Homemade Iced Coffee and Sweet Cream

Being a dedicated iced coffee drinker, when I happened upon this Pinterest post I knew I had to try it.  Dana at cravingcomfort.blogspot.com has hit this nail on the head.  Who wants to pay more than $4 for an Iced Coffee drink? I certainly do not! And this version is rich, creamy, delicious and approximately $1 per serving.

 

The process seemed simple enough; add water to coffee grounds and let cold brew overnight.  Ok, I can do this.  Then I realized I didn’t have a container large enough to accommodate a gallon of brewing coffee.  So I figured it wasn’t the container that matter but the time it takes to brew.  I pulled 2 large zip type bags out of the drawer and divided up the grounds and water and I was in business.  With both bags completely full, I squeezed them a bit to ensure all the grounds were wet and let them sit.  The next morning the fun began… the filtering.  This took some time and what a mess.  Did I mention I LOVE ICED COFFEE???? I opted to run the wet grounds through coffee filters as opposed to cheese cloth.  This process took a little over an hour, not that bad.  As the coffee filtered off I put it back into the gallon jug that the purified water came in and stored my iced coffee in the refrigerator.

 

Meanwhile, I prepared the sweet cream.  A can of evaporated milk and one of sweetened condensed milk were combined and placed into a container. 

So, now it’s time to enjoy. I couldn’t wait to try it.  I filled the largest glass I could find with ice, added the coffee concentrate and sweet cream to my glass.  I gave it a good stir and took a sip.  Delicious but just a little sweet to me, so I added some regular milk to it…. Perfection!!!!  I will be making this iced coffee again, just as soon as I finish this batch. 

Simple Homemade Goats Cheese

It has been some time since I last posted.  I’ve had some medical issues but I’m doing a little better now and trying to get back to my passions.  Anyone who knows me knows just how much I value my time in the kitchen, creating, exploring and producing.  Sooooo……

The other day I was given a quart of Organic Goats Milk and decided I couldn’t let it go to waste, so after a bit of internet research I found this:

http://cheese.about.com/od/homecheesemaking/r/How-To-Make-Homemade-Goat-Cheese.htm

I love fun, easy and tasty food and this was all of those.  Needless to say my only experience with goat milk was 27 years ago when my youngest daughter developed milk allergies and I was forced to find alternatives.  She seemed to enjoy it so that was a plus.  I would never give my child something I hadn’t tried first and I was a little hesitant to say the least.  To me it was a little grassy and earthy, if that makes sense. But it was palatable and I figured if she didn’t like it I would find something else. Long story, sorry.

So anyway…. I set out to make this cheese.  I had everything on hand so that was a plus.  However, it does take a bit of time, not much, 2 hours.  The quart yielded 1 cup.  I must admit I expected a bit more.  But I certainly was NOT disappointed in the flavor.  As I was traveling through the process I thought I needed to step it up a bit and text my oldest daughter, because

she has a fabulous sense for these kinds of things.  I asked if she thought a particular herb would be better than another and she suggested rosemary.  I happened to have that in my little window herb garden.  

Once the cheese was complete, I refrigerated it for 2 days because after reading about it I figured it would make it that much better.  Today I placed a small amount on a butter style cracker, my taste buds danced with joy.  I proceeded to have another and yet another.  JOY!!! I’m so glad I did this!  I encourage you to try to make your own cheese and enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you do, let me know what you think.

Bangers ‘n’ Mash with Devil’s Gravy

Bangers and Mash is a British staple that I’ve never tried.  Some dumb preconceived notion that British food was blah or bland.  I was wrong and I’m very sorry for that, as I’ve missed out all these years.  Yes, my family has a traditional rib roast and Yorkshire pudding every year for Christmas, and I absolutely love it.  Thanks Mom. I am happy to say and admit I loved the Bangers and Mash and will definitely fix it again soon. 

The devil’s sauce starts with a finely chopped onion, carrot, celery and lardons cooked until browned.  Remove from the pan and make your rue.  Add 2 cups beef stock, tomato paste and wine, add vegetable and lardons back into the pan with a bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns) and simmer for 15 minutes.  Pour thru a sieve and add cayenne pepper.

The potatoes boil in salted water until tender and are then put threw the rice mill or food mill. Add milk, a little nutmeg and salt.  Meanwhile melt butter in a skillet and add 4 shallots finely chopped and cook until soft, add to the sauce.  Cook your sausages until just done and brown on all sides.  Serve sauce over sausages and mash. Voila!!!! This was so delicious and another success, Thank you Rachel Khoo and The Little Paris Kitchen.

Open Faced Sandwiches

The open faced sandwich is one of my favorites.  As a young person my mom would mix up some tuna, put a piece of cheese on top and place it under the broiler. This was and still is one of my favorite open faced sandwiches.  Although there are so many options I don’t tend to experiment much in this arena.  After trying a few of Rachel’s variations I’m looking forward to trying more of her many options in The Little Paris Kitchen.

In my area there are a plethora of artisanal breads available.  I find the best choices at Trader Joe’s.  I chose a crusty exterior and soft interior baguette.  With the baguettes it’s a; buy it today, eat it today bread. My first choice was a sweet sandwich, Strawberries with Crème Fraiche and mint on the sliced baguette; untoasted.  It was very delicious and perfect as breakfast, snack or even desert.  It almost reminded me of strawberry shortcake of sorts.  The next day I pulled out the radishes, sliced them super thin and placed them atop a slice of the baguette that was lightly toasted, slathered with unsalted butter and sprinkled with course sea salt.  WOW!! It was so tasty and savory. Another great snack item or serve it alongside a salad.

Rachel’s open faced suggestions, on a savory note are;

Roasted Ham and Pear, brush the baguette with a little extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced pear and strips of roast ham.

Avocado and grapefruit; sprinkled with a little olive oil and salt.

And, Goat’s cheese with Fig and Walnuts, then place under the broiler for a minute or two.

On the sweet side;

Caramelized Apples; butter the bread, lay down thinly sliced apples, lightly salt and place under the broiler for a minute or two.  You can also use bananas, plums or pears.

Chocolate and Olive Oil;  brush bread with a little olive oil and top with cold grated chocolate, place under the broiler until the chocolate melts.

Peach and Brie; top with a few slices of each.

I will be trying all of these.  Thank you Rachel.

Cauliflower Bake with Hazelnut Crunch Crust

An ode to Béchamel.  Oh how I love the French and their sauces, but this is my fav. I’ve yet to find a vegetable or carb (even eggs and meat) that doesn’t taste wonderful with a béchamel, YUM! This rendition includes cheese; the French call it a Mornay Sauce.

2 tbsp. butter, ¼ cup AP flour, 2 cups of lukewarm milk, ¼ of an onion with 1 clove and 1 bay leaf used for infusing of the sauce and removed later.  A pinch of white pepper, nutmeg and salt, and grated Gruyere, 3-lbs cauliflower cut into florets, ¼ cup hazelnuts chopped and 1 slice extra-crunchy toast, roughly chopped.  The Mornay is poured over the cauliflower and sprinkled with the nuts and crumbs.  

Once baked the tender cauliflower and cheesy morney balance so nicely with the crunchy toasted topping.  I was compelled to take just one more bite, and another, and another.  Needless to say it wasn’t long until it all disappeared. As I taste this delight I can imagine how lovely it would be to use broccoli or maybe a combination of a variety of vegetables.  I might even use a blend of cheeses next time.  Another hit Rachel, thanks to “The little Paris kitchen”.