Spring Salad with Chevre, Chicken and Red Onion

Posted by chefconnie in Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Low Carb, Low Fat, Salad, Salad Dressing and tagged with , , , , ,

Yesterday my husband and I spent the whole afternoon in our garden.  My hands are a bit worse for the wear and I was tired and cranky last night but it was well worth it.

For those of you who garden, you will really understand the joy of watching your seedlings come up and urging them along.

We face several challenges gardening in the Rocky Mountains at 8000 feet.  First off, you can get frost up until the middle of June and as early as late August.  We have set up a system to cover the garden this year.  Last year we had several tomato plants with lots of green tomatoes and corn and zucchini we lost to the frost.  We are much more prepared this year.  I also learned you can pull up the tomato plants and hang them upside down in a sunny spot in your house and the tomatoes will continue to ripen.

Then there are the critters.  Ground squirrels, rabbits, prairie dogs, deer and elk all menace my garden.  We have a garden that has been dug underneath at about 4-5 feet and with heavy-duty mesh wire sheets laid down so the burrowing creatures cannot help themselves to our crops.  The garden is actually above this mesh with dirt about 4 feet high over the mesh. This wire mesh continues up the sides of the fences and the fences are 7 feet high to discourage the deer.  Now as for the Elk we just have to cross our fingers that a huge bull elk does not decide to push the fence over to get at our goodies.  It has not happened yet!  Cross your fingers for me.

My husband spent about a week this spring re-building the door and reinforcing the fence around the outside so there are not any holes for ground squirrels to get in.  I had a lovely crop of cabbage and collard greens that the ground squirrels enjoyed last spring because we had a hole in the fence.

It is such a gamble to try to garden under these conditions that the chance we will succeed with gardening is pretty small but we also learned a lot last year to help us protect the garden this year.  If this project fails at least we had fun doing it.  I loved hanging out with my husband in the quiet mountain air and listening to some classical music on his smart phone while digging in the dirt.  Yesterday afternoon was priceless.

Before we started out to the garden plot we sat down for a tasty and light salad for lunch.  We talked about how fun it would be to eat our own salad greens.  The ones we were eating came from Whole Foods.  Our salad rows are looking like they have been chewed on by the moths that come out in the early evening.  Do any of you experience gardeners know how to deal with this?

Spring Salad with Chevre, Chicken and Red Onions

Serves 4

1 lb Mixed Spring Salad Greens

1/4 red onion sliced thinly

1/2 carrot grated on a box grater on the small holes

1/2 lb Laurels Chanel Chevre crumbled

8 chicken tenders

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Place chicken tenders in a roasting pan and drizzle 1 tbs balsamic vinegar and 1 tbs olive oil over the top.  Season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Bake until cooked through but not tough on the outside.  About 15 minutes or until internal read thermometer reads 160.

Cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Toss salad greens, grated carrot and sliced red onion together.

Top with shredded chicken, crumbled goat cheese and 1 tbs balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Season to taste.

Big Batch Brownies and bad catering….

Posted by chefconnie in Baking, Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Dessert, Holiday Baking, Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , ,

I have a thing about brownies.  They have to be good.  I become very annoyed when someone tries to serve me a brownie that is sub-par.

When I first moved to Boulder Colorado 12 years ago I called some local catering companies to see if anyone had part-time work for a chef.  A smaller catering company called me right back and offered me a part-time position.  I did not know anything about the company I was going to work for but I still accepted the position.  My thought being that I can learn something from anyone I work for.  Well I certainly learned what NOT to do in catering by working for this guy.

If there was a boxed mix or #10 can for a menu item from the local food distributor he would buy it.  Tomato sauce came from a can or other sauces came in powder form.

Entrée items like Chicken Cordon Bleu came frozen in a bag.

I can remember being in the back of house for a wedding and pleading at the owner “can you give me SOMETHING green besides dried parsley to garnish with..anything?”

It was seriously disgraceful.

To top all this off, cookies and brownies came from a box mix that you just added water.  No eggs, butter or milk, just water.

The brownies had absolutely no chocolate flavor at all.  They tasted like brown.   Just brown.  Not chocolate.  Not even a deep rich brown but an anemic, grayish brown.  I think you get the point.

What a way to finish a mediocre meal but with a cloying sweet piece of brown…..stuff.  This dessert did not earn the name of brownie.  I had to leave this company before I  lost my love of cooking.  They did not need a chef but someone to open #10 cans and add water to brown powder.

I did learn something working there.  I learned that I had to make a commitment to prepare EVERYTHING I served from scratch when I owned my own catering business.  I also vowed to learn to make everything the best possible way I could from the finest ingredients.  There would be no compromise.  Fresh herbs, organic veggies when possible, locally grown veggies when in season, the best quality meats and all the desserts made entirely from scratch.  Well almost all of the desserts…

My catering and dinner delivery business flourished.  People loved my natural and fresh style and clients told their friends and family.  Word of mouth business made up 90 percent of my customers.  I did not need to advertise at all.

I was cooking full-time in a rented kitchen and catering nearly 3-4 nights a week.  During this time I will admit that I used a box mix for my brownies.  Gasp!  Yes I did.

I used Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix.  This mix added with butter and eggs came out rich, dense, chocolately and topped with the crinkled sugary chocolate crust I love.

When I stepped down from running my own business to cook for Cal-Wood education center I vowed to create a great brownie recipe for a crowd that was fool-proof and could work great at 8000 feet altitude.

This has not been an easy task!  My first attempts were decided failures.  When a recipe is scaled up to larger sizes all sorts of things change.  I had brownies that ran over the side of the pan, ones that tasted like cake, and so on.  I was not sure it would be possible and then I really focused on the task at hand.  I was determined.

Taking the best of Ina Garten, David Lebovitz and Cooks Illustrated I created a dense, chocolately brownie with a perfect crust and I do believe my brownie problems have been solved!

Last week at Cal-Wood I served Grilled Lemon and Thyme Chicken with brown rice, steamed broccoli and a fresh-baked wheat dinner roll.  To finish the meal I served my brownies cut into small pieces.

After dinner I went out into the dining room and two 6th grade girls came up to me.  They grabbed my arms and one said, “Oh Chef Connie that brownie was the best thing I have ever eaten!” and the other said just rolled her eyes back in her head and said “the best….”.  While shaking her head side to side in a dazed fashion. You gotta hand it to kids that age for being very honest about food and if they love something they really love it!

I am now going to share this recipe with you in hopes that next time you need 200+ brownies you can turn to a recipe that is easy, cost-effective and delicious.  If you don’t have the time for all these steps of this recipe Ghardelli makes a great brownie mix but try this recipe as it is much better tasting.  You do not even need to be up at 8000 feet.  It works great at all altitudes.

These brownies freeze well also.

Rich Chocolate Brownies for a Crowd

(made entirely from scratch) 

Recipe makes 240 1-inch brownies.  This recipe can be divided by 4 for smaller batches of 60 brownies.

20 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate,  chopped

1 lb unsalted butter

6 ounces cocoa powder

12 large eggs

35 ounces sugar

4 ounces vanilla extract

2 teaspoons sea salt

20 ounces (1 lb 4 oz)all-purpose flour

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt unsweetened chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler on the stove.  Add powdered chocolate when melted and combine throughly. Let cool slightly.

In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla.

In another bowl mix flour and salt together.

 

In a large bowl mix together cooled chocolate mixture and egg mixture and stir to combine.

Sift flour mixture in to make sure you do not have any lumps.  It is import to sift the flour mixture in to evenly mix everything together.  I do this step with a large strainer that has a handle.

Stir to combine.

Line a 12x18x2 inch cake pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  This is a large pan or you can divide the batter into smaller pans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes for full size pan.  Check after 35 minutes and feel the center top of brownie to see if it is firm.

Let cool for 2 hours before cutting.  For best results cool overnight before cutting.

Dreaming of fresh tomatoes while standing in the snow……

Posted by chefconnie in Bacon, Blue Cheese, brunch, Fast and Fresh Dinner, Feta Cheese, Fresh Herbs, Gluten Free, Greek Salad, Grilling, Healthy, Kalamato Olive, Lamb, Low Carb, Low Fat, Salad, Salad Dressing, Vegetable, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yesterday was bright and sunny when I woke up.  There was a bit of a chill in the air but overall it was sunny and clear.

I went up to the lodge and got the grill ready.  My mother in law, sister-in-law and nephew were coming up for Sunday brunch.

It was a perfect spring day.  I was even thinking we may set up a table on the deck and eat outside.  Was I wrong.   Weather can change fast in the mountains.

I starting grilling and decided to take some pictures from the deck.

It was warm and sunny.  Next thing I know I spot a white mass out over one of the hills.  It almost looked like smoke.

As the mass began to move and drift toward the lodge I realized the it was bringing a chilly wind.  It began to spread out and when it reached the lodge I realized it was snow.

Snow….in May.  Well I do live in the Rocky Mountains.

So here I am standing on the deck in cut offs and sandals grilling in the snow.  It made me laugh because almost every time I pull out the grill it starts raining.  I should grill more often since we are having a dry spring.

Thankfully I was done grilling and could move in a light the fireplace and relax with my family.

Ok, so back to the food….I was planning on featuring a summer salad.  This is a salad that we make nearly everyday during the summer.

But how can I feature a salad when it is snowing?  Shouldn’t I feature a stew or soup?  Well since the rest of the country is not blanketed in snow I will go ahead with my summer salad.  It kept snowing all night.  Most of the snow melted on impact but we got some great precipitation that was needed.

In the warm spring and summer months my  family enjoys salads nearly every dinner.  Sliced ripe red tomatoes, rich and creamy cheese, and bright fresh herbs is our favorite combination.

This salad is made with tomatoes (Compari vine ripe tomatoes from Costco), fresh mozzarella, balsamic, extra virgin olive oil and fresh thyme.

Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella and Balsamic Salad

The key to getting the best flavor from this salad is to thinly slice the mozzarella which can be done if you freeze it for about half an hour or until slightly firm but not hard.  With the thinner mozzarella you can marinate it with balsamic and olive oil and the flavor will permeate the creamy cheese.

8-12 vine ripe compari tomatoes (I used the tomatoes from our local Costco but the salad is best with fresh tomatoes in season)

1 lb fresh mozzarella ( I used Bel Gioioso brand)

1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar (I used my trusty Kirkland Signature Brand from Costco, yes I know I love Costco..)

1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove minced finely

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (you can also use basil, oregano or mint)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Slice your mozzarella thinly and marinate with balsamic, olive oil and garlic.  Let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours in your refrigerator. 

Slice tomatoes and arrange tomatoes, mozzarella with marinade and fresh herbs on a plate.  Drizzle a bit more vinegar and olive oil and top with fresh herbs.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.   Serve as a first course with crusty fresh-baked bread or as a side dish with a nice piece of grilled meat.

Here are a few variations on this salad:

Fresh tomato, feta cheese, mint and kalamata olives

Fresh tomato, feta cheese, oregano and kalamata olives

Fresh tomato, blue cheese and bacon and arugula

Fresh tomato, brie cheese and pancetta

More great tomato salad recipes:

This one from Jamie Oliver. (I just love how he uses tomatoes of different sizes and shapes.)

Or try this one from Martha.

Here is Elsies’ beautiful version of the tomato mozzarella combo.

I enjoy to just sitting and watching my tomato starts and dream that this season will be long enough for us to actually harvest some tomatoes.  Last year our crops froze before they had a chance to ripen.  We are much more prepared this year.  Wish me luck!

If I am not successful I will have the Boulder Farmers Market at my disposal and in late summer the farmers in the area will have a dizzying array of tomatoes to choose from.

Now I will resume my fresh tomato dreams…..

Flowers

Posted by chefconnie in brunch and tagged with , ,

May is a busy month at Cal-Wood and I am cooking everyday but the blogging does not happen as much as I would like.  Today my mother in law, sister and nephew are coming up for brunch.  I will blog some of the menu items.  Here are some mountains pictures to enjoy until then!

Grilled Veggie Lasagna for Rocky!

Posted by chefconnie in Vegetable, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

At the beginning of summer last year our property care taker Rick was telling me about the bad experience that he had with a volunteers that come up each summer from an international volunteer program.  He spoke of young people who were lazy and always partying.  I was worried.  Our summer calendar was full and I did not need to babysit or clean up after some lazy kids.  They were also supposed to use my kitchen on the weekends to cook their meals.  I had visions of a messy kitchen with my lovely equipment broken or missing.  Needless to say I was very concerned.

I can happily say that the group of international volunteers that came last summer proved all of Ricks dire predictions completely wrong.

Last summer we were given a wonderful group of volunteers from all over the world.  One of young people really made an impact on all of the staff at Cal-Wood.  Rocky came to us from London England where he is an engineering student.  Rocky was always in a good mood and always smiling.  If you needed a hand with anything he was there and worked tirelessly the whole time he was with us.  All of the volunteers worked hard and were a joy to have at Cal-Wood.

Sometimes it is hard to get to know people for short periods of time and then they move on and you do not hear from them again.  Not with Rocky!  He keeps in touch with many of the staff members at Cal-Wood and is planning to come back this summer.  He also reads this blog and has cooked some of my recipes at home.  This makes me very happy and is the very reason I write this blog.

Rocky asked me if he could have the recipe for my Roasted Veggie Lasagna.

Here is the recipe for Rocky and we are all looking forward to seeing him and meeting our new volunteers this summer.  No matter what Rick has to say.

Fire Roasted Veggie Lasagna

For the sauce

1 425g (15oz )can of good quality diced tomatoes

1  425g (15oz) can of fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen but you can use regular tomatoes)

2 170g (6oz) cans tomato paste

2 garlic cloves minced finely (Here is a good video link from another of my favorite Brits, Jamie Oliver on how to mince garlic)

1/4 cup red wine

2 tbs good olive oil

1 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to a large pot and heat at medium high.  Add garlic when oil is hot and cook for 30 seconds or until you can smell the garlic cooking. Cook garlic over medium heat. About thirty seconds will do the trick. This is just enough time to cook off the rawness, allow the flavor to mellow into the dish.  Add tomatoes immediately.  I usually have cans open and ready when I add the garlic.  Add wine, tomato paste, sugar, chili pepper and 1 cup water.

Simmer for 15 minutes and season to taste and set aside.

For the veggie mixture

Cut 2 medium zucchini in half lengthwise.  Cut 1 red onion into thirds lengthwise.  Cut 3 sweet red bell peppers in half and remove seeds.

Marinate veggies in a splash of balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic minced and salt and pepper.

After marinating veggies for 15-20 minutes heat your grill to hot and add veggies.  Grill veggies until they have good grill marks but they do not need to be fully cooked.  The peppers can be roasted on the stove top directly over your gas flame if needed.  Clean the black bits mostly off the peppers after they have cooled.

Pour marinade back over the cooked veggies.  Never do this with raw meat marinade.

After veggies are cooled cut to desired thickness.  My hubby like the veggies cut finely but I like a medium dice.

The ricotta cheese mixture.

1 2lb tub of whole milk ricotta cheese (or you can make it with this delightful recipe from David Lebovitz via Simply Recipes)

4 large eggs

1/4 cup good quality parmesan cheese grated

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp basil

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together well with whisk or spoon.  You can also whip the mixture on your stand mixer until light and fluffy.

For the noodles…

I use Barilla no boil lasagna noodles.  If you cannot get these noodles in your area then boil your noodles and drain well before assembling the lasagna.

Many restaurant cooks simply soak the raw lasagna noodles in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften them and then use them in the dish as is. I boil mine,when using traditional lasagna noodles, but the trick to this, and to cooking any pasta, is to use plenty of well salted water, and keep the noodles moving by stirring until it returns to a boil. This keeps water circulating around the full noodle surface so that the starch on the surface of the individual noodles can set, which keeps them from sticking together.  Make sure to rinse in cold water after draining and this will help minimize the stickiness of the noodles.

Ready, Set, Assemble!

Now is the time to assemble all of the lovely ingredients you have worked hard to get together and make yourself a wonderful lasagna.

Get your sauce, ricotta mixture, veggie mixture (diced to taste), cooked or no boil noodles and 1/2 cup heavy cream together as well as a casserole style baking dish.

Add 1/2 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan.  Spread out and lay enough noodles to cover bottom of pan in single layer.

Add ricotta mixture about 2 cups on top of  noodles.

Add another noodle layer.

Now you add 1/2 cup sauce and 2 cups of the veggie mixture as the next layer.

Add the next noodle layer.

Top with 1/2 cup sauce, 1/2 cup heavy cream drizzled over the top and cover tightly with foil.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the sauce begins to thicken and reduce and the lasagna begins to puff slightly.

Remove the foil layer and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the lasagna.  I use about 1 1/2 cups good quality whole milk mozzarella.

Put back in the oven at 450 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and set.

Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting.  Better yet make the lasagna a day ahead and let sit overnight in the fridge and warm in the oven at 350 degrees (covered in foil) for 30 minutes or until internal read thermometer reads 145 degrees in the center.  The flavors of a lasagna are best the next day!

Let rest before cutting.

Uncooked lasagna freezes great so make 2 ro 3 and freeze them for later.  If you are going through all the trouble why not make more than one dinner.

Here is a comprehensive list of what you need to pick up at the store:

1 box of no boil lasagna noodles or traditional lasagna noodles.

1 2lb tub of whole milk ricotta cheese

4 large eggs

Parmesan cheese grated

Mozzarella cheese

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp basil

1 425g (15oz )can of good quality diced tomatoes

1  425g (15oz) can of fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen but you can use regular tomatoes)

2 170g (6oz) cans tomato paste

2 garlic cloves

1 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes

Olive oil

2 medium zucchini

1 large red onion

3 sweet red bell peppers

heavy whipping cream or double cream

balsamic vinegar or red wine

Dust off the Grill! Cooking for hardworking volunteers.

Posted by chefconnie in Chicken, Gluten Free, Grilling, Healthy, Low Carb, Low Fat, Vegetable and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I love grilled food.  Anything really…pizza, meats, fruit, veggies…you name it  I will grill it.

This weekend I was cooking for a church retreat at Cal-Wood.  Columbine Unity Youth Group.  What an absolutely charming group of teenagers.  No less than 8 of these great kids asked me if I needed any help in the kitchen.  They were so eager to lend a hand.  While these teenagers were visiting Cal-Wood half of the group stayed on site to help our forestry manager Angie with some physically taxing outside volunteer work while the other half went to one of our neighbor camps Colorado Mountain Ranch to help with the ongoing clean up from the devastating 4 Mile Canyon Fire.  This was the most destructive forest fire in Colorado history. Colorado Mountain Ranch lost many cabins and much of their land was burned during the fire.  The clean up will go on for years.

The volunteer work done by the kids of Columbine Unity Youth Group was not easy and when they came back to camp they were tired and hungry!

Since the weather was as warm as a summer day I decided to dust off the grill and make some bbq chicken.

I wanted to make sure the menu was both filling and healthy.  I was making my famous baked mac and cheese and wanted to lighten up the rest of the meal.

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for the bbq and grilled up a bunch of fresh veggies.

For the chicken I made sure to paillard the chicken breasts and marinate them in balsamic vinegar, garlic, sea salt, cracked pepper and canola oil.  This deeply flavors the bland chicken breast and helps to  caramelize the chicken for more flavor during grilling.  I made my own bbq sauce that simmered most of the afternoon on the stove.

I  cut my zucchini lengthwise down the center, toss in some sweet red bell peppers cut down the center in halves and de-seeded and large red onion slices.  I used the same marinade as the chicken and let the veggies marinate for most of the afternoon.  I tossed them on the grill first and then chilled the grilled veggies before cutting.

I blanched broccoli spears separately on the stove and let them chill for at least 1 hour

For the chicken I grilled it until I had good grill marks on the meat and finished it in the oven.  Often when you cook chicken breasts on the grill they dry out before they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  When I finish the chicken in the oven it helps keep the moisture in and lets the meat cook slowly without drying.

When the teenagers of Columbine Youth Group tucked into this meal there is very little left over.  Nearly everything was devoured from the green salad, veggies, mac and cheese and chicken.

Grilling Tender Chicken Breasts

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar (I use Costco Balsamic)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 minced garlic clove

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Paillard your chicken breasts to flatten them out and make sure the meat is evenly flattened.  This will ensure that the chicken will cook quickly and not dry out.  If you pound the chicken thin you may not even need to use the oven to finish it.

Marinated the chicken in balsamic, canola, sea salt, pepper and minced garlic for at least 1 hour.

While your chicken is marinating prep your veggies for the grill.

Grilled Balsamic Marinated Veggies

4 zucchini cut lengthwise into 2 pieces

4 sweet red bell peppers cut in half and de-seeded

2 sweet red onions cut into third horizontally with the skin removed.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (again I used Costco Balsamic)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme (I used my lovely French Thyme from Savory Spice Shop)

Marinate veggies for 15 minutes and cook on the grill until slightly charred.  I usually take the zucchini off a little under done as they finish cooking after removing from the grill.  I like my veggies to have a slight crunch and not be soggy.

Reserve the marinade and pour back over the veggies.  Never do this with meat marinade but you can with clean veggies.

To add another element to the salad I blanched 1 head of broccoli in salty boiling water until al dente.  Chill and add to grilled veggie before adding marinade.

Chill veggie for 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes.  Cut and serve.

Pre-heat the grill and when it is hot place the chicken on the grill.  It will only take about 4-5 minutes for each side of chicken to be cooked.  The balsamic vinegar will help create nice grill marks and caramelization on the chicken adding great flavor.  This step can be omitted if you are using bbq sauce but I feel it makes the chicken much more flavorful.

Coat with BBQ sauce and put back on the grill for 3-4 minutes.

Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

45 Healthy Foods to Make and Never Buy Again

Posted by chefconnie in Uncategorized

Reblogged from The Adventures of Thrive Farm:

Nix those suspicions that good, homemade food comes with an exorbitant price tag. We found exactly the opposite, actually. If we roll up our sleeves and make homemade pasta, cookies, or just about any other food, it costs a whole lot less than buying the pre-made versions. Not to mention the pride of putting a from-scratch meal on the table.

Read more… 2,403 more words

I had to re-post this. At Cal-Wood this is a list of all of the things we make from scratch. Literally!

Red Velvet Cupcakes for a special birthday!

Posted by chefconnie in Baking, Chocolate, Dessert, Holiday Baking and tagged with , , , ,

I love my job.  Really… Of course it can be hard and working for a non-profit in a small mountain community where you spend literally all of your time with the same people can be tough but it is well worth it.  Cal-Wood Education Center is staffed by some remarkable people with talent and enviable enthusiasm for outdoor education and environmental education.

This is a beautiful view of Longs Peak with the Lodge at Cal-Wood Education Center taken on Wednesday morning.

A diverse population use the facilities at Cal-Wood but the main type of group to come up to the retreat center are school groups participating in our outdoor education program.  Most of the groups are kids from ages 9-11.

It is a never-ending delight to see these kids get off the bus and just stare at the surrounding mountains.  The energy and happiness that emanates from these little people is infectious.  They are just having a good time and it shows.

One of the main concerns for most kids is the food and what is going to be served to them and if they will like it or not.

With super picky kids to kids with long lists of food allergies my job can be difficult and I  am constantly working to create foods that are not only delicious and healthy but cater to everyone despite allergies or food dislikes.

This brings me around to why I am writing this post.  A couple of weeks ago and young lady came to the door of my kitchen after dinner.  She had a huge grin on her face and she was bouncing up and down.  “Did you make those red velvet cupcakes” she gushed.

“Yes” I replied.  “Did you like them?” I asked.

“Oh yes, those were the best cupcakes I have ever had!”   She continued to jump up and down and asked if she could have the recipe so that her mom could make them for her birthday coming up at the end of May.  I said “of course just visit my blog”.

This is why I do my job and go the extra mile for every single thing that I make at Cal-Wood Education Center.  This moment is what it all boils down to.

So here is the Red Velvet Cupcake recipe that has been requested by a young lady who took time out to come in my kitchen and make my whole week!

Red Velvet Cupcakes  (inspired by The Brown Eyed Baker and Cooks Illustrated)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 egg at room temperature
2½ tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 cup
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your muffin tin with papers and spray lightly with non-stick baking spray.

On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon sea salt

In a stand mixer or with hand held mixer whisk butter and cream cheese for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and sea salt and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Green Onions Reproduced in Your Kitchen

Posted by chefconnie in Uncategorized

Reblogged from The Adventures of Thrive Farm:

Click to visit the original post

The next time you have green onions, don’t throw away the white ends. Simply submerge them in a glass of water and place them in a sunny window. Your onions will begin to grow almost immediately and can be harvested almost indefinitely. We just use kitchen scissors to cut what we need for meals and periodically empty out the water, rinse the roots off and give them fresh water.

Check out this wonderful tip from the Thrive Farm.