Pizzelle

Time to get out the trusty pizzelle iron.  This is probably about 50 years old.  The cord has been replaced a couple of times, but it still makes great cookies.

My favorite recipe has flown the coop, so I'm trying the King Arthur Flour recipe:

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) melted butter

\This is not quite the same, but it's acceptable.  This recipe makes 24 with my pizzelle iron.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 27 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 100 Calories from Fat 41

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.5g 7%

Saturated Fat 2.6g 13%

Cholesterol 33mg 11%

Sodium 71mg 3%

Potassium 62mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 13.5g 4%

Sugars 6.3g

Protein 1.8g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 2% • Iron 3%

Nutrition Grade D

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Bad points

• High in saturated fat
• High in cholesterol
• High in sugar

Waffles - Part 2

This time the trial was with a yeasted batter from willcookforfriends.com

http://www.willcookforfriends.com/2011/12/waffles-yeasted-vs-unyeasted-no-more-waffling-over-waffles.html.

Tried and True: Yeasted Belgian Waffles
(Slightly adapted from Shirley Corriher, CookWise)
Serves 4-6

2 Cups all-purpose flour (or a mix of whole wheat, or buckwheat)
2 Cups whole milk or milk substitute, warm (if using 50/50 whole wheat flour, increase by 2 TBSP – if using 100% whole wheat, increase by 1/4 cup)
1/2 Cup water, warm (110-115f. – if the water is too hot it may inhibit bacteria growth, rather than promote it. I suggest an instant read thermometer)
2 tsp. active dry yeast powder
4 TBSP (or half a stick) unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tsp. sugar, depending on your preference
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp. baking soda

All but the eggs and baking soda are mixed in advance (overnight?).  Just before making, preheat oven to 200º to hold the cooked waffles warm.  Add the eggs and baking soda and whisk.  My waffle iron takes about 1/3 cup of batter.  This recipe made 11 waffles.

I over-filled the waffle iron a few times.  Still tastes good, though.

 I like the yeasted recipe better than the first one.

From:  https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 94 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  164 Calories from Fat  61

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  6.8g 10%

Saturated Fat  3.8g 19%

Cholesterol  49mg 16%

Sodium  302mg 13%

Potassium  116mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates  20.4g 7%

Dietary Fiber  0.8g 3%

Sugars  3.2g

Protein  5.2g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 6% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• High in selenium

Bad points

• High in saturated fat

Waffles!

I have been yearning for waffles.  Many garage sales yielded only one waffle iron, and I wasn't happy with it.  The waffles were uneven and not such a good texture.

Time to bite the bullet and get a real waffle iron.  I chose All-Clad and got it on Amazon.

It's hard to photograph, since it's so shiny.

This is the old-fashioned round waffle iron.

It takes about 4 minutes to make each waffle.  I let them rest in a 200º oven until I had enough for our meal.  I did baste the grates with butter before the first waffle, but none of the waffles stuck.

The only drawback, so far, is that the grates are not detachable and have to be washed or wiped down while still attached.  Another disadvantage, perhaps, is that it is made in China.  All-Clad is an American company that does much of its manufacturing in the US, but not this piece.



The first waffles are using the NY Times recipe:
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017409-easy-weekend-waffles

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, (more for waffle iron)
• 2 cups/240 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon/15 grams sugar
• 1 teaspoon/8 grams baking powder
• 1 teaspoon/5 grams fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon/3 grams baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt (or see note)
• 1 cup milk
• 4 large eggs

• 
  

• Nutrition Facts

  Serving Size 106 g

  Amount Per Serving

  Calories  208 Calories from Fat  91

  % Daily Value*

  Total Fat  10.1g 16%

  Saturated Fat  5.6g 28%

  Trans Fat  0.0g

  Cholesterol  97mg 32%

  Sodium  377mg 16%

  Potassium  164mg 5%

  Total Carbohydrates  22.8g 8%

  Dietary Fiber  0.7g 3%

  Sugars  3.9g

  Protein  6.7g

  Vitamin A 6% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 11% • Iron 9%

  Nutrition Grade B

  * Based on a 2000 calorie diet

  From:  https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
• 
  
• We are pleased with the recipe and the All-Clad waffle iron.    The waffles were delicious with butter and honey.

  
  

Whole Wheat Rolls

I found a wonderful recipe for dinner rolls at
http://thestayathomechef.com/the-best-homemade-dinner-rolls-ever/

But dinner rolls are like candy - not much nutrition, and taste so good that it's easy to overeat.  I needed to modify the rolls to be heartier.  The first substitutions are red.  The second are purple.  If you make it, use either the original or make the red substitutions or make the purple substitutions.

The basic recipe calls for:

• 2 cups warm milk
• 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar  substitute 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 6 cups all-purpose flour  substitute 4 cups bread flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour  2 stone ground whole wheat flour, 2 whole wheat pie and pastry flour, 2 bread flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

I made the following changes:
Substitute 1/4 cup molasses for the sugar.
Substitute 2 cups of medium stone-ground whole wheat flour.

First rise 90 minutes.  Shape.  Second rise 60 minutes.  Bake at 375º for 12-14 minutes.

The recipe makes 24 rolls.  Here they are on parchment, beginning to rise.

 After baking, they are brushed with butter.

Couldn't wait - had to cut them open and add more butter!!!

The rolls are really delicious!

I used blackstrap molasses, and we thought it was a bit bitter.  Will try regular molasses or brown sugar next.  The rolls were very light, so it may be possible to increase the whole-wheat flour.  I may try using 1/3 stone-ground, 1/3 pie and pastry white whole-wheat, and 1/3 bread flour.  Let me know if you are interested in the results of further experiments.

Nutrition info from:  https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 64 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 169 Calories from Fat 40

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.5g 7%

Saturated Fat 2.5g 13%

Cholesterol 26mg 9%

Sodium 235mg 10%

Potassium 102mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 27.4g 9%

Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3%

Sugars 2.9g

Protein 4.5g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 4% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Chittenango Falls, NY

We got two inches of rain today,  and the areas north of us got at least 4 inches, leaving creeks and streams bankful. Knowing it wouldn't be fun outdoors, we made our semi-annual trip to Trader Joe's to stock up on goodies we cannot get locally.  We followed that with a trip to Nina's in  Chittenango, NY.  Nina's has been our favorite restaurant since the '80s, and although when they sold their restaurant in town they sold the recipes, the food in the new Nina's is not as good.   Perhaps it is a change in ingredients or perhaps they have tweaked the recipes, but it does not compare.  .  .  So we make a semi-annual trip to the original owner's new place in Chittenango, NY.

The fall foliage was magnificent in the Syracuse area.  A wonderful mix of oranges, yellows, reds, rusts, and browns.  Even though it was rainy or overcast, the colors were superb.
After leaving Chittenango, we passed the falls.

Wow!  (If the video does not work, it can be seen at:  https://youtu.be/kYXziXW0cO4)



This was not our first trip to the falls.  In 2002, on a beastly hot day, we made the trip,

Chittenango Falls

State Park,
New York
July 22, 2002 We are off on another adventure - a day trip.
The adventure began at Wegmans where we stocked up on olives, bread, cheese, and pate'.
We took a different route home from Syracuse, going toward Utica on Route 5, and then south on route 13 toward Cazenovia.  We were considering picnicking at Lorenzo House in Cazenovia, when a lovely waterfall appeared on the right, shortly followed by a sign to Chittenango Falls State Park.
Decision made...

We paid the $5 parking fee and carried our goodies to the picnic tables.
There was a map of the area showing the path to the falls.  A brochure provides information:
"Stop first near the top of the falls where the 167' waterfall cascades over a series of limestone terraces."
We did, and were impressed.

One of my colleagues had mentioned what a great walk it was to see the falls from various viewpoints.
We neglected to remember that it was one of the young colleagues.
At this point, we were obviously not thinking clearly - 167 foot drop means lots more than 167 steps down, and of course, what goes down must come up unless you want to sleep in the falls.
~
"A scenic, but rugged, trail leads to the bridge at the bottom of the gorge.  Halfway down is a resting bench from which there is a "camera-perfect" view of the falls."

~
 "Continue down this trail, noting the great variety of interesting ferns, wildflowers and shrubs which grow along the steps and ledges."
"From the bridge (at the bottom) enjoy the spectacular view of the falls in one direction and the view of scenic Chittenango Creek in the other."

It was beginning to be difficult to enjoy the view because we were so distracted trying to remember if it was Ruthann or Linda who suggested this adventure.
It had also begun to hit home that the way up was not likely to be easier than the way down.
Perhaps it was not clever to try this adventure at 95 degrees with 70% humidity.
Actually, it was great fun, as you can tell from the smile (or is it grimace?) at the end of the hike.

I think it was Linda...

Published 7/22/02

Quite a bit different after a heavy autumn rain in 2016.

Last of the Red Tomatoes

Today's dinner used the last of the red tomatoes.

We still have a half-dozen Dorothy's Green, but this is the end of the Cherokee Purple.  The rest we have lost to blight.  When blight first appeared, we were afraid we would have no tomatoes at all, since the tomatoes were tiny and still green, so we are tickled to get any!  Let alone more than a month of all-you-can-eat.

Raw tomato sauce:
chopped tomato
garlic
black pepper
oil
parsley
basil
Marinate for a few hours or refrigerate.

Barilla "Linguini Fini" pasta
garlic
oil
butter

Shrimp marinated in
soy sauce
olive oil
grated ginger
grated garlic
siracha sauce
Then quickly sautéed in butter and oil.

First JV Football Game

We enjoyed our first JV football game.

Handsome #99 getting ready to play.

A lot of the game is waiting.

Here we go.

FX is on the far left. 

Block 'em!

A beautiful day for a football game.  Alas, Brockport did not win.  But we did get to see him play.