Blue Corn Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups Red Bob Mill's Blue Cornmeal, Medium Grind
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ cups warm milk
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

• Mill the cornmeal to create a softer meal.  I use the milling blade on a NutriBullet Pro.
• Mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, nutmeg, pepper, and salt.  Microwave the milk for 2 minutes and then whisk in the oil.  Dump the steaming milk and oil mixture into the flour and stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold over and knead the dough ball in the bowl for no more than  two minutes.  Dough should be firm and soft and still warm from the milk. Do not over knead.
• Place dough in a bowl, cover with a cloth dampened with hot water, and let rest for 20 minutes in a warm place, such as an oven that was turned on briefly.
• After the dough has rested, break off or cut sixteen sections, place on a plate or flexible rolling board (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with the cloth re-dampened with hot water10 minutes.  It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.
• If making for the freezer, put each cut piece in a strip of wax paper, rolling up from one end for one complete turn, then wrapping both sides inward before rolling the rest of the way.
• If cooking immediately, after dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook or roll out each one before cooking.
• In a dry iron skillet, flat frying pan, or electric griddle, heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.  They will draw up in size in the pan.  
• Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
• Tortillas can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame, or in the oven wrapped in foil.  You can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Myrtle's Note:  I wanted to try making a hybrid tortilla, but worried about the proportions given the difference in density between cornmeal and flour.  After reading lots of Internet advice, I decided to use the 3/4 to 1 cup ratio, but to then make up that 1/4 with flour and increased the baking powder to help compensate for the change in ingredients.  I also used a bit of spices that I found common in corn tortilla recipes.  The result was a light, fluffy tortilla, a bit denser than a flour tortilla and tasting of cornmeal.  I am very pleased with the result.  I used the blue cornmeal because it has more protein than yellow cornmeal.


Yield:  16

Source:  Myrtle, modified from Texas Flour Tortilla recipe.

Blue Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup Red Bob Mill's Blue Cornmeal (medium grind)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon or more sugar (up to 1/4 cup will work for sweeter muffins)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees


Directions:

Grease muffin pan and set aside.  I very much adore, for baking, Pam's happy baking spray.

Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and oil in a bowl or glass measuring cup. In larger bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into dry ingredients.

Fill the muffin tins, leaving about an eight inch or so from the top.  Bake for 16-20 minutes (my oven finished them in just 16 minutes).  Remove from pan immediate.  Best served warm.


Myrtle's Note:  I made them using just 1 teaspoon of sugar, for the traditional version.  However, I plan to also make them with 1/4 cup sugar to have the sweet version.  I found them to be light and with much texture.  I was surprised at the crunchiness of the cornmeal.  I had them plain.  Some folk recommend serving them with salted butter or honey butter.  I think they would be great with chili or stew.


Yield:  18 muffins

Source:  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/blue-cornmeal-muffins/3377a166-8c1e-4285-bb21-714d7e9148b4

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken breast 
• 4 medium red potatoes
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• 1/4 cup yellow curry paste
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Ginger
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of Redmond's Sea Salt

Directions:

Dice chicken and set aside.  Cut potatoes into small cubes and set aside.  Mince onions and garlic and set aside.

In a large sauteuse pan, melt the butter on medium low.  Add the curry paste and cook for approximately five minutes.  Add onions and cook until translucent, approximately 10 minutes, adding in garlic, ginger, and brown sugar mid-way through.

Add in the chicken and cook until the outside is white (approximately 10 minutes), adding potatoes in mid-way through.  Add coconut milk and stir thoroughly.  Once a vigorous simmer is reach, cover and simmer for approximately 30-35 minutes, turning the heat to low if need be.

For a thicker sauce, after 25 minutes, remove cover and let simmer for 10 more minutes (the photo below was taken before reducing the sauce).

Myrtle's Note:  I read and read and read about curries, but never found exactly the recipe I wanted.  Having bought the yellow curry paste some months ago, I decided I would start with that and followed suggestions I found in the comments of recipes I browsed.  The repeated advice is to cook your spices (in this case primarily the curry paste).  I found it interesting that, in curries, the spices and onion mixture is considered to be the broth.  Traditionally, this would also have fresh tomatoes in this, but I am not a huge fan of tomatoes.  Be warned, yellow curry paste is spicy!


Yield:  4 servings

Source:  Myrtle (ideas gleaned from reading commentary on making curries)

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

Bars

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease and flour it.  I used Pam with flour ... happy baking.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal and baking soda, and set aside.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together peanut butter, butter and sugars until fluffy and lightened in color. 3-4 minutes.

Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then gradually mix in dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Press dough/batter into baking dish and even out into a smooth layer.

Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a bowl or mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter and vanilla until combined, and smooth and creamy.  Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until mixture is fluffy and desired consistency is reached.

Once bars have completely cooled, from baking dish, cut into squares, frost liberally and enjoy!

Myrtle's Note:  First, the frosting is so spectacular that it should be used in ALL instances where peanut butter frosting is needed.  Second, I think it is so incredible because I, obviously, switched one ingredient: milk to heavy cream!  Frosting aside, this is a very tasty recipe, one which I highly recommend if you are, like me, a fan of peanut butter.  And, speaking of peanut butter, I used Peanut Butter & Co.'s The Bee's Knees Honey Peanut Butter.  Anyway, the base is like a combination brownie and cookie, with a bit of oatmeal texture to it; the frosting is like fluffy ambrosia clouds atop the base.  You will, however, have enough frosting left over to almost frost a cake.  I froze the rest for later and did not bother trying to reduce down the frosting recipe.  It is perfection.  You simply do not mess with perfection!  

Yield:  12-16 bars

Source:  http://12tomatoes.com/2015/04/for-the-ultimate-pb-lovers-peanut-butterfrosted-oatmeal-peanut-butter-bars.html/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=12t&utm_campaign=for-the-ultimate-pb-lovers-peanut-butterfrosted-oatmeal-peanut-butter-bars&utm_term=20150710

Bob's Red Mill Favorite Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups unbleached white all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt®
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1/8 cup Molasses
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 2 small eggs or 1 large egg and 1 large yolk, lightly-beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
• 1 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill® Wheat Bran
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill® Wheat Germ
• 1 cup diced apples

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:
Either line the muffin tin or grease lightly and set aside.

Using a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and blend with a wire whisk to combine well. 

In another large bowl whisk together the butter, oil, honey, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract and eggs. Mix well. Whisk in buttermilk, wheat germ, and wheat bran. Let this batter sit for 15 minutes. 

Add the apples to the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients; blend until just mixed. For round top, fluffy muffins, allow to side for 15 minutes.  [This batter can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.] 

Fill the tins 3/4 full and bake for about 15-16 minutes until golden brown on top.

Myrtle's Note:  For the second time, I got stuck with a recipe with a yield that was recorded wrong.  Follow the original recipe and you will have 36 muffins!  So, this is cut in half, however I kept the apple amount the same and, of course, I skipped the walnuts.  For dividing the eggs in half, as noted, I found several recommendations to either use two small eggs or to use one large egg and one large yolk.  Since I had to bake three tins the first time, I discovered that the longer the batter sat the more foamy it got.  The last set of muffins were quite high and fluffy.  So, I incorporated some wait time into the recipe.


Yield:  18 muffins

Source:  http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/favorite-bran-muffins-with-apples-and-walnuts/

Split Pea Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. split peas
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups small red potatoes, peel left on and cubed into small pieces
• 16 baby carrots (or two regular ones) minced well
• 1 can (14-15 oz.) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 red onion
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons green curry paste
• 2 tablespoons curry
• 2 tablespoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt®
• 2 tablespoons Golden Mountain Sauce®
• 2 very large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Ginger
• 1 very large dollop Gourmet Gardens® Lemon Grass

Directions:

Soak the split peas in cold water for 3 hours.

Drain the split peas, rinse, and drain again.  Add them to a large pot with four cups of water and bring to a vigorous boil.  Then, turn down to a strong simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring periodically.

While the split peas are cooking, mince (I purée) the onions and the garlic and set aside.  Dice the red potatoes into tiny cubes and set aside.  Mince the carrots and set aside.

In a large sauteuse pan, heat the olive oil and butter.  Then add the onions.  Once they start to turn translucent (or about 3 minutes if puréed), add the garlic and let them continue cooking together.  Then add the ginger, lemon grass, curry paste, curry, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cilantro, Golden Mountain Sauce, and salt.  Cook until the seasonings begin to smell, stirring frequently.  Next add the potatoes and carrots and, again, cook until you begin to smell the carrots (about 10 minutes).  Finally, add the coconut milk, stir thoroughly, and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften.  Stir frequently as the curry mixture is cooking.

At this point, the split peas should be done, with most of the water gone.  Add them to the curry mixture and cook another 15-20 minutes so that the potatoes are finished.  Serve with a wedge of lime.

Myrtle's Note:  This is the second leg of my split pea journey.  I Googled split pea and coconut milk and went from there, hoping to find a curry.  Since I have been exploring flavors, I had a few thoughts about the original recipe I finally chose and ended up adapting it, adding ingredients I have used in another curry.   I also used dried cilantro; so if you prefer fresh, look at the original recipe for instructions on how to do so. The end result was like eating a hug.  UPDATE:  I tweaked the season having read more about blending Indian spices.  Again, the end result was rather tasty.


Yield:  6 two-ladle servings

Adapted from:  http://relish.com/recipes/split-pea-coconut-stew/

Simple Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb split peas
• 24 baby carrots (approximately 3 carrots)
• 4 cups rich vegetable broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 2 large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Minced Ginger
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cardamon
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's® Peppercorn Medley
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 slices thick sliced applewood smoked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

Mince (or if you are like me purée) onions and set aside.  Mince garlic and set aside.  Mince baby carrots (slice into thin round circles and then chop) and set aside.

In a stock pot, heat the olive oil.  Add onions and cook until the begin to change color.  [If using puréed onions, stir in the olive oil really well and then they will brown a bit.]  After a few minutes, add the garlic and let it begin to cook.  Then add the ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, salts, and pepper.  When you begin to smell the seasonings, then add the carrots.  Cook the carrots for a while, until you smell them as well.  This process is about 10 minutes.

Add the split peas, stock, and water, stirring between each addition.  Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how soft you would like the split peas.

During the final cooking time, zest the lemon and then mince the zest if you have long curls.  Juice the lemon fully.  Add to the soup at least 10 minutes before you finish cooking it.

If preferred, garnish with crumbled fresh cooked bacon before serving.


Myrtle's Note:  I wanted to try a simple split pea soup and had planned on going the ham route.  However, I came across a recipe that had cumin and ginger in it and was intrigued.  I ended up adding to the recipe a bit, to try and bring out fuller flavor.  I very much enjoyed the soup, but it still was not as savory as, for example, Myrtle's Medley Blacked Eyed Peas.  The lemon does had a brightness and that tiny bit of cayenne brought a bit of heat, but I did not specifically taste the ginger or garlic and thought I might have needed more of the former. Legumes can bear a significant amount of flavoring, so I need to remember to be bold in spicing them.  Two things I have been learning: 1) let your spices cook before adding liquids and 2) let your spices cook before adding any citrus.


Serves:  6-8 (depending on size)

Adapted from:  http://www.nwedible.com/split-pea-soup/