Persimmon Muffins

I was up at my Mom's this past weekend and it is becoming a tradition that every time I stay there, we have to make a trip to their grocery store. It is called Valley, and it has the most amazing produce section. Their produce section is about the same size as our entire grocery store here in Monticello. They carry all sorts of different fruits and vegetables that I have never even heard of. I could spend hours in there. It is all laid out so nicely too, and the prices are great to boot! If I had that store right down the road I'd have so many more cooking possibilities. For now, I'll just binge buy fruit and vegetables when I visit my Mom.

This past trip, they had a big pile of beautiful looking persimmons on display. I had never tried them before, so figured we should give them a shot since the price was right and they are clearly in season. Well bust my buffer they are delicious! (That is a Thomas reference, for those of you without a 2-year-old boy). The kids loved them and I had wished we bought 10 more. So I put it out there in the Facebook world that I was seeking out persimmons in central Illinois. Apparently Meijer has persimmons when they are in season, so I may be taking a trip there this weekend. The remarkable thing I learned though, is that there are wild persimmons, and they grow RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS!!

How did I not know this? When it comes to eating things wild, I consider myself a pretty experienced consumer. I eat wild game almost exclusively, pick gallons of wild berries every year, and am always the first to seek out blackberries, pecans...heck I even forage for dandelion greens for salads. I LOVE wild food. Yet these sweet little globs of goodness slipped by me. Well, they aren't hiding from me anymore. I know their secret, and it is one of my most exciting culinary discoveries this year.

These are what the little guys looked like when I got them. 

One of my good friends went out and actually picked me some wild persimmons the day I put that inquiry on Facebook. Talk about being thankful this month - I am so thankful for the amazing friends we have! They are very different from the kind you buy in the grocery store (which I believe are called Japanese persimmons). They are small and have an apricot-like seed in the middle. Also, you have to pick them when they are absolute mush. Not even pick them...you have to forage on the ground for them. They have to be so mushy they fall off the tree before they are any good for eating. Get one that isn't ripe and it is so bitter and awful. So, you have to fight off the raccoon and squirrels and get them right before they mush under your touch.

I purchased a food mill for this. I needed one anyway, so this was the perfect time to get one. I needed to get all the seeds out and anything else that might effect my final product.

I got about 3 cups of pulp. I couldn't decide what to do with it. Persimmon pudding seems to be a favorite way to use this fruit. I also saw a recipe for persimmon pie that I definitely want to do. However, I also read that it can be a substitute for bananas in any banana recipe. Bingo. Muffins. My good friend Brittany from Brittany's Pantry had just posted these banana but muffins and I was really in the mood for muffins.

I got my big helper and we went on making the muffins. I changed the recipe quite a bit...mostly because I didn't have half of the things I needed for Brittany's recipe. The substitutions all worked out really well though and my muffins came out great.

I used coconut oil which is solid right now, so we had to really mash it in. 

 I only used a cup of my persimmon mush for these, so the other 2 cups got frozen for that pie I was talking about earlier. I made the batter, and it filled 12 muffin cups perfectly. I used paper cup liners but you could also just grease the tin. I topped about half with extra brown sugar, because I can.

They looked so good I had to stop myself from eating 3 before bed!

Ah. Breakfast.

When I cracked open my muffins to slather on some butter....which is a requirement for muffins...I was surprised at the dark color on the inside. A little worried too. However, they tasted great, so that must just be what happens to persimmons when they bake.

It actually looks really neat

Right?

I added oats to these muffins in place of the nuts in the original recipe, because I didn't have any nuts. They are perfectly fine with the oats, but had I walnuts, I think they would be even better with that mild crunch. The persimmon flavor really came out though which I was pleased with.

Persimmon Muffins
adapted from Brittany's Pantry

1 cup persimmon pulp
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T ground flax seed
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or oats
extra brown sugar for topping, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine the first 7 ingredients until everything is evenly incorporated. If using cold coconut oil, make sure to mash it up in there. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until barely combined, then add the nuts or oats, stirring until distributed. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups. Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffins wells.  They will be full, but not overflowing. Top with extra brown sugar if desired. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack.

Basic Stuffing

Yup, the holidays are coming up. According to Hobby Lobby, they never left, and according to most other stores, they were coming in September. Now they really ARE coming. Halloween is past and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. What are you making??

When I was little I thought the whole purpose of Thanksgiving was to thank people for the candy you got on Halloween. Makes sense right? No better way than to make a huge meal and fall asleep at 3pm for this task. Now I know Thanksgiving means so much more. I count my blessings all year round, and believe me I have a LOT to be thankful for. It is nice, though, to have a day where we can really reflect, maybe write a few things down, and be with people that are special.

We used to have Thanksgiving at our house when I was growing up and we made a traditional turkey stuffed with lots of good stuffing. I remember my Dad mixing all the ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket because we didn't have a big enough pot or bowl. My Dad always took food very seriously....there is no question where I get my obsession from.

This is the stuffing my Mom and Dad made. One the THE BEST smells around the holidays is mirepoix - the mixture of onion, celery, and carrots cooking slowly in some oil and butter. My Mom would leave it on the stove and stir it every now and then and I would always go up to it and pretend to be helping by stirring when all I wanted was to be as close as possible to that smell. So that is how this recipe starts. Equal parts onion, celery, and carrot, are added to my big saucepan to get nice and soft in both olive oil and butter.

Well, I guess this recipe REALLY starts with the bread. I didn't make this bread, but I know who did, and I know it only contains flour, yeast, salt, and water. I cut it up and let it sit out to get stale overnight. This is important because you want them to absorb all the yummy stock you are going to add to it!

Once the veggies are nice and cooked, I add my  stale bread cubes, some ground thyme, salt, pepper, and oregano. I put oregano in everything. Then I add my stock. I used my homemade stock from the freezer. Then you just stir it up until the stock is absorbed. Check it for seasoning....it may need more salt or herbs.

This is the most basic stuffing recipe I know! It is simple but so good, especially if you use good stock. From here you can add all kinds of things. You can add meat, like bacon or sausage. Or you can add dried fruit and nuts for a sweet spin (in this case, eliminate the thyme and also add some apple juice with the stock). My husband's family adds oysters. I think walnuts would be good, or apples.

I served it with grilled chicken

My pictures aren't that great of the finished product thanks to the setting of the sun so early, but that is just part of the changing season, right?

Basic stuffing

1 cup onion, diced (about 1 large)
1 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
1 cup carrots, diced (about 2 medium)
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. oregano
5 cups bread cubes, let sit until stale
2 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Saute onion, celery, and carrots in oil and butter over medium-low heat until completely cooked and soft. Add seasonings and bread cubes and toss to coat. Add the stock slowly and combine until it is all absorbed. If serving as is, go for it. You can also put it in a buttered dish, top it with parmesan cheese (or not) and bake it for another 15 minutes or so to get a crispy top. You can also stuff your turkey with it. Just make sure the internal temperature of the stuffing is 165 degrees before serving it!

Butter (Buttah)

Every summer, I spend a good chunk of my time in Northern Minnesota, at a lake cabin that my brother and I own together. It is a magical place my Dad bought when he was 35 years old, and when he married my Mom they built a garage that also transformed into our living quarters for the summer. It was rustic and rough, but it was home and it was amazing. Thirteen years ago they decided to build an actual cabin on the property. It still isn’t finished, but it is coming together and I absolutely love staying there with the kids. Things move slower in the North woods of Minnesota. The air is fresher, the sights spectacular, and I always feel stress free and, well, just FREE when I’m there.

Since being a little girl we have gone to a local farm to get raw milk while we stayed there. Going to town was a big deal, because it was 45 minutes away. It was a big trip, and we would pack our glass gallon jugs in coolers and plan our whole day around it. Going to the farm is an experience in itself. I milked a cow there for the first time. They always have little kittens running around that people drop off there in need of care. You help yourself to the raw milk and leave your payment in a copper tin. It is so….basic. So simple. So pure and the milk is so nutritious and it makes me feel good to support that practice. I’m not a big fan of milk myself, but I like milk products. Especially BUTTER.

Oh do I loooove butter. My last meal will be French bread slathered with butter. It tastes good on and in anything. Also, as long as you aren’t eating a stick of the stuff a day, it is good for you. Every body needs saturated fats, and butter is a fine way to get it. It is very natural unlike some of the other “spreads” that are out there. Raw butter is even better.

So here is how I have made it since I was 8 years old (I’m estimating, Ma). I simply let the milk set for at least a day, so all the cream can settle to the top. Then I skim it off, and put it in a mason jar. Then I let it come to room temperature. Then, I shake it. I shake it, and shake it, and shake it.  Now I let my toddler help. You have to keep shaking until you think your arm is going to fall off. Then you may notice the butter starting to form in the jar.

Shake it baby!

The butter starting to separate

Now there is the butter

You want to keep shaking until you have a good clump of butter in your jar. Then it is probably done. The rest of the milk is REAL buttermilk. The buttermilk you buy in the store….not buttermilk. This is buttermilk. And the little bit of solids is the butter.

Then you have to rinse it. It seems weird, but you put it in a bowl and pour water over it and “wash” it until the water runs clear. You keep draining and adding more water until this is accomplished. Then you add salt (please don’t try to make unsalted butter. Salt brings out all the lovely flavor of the butter, and I would never, ever skip this step).

 Then it is done! You don’t get a lot. You get very little. But it is so very good and worth it. You savor it because you made it yourself.

There really isn't a recipe for this. You just need fresh, raw cream, a mason jar, and some salt. THen follow the instructions above!

Homemade Caramel and baked Salted Caramel Apple Cider Donuts

Today was a great day. Today I accomplished something that I have never been able to before...

Caramel.

Let me back up. This blog isn't about me learning to cook. I have known the ins and outs of a kitchen for quite some time, learning from my Mom, Dad, the food network, and my own experiments. I was a pastry chef at a local bakery for a short time after college. My point is, I am not a novice chef. This blog is about me trying to take food that our family, and I believe most families, buy processed and make it from scratch in my kitchen to avoid unnecessary ingredients and chemicals.

So, caramel. I don't know why, but the times I have tried making any type of candy which involves boiling water and sugar to a certain point it has gone terribly wrong. I've ended up with hard sugar in the bottom of my saucepan that is a killer to clean! My grandma used to make amazing peanut brittle and the time I tried to make that it was a complete disaster. Maybe it is my lack of patience. Maybe I actually need to buy a thermometer. Well, maybe not. Not today. Not with this recipe!

I found this recipe for caramel from the same place I saw the recipe for the salted caramel cider donuts I wanted to make with my nifty donut pan: from Monday Morning Donut. Salted caramel seems to be a trendy food item right now but I assure you I have always always been a fan of it. I'm a big salty-sweet person, so this was a natural combination. Dipping cider donuts into creamy caramel and sprinkling it with a pinch of salt is just my idea of heaven. Next time I'll make them chocolate donuts. I don't even know if I can handle that.

I'm not sure what about this recipe made me feel confident enough to try caramel again. I think it is because it doesn't rely solely on the boiled sugar water part. There is a frosting component. So maybe it just seemed a little safer.

It starts with water and sugar in a saucepan, and brought to a simmer

It also has a frosting part - powdered sugar, salt, dark corn syrup, and boiling water

This is when it get scary. When it starts to turn brown. You have to watch to make sure it gets a nice amber color without burning!

Success...this is when I took it off the heat and added the cream!

I've read how the mixture bubbles away when you add the cream, and boy did it. I added it slowly and whisked away (so I didn't get m picture while it was happening...this is after things calmed down a bit).

I kept whisking until I was certain it wasn't going to spontaneously combust. Then I added it to my frosting component:

Then when well combined...taa-daaa!!! Caramel!! I was so excited.

Perfect consistency for dipping freshly made donuts.

After I dipped the donuts I put the rest in a jar in the fridge for later applications on ice cream.

Perfect Caramel

3 cups powdered sugar
pinch salt
2 tsp. dark corn syrup
2-3 Tbsp. boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine the powdered sugar, salt, and corn syrup in a bown with a whisk. Whisk in the hot water a little at a time until it comes together in to a frosting...or more like a thick glaze.
In a sauce pan, combine sugar and water and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium to let it simmer. Don't stir it, don't move it. Just let it go. Let is simmer 7-8 minutes or until it turns a rich brown color. You have to watch it! Remove it from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking the whole time. It will bubble up but keep whisking! Whisk it until it is well combined.
Add this to your frosting/glaze mixture and stir until well combined. That is it! That is your caramel! Use it for ice cream, desserts, anything. Dip the following apple cider donuts in it. Put it in an jar and eat it with a spoon. Seriously.
It will get hard in the fridge. To make it sauce-like again, just heat it up for a bit in the microwave in 10 second intervals.


Here are the Salted Caramel Apple Cider Donuts I made. They are scrumptious. The cider in the donuts give them great flavor and moisture. This recipe made a lot, but I was able to give some away to stop myself from devouring TOO many of them. They are on the small side though, so it is totally OK to have many of them.

My son helped me mix the batter. The hand mixer was a new skill for him, in the absence of my kitchen aid mixer.

Here they are cooled and ready for caramel. If you want more step-by-step donut instructions, you can find that here.

Dippin'...

Must. Let. Cool.

Sprinkled with sea salt. Must. Not. Eat. Yet.

Forget it. One is getting eaten.

Salted Caramel Apple Cider Donuts (baked)
from Monday Morning Donut

Makes 30 donuts

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup unfiltered apple cider

Preheat oven to 350° F coat your Donut Pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt. Whisk to combine and aerate and set aside while you do the next couple of steps.

Cream together the 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups butter.

Stir in the 3 large eggs, 3 egg yolks until well-blended.

Fold in the dry ingredients and the apple cider. Do not overmix to ensure tender donuts.

Spoon or pipe the cake batter into the cavities of your donut pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. I recommend cooling the donuts in the pan to avoid breaking them while unmolding. 

While the donuts are cooling, make the caramel sauce and dip the cooled donuts in and set back on cooling rack. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

Here is a trick I used with my donut pan. I don't like using non stick spray because I have yet to find one that is JUST oil. So I always use butter or oil for non-sticking purposes. If the pan is warm, you can take a stick of butter and just run it quickly around the donut part. It coats it perfectly. If you think this is adding extra fat, what do you think non-stick sprays are made of?