio furniture I bought in the past was lots of putting together.
Here’s hoping we really are into the nice time of year!
LA, I agree about sharing the food these days. I used to have a bountiful garden though. My neighbors never turned down any of my offerings. I haven't had a decent garden in a very long time. It is very small, but it was very generous to me. Now the weather is just too bad to even attempt it.
That pistachio stuff sounds great. Never knew there was a pistachio flour. Can probably find it on Amazon. Now I have a hankerin for something pistachio. And with chocolate too? To die for!!
See? It’s contagious. See something with pistachios and then you gotta have pistachios.
Pizza n beer is good too. You did well.
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
- Locked
