Wooden Spoonz

Our first adventure with the Boston Butt…

Our butt was 14.2 pounds.

We used Heather’s BBQ Rub:

Pulled Pork | Home Ec 101 via kwout

We tripled the recipe, used a full cup of rub on each butt (ours was cut into two) and let them sit, wrapped, for two hours, at 45 degrees.

In a large roasting pan, on a rack, we started the butts, in an oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Then we reduced the oven to 225 degrees and went to bed.

I turned off the oven at 5am.  It was a success after just 12 hours. (We estimated 1.5 hours per pound.)

Then the trick was getting it cool enough to touch, so the fat could be separated and discarded and brunch was on its way.  Definitely going to do this over again.. more than once.

We yeilded 9.5 pounds of cooked pulled pork, at the price of about $23, sans oven cooking costs.

I’m on a quest and next time I’ll try corn flour instead of heavier cornmeal.. but these were fabulous, too!

I happened to have a bag of Sweet Corn Bread’s dry ingredients mixed up, already.  So, I added 1 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the dry batter.

Wet batter: 2 eggs and 2 cups whole milk

I used jumbo pans and they were good, but heavier than Jim N Nicks.  I’m much too lazy to put them into tiny muffin pans, but I’ll try again and let you know how it goes.

12 jumbo’s baked 375 degree F for about 25 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom only, of two loaf pans.

Dry:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided 2 cups and 1 1/2 cups)
1 Tablespoon Soy Flour (This is used as an egg replacement. If you do not have Soy Flour, just increase eggs, in recipe, to four, total.)
1 1/3 cup natural cane sugar
4 teaspooons double acting baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Wet:
2 cups mashed bananas (I like to make mine chunky, and not mashed completely.)

1/4 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon water (This with the Soy Flour replaces one egg. If you do not have soy flour, omit this water and increase eggs, to four.)
3 eggs

Mix 2 cups of flour with the rest of the dry ingredients, in a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Add all wet ingredients, at once, into the dry mixture and mix until just moistened. (I mix the wet altogether, sans the butter.)

Add additional 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Mix only until thoroughly mixed.  Try not to over-mix, and work the gluten more than necessary.

Add to pans and put into the oven, immediately.  Bake 40-45 minutes, or until lightly browned and set.

You may use a toothpick, but remember that chunkier banana is still wet.  Don’t remove it from the oven if there is any “jiggle” in the center, as you pull out the rack.

Makes 2 loaves

Prep, in advance (couple hours to overnight.. doesn’t matter)

• 1 cup filtered water into the refrigerator (luckily, I added more than needed, so when I messed up the recipe, I could, quickly, start over.)
• Refrigerate or Freeze (I didn’t have room in my fridge.) your mixing bowl and metal beaters. (I used my KitchenAid and metal whisk attachment.)

Prepare Pan:

• Mix 1/4 cup tapioca starch with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.  Grease 9×13 pan.  Dust with 1/2 the tapioca/sugar mixture.

Into cold mixing bowl, add, but do not mix:

• 4 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatin (contains natural glutamate) (I weighed two envelopes: .55 oz)
• 1/2 cup cold filtered water

Into heavy sauce pan:

• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 1/2 cups natural cane sugar
• 1 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Bring sugar syrup to soft ball stage (approx 235 °F) stirring, to prevent burning, and remove from heat.

Turn on mixer (the gelatin appears to look like dry foam) and slowly pour in the hot syrup.

When all syrup has been added to the mixing bowl, turn the mixer onto high speed.

Whip for approximately 10 minutes.  Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and beat to mix-in.

Spread into prepared pan.

Sprinkle with the remaining tapioca/powdered sugar mixture.  Let set for 24 hour.  Cut into squares.

(Needing to use the marshmallows before it had set, they were too soft to cut.  The next morning, they cut, easily, and I rolled the cut sides into the powdered mixture that was loose, in the pan.)

I have annoyed many a restaurant server, asking them about their Sopaipillas, when I see them on a menu.  Fried flour tortillas just don’t count.  These are good.

In medium mixing bowl, combine:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

Cut in 2 Tablespoons room temperature butter

Add 3/4 cup warm water

Knead gently to form a ball of dough, that has absorbed all the flour, from the bowl.

Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

Roll out on flour covered board, and cut with a pizza cutter into squares.

Fry in hot oil.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Serve warm with honey or agave nectar.

This recipe doubles nicely.

1. 4 pounds Roma Tomatoes
2. 1 sweet onion, sliced thin (vidalia, peru, maya..)
3. 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
4. 5 whole basil leaves
5. 12-15 (4 inches) oregano leaves
6. 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
7. 1 Tablespoon Aged Balsamic Vinegar
8. 4 cups Vegetable Better Than Bouillon, prepared into broth
9. 4 cups Heavy Cream, cold
10. 2 Tablespoons ArrowRoot Powder

Cut Tomatoes, in half, length-wise, and lay on baking sheet, cut-side down.  Top with items 2-5.  Drizzle on items 6-7.

Roast 375 degrees, for 45 minutes.

Let cool, slightly, so you can peel the tomato skins off (they will be loose.)

Puree everything on the tray, in blender, magic bullet, or with immersion stick blender. (I, prefer, to strain the soup, when I use the magic bullet.)

Pour into pan. Add broth and stir, to combine.

Zip (Blender or Magic Bullet) arrowroot powder into Cold Cream, for a few seconds.

Pour into soup.  Stir while heating.  Serve with Mexican Sunset Bread Machine Bread:

Mexican Sunset Bread (Bread Machine) – 244998 – Recipezaar via kwout

Machine settings: 1.5 pound. medium crust, loaf

I used unbleached all-purpose flour and 3 teaspoons Vital Wheat Gluten, in place of the bread flour.  I, also, used HM Taco Seasoning.

This bread is fantastic!

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon corn starch

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

To Make Taco Meat:

One Mix Packet

1.5 pounds ground meat (I prefer sirloin)

1/2 cup filtered water

Brown the meat and drain.  Add mix and water and simmer 10-15 minutes.

1 large Broccoli Crown (Chopped 3-3.5 cups)

1/3 cup Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon

1/4 cup Diced Purple Onion

1/4 cup Organic Raisins

1 cup shredded cheddar or c0-jack cheese

1/2 cup Vegennaise (or Mayo of your choice)

2 Tablespoon organic can sugar

In large bowl, mix sugar into mayo.  Add broccoli, bacon, onion, raisin, and cheese. Mix thoroughly.

1 – 38 ounce can Italian Cut Green Beans, drained

1/2 cup butter

1/2 onion, chopped (or large shallot) (Pictured: Cipollini Onion)

2 large cloves, minced

1 teaspooon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

heaping 1/4 cup Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon

Melt butter, in skillet on medium heat.  Saute onion/shallot and garlic, for 2-3 minutes.  Add drained green beans, bacon, basil, and pepper.  Heat thoroughly. (About 5 minutes.)

Meat of one large Rottiserie Chicken, chopped

1 cup small red grapes, halved

1 large Fuji Apple, chopped

1 8-ounce can Sliced Water Chestnuts, chopped

Juice of one large lime

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 cup Vegennaise

Chop everything uniformly.  After apples are added to the bowl, squeeze lime over apples.  Mix altogether and serve or refrigerate.

Can be served on rolls, or over lettuce, topped with sliced scallions and dried chinese rice noodles (as shown.)