Bantha Milk Popsicles (Blue Milk) | #FoodnFlix

As a child of the 80's, I have an affinity for the "original three" Star Wars movies. And Ewoks. All of the kids on the street had Star Wars action figures, and since we all had a lot of the same ones, we had an easy way of knowing whose was whose...we each chose a specific nailpolish color, and painted to bottom of each of our figures feet with that color. It was simple, but genius (looking back). It allowed us to spread out and conquer the galaxy together, no matter whose porch we were playing on. And then we could simply check the bottoms of the feet to be sure we packed up our Darth Vader or C3PO cases with our own toys.

Pig 'N A Poke | Supernatural

"Rise and shine Sammy!"

So, you know what's funny? Not funny ha-ha, but funny curious? I've shared tons and tons of recipes, talked about almost as many books, movies, and tv shows, and mentioned bits and pieces of my everyday life here on the blog over the past 7+ years, and yet, I've never featured many of the most constant parts of my life.

One example—the recipe for the one pasta dish that will please every single member of my family, every single time I make it. I know it's because I usually wind up making it later in the day once all of the natural light has faded, therefore I don't wind up taking any photos. I always think "next time" to myself.

Matcha Buttermilk Pie

I've been a bad, bad pie baker. I think this may actually be my first pie of 2017 (okay, I know it is)! That's pretty sad for a self-proclaimed pie lover. But hey, what better day to start making up for the recent lack of pies than Pi{e} Day?

Blueberry Buttermilk Popsicles (Paletas de Suero de Leche de Arándano) | #PaletaWeek

As this first week of summer continues, so do the popsicles! Today I'm sharing a variation on one of my go-to summertime freezer-fillers and my submission for Lola's Cocina's Paleta Week, Blueberry Buttermilk Popsicles. I know it's not a new discovery, especially to those in the American south, but drinking buttermilk is amazing way to help you beat the heat.

The first time I shared a buttermilk ice pop variation was in 2010, and it used cranberries and bananas (and also a kiwi and pineapple version). I've also shared a mixed berry version (that were made in a ZOKU) and my favorite of them all is cherry buttermilk. But this blueberry variety is disappearing fast, as well.

Buttermilk Pan Rolls

When I plan my Thanksgiving menu, I like to have at least two or three different types of rolls, biscuits, or bread in the bread basket. Of those, at least one must (MUST) be a soft white dinner roll of some sort. And as far as most of my family is concerned, these rolls must make up the majority of said bread basket.

With that in mind, and a half gallon of buttermilk in the fridge, I decided to start testing buttermilk roll and biscuit recipes to see if I could find a winner for this year's table. Although every one I've tried so far is good, this one is so incredibly soft and fluffy that it takes the cake. Oh, and a big ol' bonus—it's SO EASY to make.

It's a yeast bread, but I used my bread machine to mix and knead. Once it goes through this cycle, it only needs a 15 minute rise in a bowl before the dough is dumped into a greased pan and pushed to the edges with your fingers. From there, you score it and let it rise again for a short time before sending it into a hot oven.

These tall rolls are excellent when pulled warm from the "loaf", but we found that they were still great at room temperature. Nothing beats the ease of making these—even in big batches if you have a few 9-inch square pans lying around. I've mentioned before what a lifesaver my bread machine is during busy holiday baking days. It frees up counter space and makes clean-up a breeze.

These buttermilk pan rolls WILL be the majority of the bread in this year's Thankgiving bread basket! Be sure to scroll down below the recipe for more suggestions on how to fill your own Thanksgiving basket from the #TwelveLoaves bakers.

Buttermilk Pan Rolls

These buttermilk dinner rolls are soft and fluffy; the perfect accompaniment to any meal.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 90 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Keywords: bake bread vegetarian soy-free nut-free buttermilk Thanksgiving Easter American

Ingredients (1 dozen)

• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 400 grams (~3 cups + 1 tablespoon) bread flour + more for work surface
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkt) instant yeast

Instructions

Place ingredients in order listed in the pan of a bread machine. Select "dough" cycle and press start; let it mix and knead until you have a smooth, tacky dough ball. If it seems to sticky, sprinkle in a teaspoon more flour at a time until it is just lightly tacky.

While the dough is kneading, turn your oven on to the lowest setting and let it heat up for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.

Once the meachine stops kneading - BEFORE it rises - turn it out into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover, place in warm oven (remember, it's turned off), and allow to rise for 15 minutes.

Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan (with 2-inch sides). Turn the dough out and use your fingers to press it evenly in the pan. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a metal bench scraper or a sharp knife to divide the dough into 12 even rolls, cutting almost all the way to the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until puffy and just about doubled in size, ~30 minutes (not in the oven this time).

Preheat oven to 400° F while the dough is rising.

Remove plastic wrap and slide the pan into the oven and bake until golden, 15-20 minutes. Turn out of pan and pull apart the rolls; serve warm or at room temperature.

-slightly adapted from Red Star Yeast

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Savoring Italy and runs smoothly with the help of Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, and the rest of our fabulous bakers.

This month we are baking Biscuits and Rolls that would fit in nicely at any Thanksgiving table. For more bread recipes, visit the #TwelveLoaves Pinterest board, or check out last month's inspiring selection of #TwelveLoaves Crackers, Crisps, and Flatbreads!

Barley Malt Pull-Apart Loaves from Savoring Italy
Buttermilk-Black Garlic Biscuits from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Buttermilk Pan Rolls from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
Crusty European-Style Hard Rolls from A Shaggy Dough Story
Herb-Topped Sweet Potato Biscuits from Hostess At Heart
Parker House Rolls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Pumpkin Buttermilk Biscuits from The Redhead Baker
Simple Homemade Rolls from Basic N Delicious
Sweet Garlic Rolls from Kudos Kitchen by Renee

If you'd like to bake along with us this month, share your Thanksgiving Biscuits and Rolls using hashtag #TwelveLoaves!

Buttermilk Pie | #FridayPieDay

Buttermilk Pie may look like a Plain Jane, but looks can be deceiving. There's actually quite a bit of complexity in each bite—smooth vanilla-infused custard that's both sweet and tangy at the same time. Aside from the fact that it's delicious and fits in on the dessert table year-round, it's also ridiculously easy to make. If you can run a blender, you can make this pie. And while a homemade pie crust is something to be proud of, if that's not your thing, a storebought crust basically turns this into the easiest recipe ever.

I like it plain-jane-as-is, but try adding a fluffy dollop of whipped cream, dust it with powdered sugar, or serve it with seasonal fruit or a fruit compote if you want to dress it up a bit. I really don't think you can go wrong with this one.

Cherry Buttermilk Popsicles

Did you know that there is actually an "official" time period for the dog days of summer? I've always considered them to be the hottest, stickiest days of the season and for the most part, I was right. But according to infoplease:

"Dog Days is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the dog star) and the sun."

Kinda cool, right? It also says that the days can vary a bit due to a difference in latitude since the movement of the equinoxes changes gradually over long periods of time. So, give or take. I always feel like they extend well into August in these parts.

Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

Welcome to another edition of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society, where we are (semi-) secretly assigned another member's blog to "investigate" and find a recipe that fits our theme for the month—all the while learning a little bit more about each other (more details at the bottom of this post, if you're interested). Our theme this month is Berries, and the blog I had the good fortune of spending time at Rebekah's blog, Making Miracles.

Making Miracles is a blog about food, family and making memories. Rebekah is a mom and a wife, and has also been the surrogate mom for 4 little girls—how amazing is that! You can learn more about Rebekah and her surrogacy experiences on her about page. But now, on to the food! Making Miracles is full of family-friendly recipes of all sorts, including a page of baby/toddler food recipes. But what I was on the hunt for was berries!

Can I just tell you that I love the process of searching and exploring a blog each month? I really do. I like searching a general term, then more specific terms, all the while clicking on recipes that catch my fancy. I usually wind up with about 10 tabs open, and then try to narrow things down to about 3 to choose from.

Buttermilk Cardamom Beignets inspired by Chef

Sometimes our Food 'n Flix picks aren't what most people would think of as a typical "foodie movie". They take us out of our comfort zone and make us put on our kitchen thinking cap. That is not the case this month. If you've seen Chef, you know it's a flick that keeps you hungry and induces different cravings from start to finish! It's about as much foodie flick as they get. You'd think this would make heading into the kitchen and cooking up something from it easier. I actually think it makes it harder. I could not decide what I wanted to make. But you know, I figured something out.

From the opening scene, Chef is a sensual experience. The sound of a knife slicing through vegetables, the sizzle of meat hitting a hot pan, the sheer focus on getting prep done for tonight's meal, the excitement of a whole pig being brought into the kitchen—it's scenes like these that make me miss working in a restaurant kitchen. But that's only the first few minutes.

The story of a successful restaurant chef who finds himself going in a direction he never imagined, both professionally and personally, Chef is a feast for the the senses. This isn't a review (though I obviously enjoyed the movie), so I don't really want to go into the story. You can find synopses of the movie all over the web if you look, I'm just here to talk about the food today.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie

I can't make it through Thanksgiving without eating at least one slice of pumpkin pie. Does anybody else feel that way? I'm sure it's a tradition-slash-nostalgia type of deal. But the crazy thing is, if we're not having Thanksgiving dinner with the extended family (my grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.), I am the only one who will eat it. Not a single one of my kids likes it. My hubby doesn't like it. And yet, I can't do without it. Therefore, I wind up either trying to eat a whole pie by myself or throwing the majority of a pie away. Both scenarios make me sad.

I need to buy one of those split-decision pie pans. I would feel much better about finding something a way to consume or save half of a pie. But then the problem lies in what to make on the other half of the pan. Pretty much all of the other pies are devoured in their entirety. I suppose that could be my "experimental pie" side. Sounds like a plan. Or there's always an individual tart...

But this year was still a full pie. And we stayed home, so you can probably guess what happened to the majority of it. I always try to switch things up a bit, try a variation on the Libby's recipe I grew up with (not that there's anything wrong with that one, it's just in my nature). This year's pumpkin pie used buttermilk in the filling, which added a nice little tang that worked to temper the sweetness and complement the spice.

Spiced Buttermilk Poached Pear Bread

The tender poached whole pears peeking out of this spiced buttermilk quick bread make it a real show-stopper, and I'm using it to conjure up autumn—crisp air, sweatshirts, apple cider, football, and bonfires.

This month's #TwelveLoaves theme of pears gives fall a nod, as well. As soon as I knew our theme, I knew what type of bread I'd be making. I have a similar version bookmarked in several places. Basically, it's a quick bread with poached pears taking center stage. It's pretty simple to switch up. It really just depends on what type of quick bread you want to pair with it.

Since I'm in that autumn state of mind, I wanted something speckled with warming spices, and thought that a buttermilk quick bread would play the perfect host. Combined with pears that were also quickly poached in a spiced simple syrup, it really does taste like cooler days.

Strawberry Hazelnut Buttermilk Quick Bread

Once upon a time, I was afraid of yeast. Though it feels like a long time ago to me now, it's really only been about 5 years. Now I bake yeast breads of all shapes, sizes, and skill levels. And I find myself shunning the quick breads that were so good to me for so many  years.

I don't mean to. And every time I realize what I'm doing, I reach for the brown bananas posthaste. My (now) 5th generation banana bread always makes the family feel warm and fuzzy. It takes me back to being 10 years old in my grandma's kitchen.

Occasionally I feel the need to venture out and put things like zucchini, carrots, lemon, sweet potato, or pumpkin into the batter. A batter that can be stirred together in, like, 5 minutes flat by the way.

Buttermilk Chicken Kebabs w/ Chopped Salad

When in doubt, put it on a stick.  Everybody loves food on a stick!  Aside from being fresh and healthy, this meal is both quick and inexpensive, as well.

I like to buy the extra large family packs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs - especially when they are on sale.  Usually I'll wind up dividing the thighs up into smaller portions...maybe a pound or two per freezer bag.  That way, I can pull out what I need, when I need it.

Fruit 'n Buttermilk Ice Pops + ZOKU Quick Pop Maker Giveaway! {#SummerOfThePopsicle}

You know that feeling that you get when you've worked really long and hard to achieve something, and finally it comes to fruition?   Time, care, precision, and sweat are the things that accomplishment are made of.  They result in a satisfaction that starts from a tiny ember deep-down inside, but eventually radiates from each and every pore.  There's nothing like in the world like it.

Oh wait, yes there is.  It's called the thrill of instant gratification!

That thrill is something that I live for.  It's one of the reasons that I went into food and cooking so many years back.  The look, the sounds, the scents, the mmmmm's and the oooooh's that escape from people as your food is set in front of them?  The murmurs of magnificence and devotion and love.  That is a feeling that is unrivaled.

What am I getting at?

Well, if you know me (and if you don't, I swear it's true), you know that I'm a bit of a popsicle, ice pop, and paleta fanatic.  I mean, I devote whole (extended) summers to them.  They're cold, refreshing, tasty, and they come in endless variations.  And for the most part, they're quick to make.  The one and only hard part is the waiting.  The time that it takes them to go from liquid to frozen delight.  I mean, we're looking at 4 hours, at least.  Sometimes longer.

But now, with the help of my new ZOKU Quick Pop Maker, I can have one in eager hands less than 10 minutes after I've poured the liquid into the molds.  It's pretty freakin' amazing...and fun to witness, to boot.  It's a little miracle in the quest for instant gratification.

How would you like to the one to experience that thrill?  Picture a sweltering summer day.  The kind of day where the bright heat bends and warps the air before your eyes.  And all that you...your kids...the neighbor kids...want is a cold, icy treat in your hand.  Assuming that you have your ZOKU Quick Pop Maker hanging out in the freezer for just such an emergency, you could walk into the house, and walk back out 15 minutes later with those cold, icy treats in your hand.  People will think you're a mirage.  Until you've encouraged them to lift those treats to their parched lips; encouraged them to take a lick or a bite.

This is where the instant gratification part comes in.  Yeah, it's like that.

Sounds good, right?  Well, my friend Vianney from Sweet Life and I have teamed up with ZOKU today in hopes of bringing that feeling to you.  Because so far, this summer's been a hot one - and YOU deserve a little taste of instant gratification!

Fruit 'n Buttermilk Ice Pops

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes + freezing time

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: snack dessert vegetarian soy-free low-sodium buttermilk fruit popsicles frozen summer

Ingredients (10 (2.5 oz.) Pops)

• 2-1/2 cups roughly chopped ripe fruit and/or berries
• 1-1/2 cups cultured buttermilk
• 1/3 cup orange blossom honey (or your favorite)
• big pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Place everything into the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Taste, add more honey if you don't think that it's sweet enough.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours, adding sticks at the correct time for your molds.

notes:

You can use any combination of fruit and berries that you like for these pops. Pictured is strawberry/blackberry. One of my favorite combinations is banana/peach/cranberry. I've also tried kiwi/banana, tropical combo (pineapple/mango/banana), and banana/blueberry. Mix them up and find your favorite!

If you're using a ZOKU Quick Pop Maker, simply pour the mixture into the frozen unit as directed, and wait for 7-9 minutes. Remove as directed, and enjoy.

So, what is YOUR favorite type of ice pop, popsicle, and/or paleta - and how badly would you like to have one in your hand in less than 10 minutes!?  The awesome team at ZOKU is providing TWO of their Quick Pop Makers, one each for my friend Vianney of Sweet Life and myself to give away!  How awesome is that?

In honor of the Summer of the Popsicle, we are holding our giveaways together...and you have all sorts of chances to win.  Simply complete as many of the entry steps as you wish in the rafflecopter form below (it's the same one on both of our sites).  Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I was provided with (one) free ZOKU Quick Pop Maker to use as I pleased. Zoku is also providing the product(s) for the giveaway.  I received no compensation for this post, and all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

Thanksgiving 2011 recap

I'm just back-dating and sliding this post in.  It's now December and far too late (it feels) to post it, but I want to remember! ☺

Thanksgiving Menu '11

Simple Roast Turkey

Herbed Turkey Gravy 

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Smoked Oyster & Bacon Stuffing/Dressing  no recipe

Creamy Green Beans w/ Crispy Onions  no recipe

Cranberry Sauce w/ Ginger & Cloves

Roasted Spiced Applesauce

Roasted Sweet Potatoes no recipe

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Rolls

Parker House Rolls  no recipe

Pumpkin Pie w/ Sesame Snaps

Apple Cider Pie

Okay.  Anybody else planning next year's menu yet or is just me?  Sssshhhhh....

Smoked Oyster & Bacon Stuffing/Dressing (Everyday Food issue 87)

Creamy Green Beans w/ Crispy Onions

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #11 Patricia Wells - Wedge Salad with Buttermilk-Lemon Zest Dressing

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

11. Patricia Wells-  Milwaukee–born Wells gave us France, spreading the bistro love as the Paris–based restaurant critic of L’Express and the Herald Tribune. She taught us—and reminded the French—about Provençal cooking, and… quoi? An American woman is telling the French what to eat? Oui.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Journalist...author...teacher who runs her own cooking schools in Paris and Provence.  Former New York Times reporter...only foreigner and only woman to serve as restaurant critic for a major French publication, L’Express.  Global restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune for more than 25 years.  Recipient of several James Beard Awards.  Oh yeah, she definitely deserves her slot in the "top 50".

I love Patricia Wells cookbooks.  I don't actually own any, but I check them out often from my library.  I always keep them for as long as I can (renew...use a different card and renew again...) so that I can page through and dream of making a simple country dish from Provence, a traditional Italian pasta, or a heavenly salad.  One day I would LOVE to attend her cooking school in Provence.  Or Paris.  I'm not picky.

worth further exploration:  (memoir) We've Always Had Paris...and Provence, (cookbooks) Salad as a Meal, Bistro Cooking, Patricia Wells' Trattoria, Vegetable Harvest, Food Lover's Guide to Paris, The Provence Cookbook, Simply Truffles (release date: Nov. 8 '11), (cooking classes) Provence or Paris

Patricia Wells on Facebook

Wedge Salad w/ Buttermilk-Lemon Zest Dressing
from Salad as a Meal: Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season by Patricia Wells
serves 4 (& ~⅔ c. dressing)

Salad
2½ oz. (~¾ c.) smoked bacon, julienned
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into wedges
1 Tbs. minced fresh chives
6 oz. (~1½ c.) chilled bleu cheese, crumbled
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Buttermilk-Lemon Zest Dressing
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
½ c. buttermilk
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

salad:  Cook bacon until done and transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Combine chives, bleu cheese, and bacon with dressing* and spoon evenly over lettuce wedges.  Season with salt and plenty of pepper.  Serve.

*dressing:  Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to blend.  Let stand for an hour to allow flavors to blend, or up to three days in the fridge.  Shake before using.

Patricia Wells (November 5, 1946 - present)

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Amy- Beloved Green, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Kathleen- Gonna Want Seconds

I am sharing this post with: