Food

I will cook more, tastier, and good-for-me meals...maybe :)

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Just because we try to be organic does not mean we don't have junk food... we're not barbarians!!

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Homemade Pop Tarts adapted from King Arthur Flour

Pastry
2 cups (8 ½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 quarter-pound sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup (3 ¾ ounces) brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling

Jam Filling
¾ cup jam
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon water

Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Working quickly with your finger tips (or a pastry blender or food processor) blend the butter into the mixture until there are pea-sized clumps of butter still visible, and if you squeeze some dough, it holds together . Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl and then add it to the dough, only mixing until everything is cohesive. You should still be able to see bits of butter in the dough.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a smooth 3" x 5 rectangle. Roll the dough out immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Make the cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

Make the jam filling: mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use on tablespoon per pastry.

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been thoroughly chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one of the pieces on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8" thick. You should have around a 9"x 12" rectangle to work with. Trim the edges where it is over 9"x12". (*if you want a snack for the kitchen helpers place the scraps on a baking sheet, sprinkle them with cinnamon-sugar and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.)

Roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first. With a well floured knife, score both pieces of dough into thirds lengthwise and widthwise; you'll see nine 3" x 4" rectangles.

Beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the first piece of dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle. Place the second sheet of dough, scored side up, on top of the first and press firmly around each pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Cut the dough, along the scored lines, to make nine tarts. Press the cut edges with a fork, to seal.

Carefully, place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet (I like parchment). Prick the top of each tart with a fork; this is to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become better pillows than pastries. Refrigerate the tart, on the cookie sheet, for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until they're a light, golden brown. Remove tarts from the oven, and allow to cool on the pan.

Yield: 9 tarts.

Originally posted on Space and Thyme.

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Homemade ice cream in a baggie:

2 TBL sugar
1 cup half & half (or light cream)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarse salt or table salt(I used canning salt)
ice
gallon-sized Ziploc bag
pint-sized Ziploc bag

Mix the sugar, half & half and vanilla extract together. Pour into a pint-sized Ziploc baggie. Make sure it seals tightly.

Now take the gallon-sized Ziploc bag and fill it up halfway with ice and pour the salt over the ice. Now place the cream filled bag into the ice filled bag and seal.

Make sure it is sealed tightly and start shaking. Shake for about 5 minutes (or 8 minutes if you use heavy cream.)

Open the gallon-sized bag and check to see if the ice cream is hard, if not keep shaking. Once the ice cream is finished, quickly run the closed pint-sized baggie under cold water to quickly clean the salt off the baggie.

Disney Fun Family Magazine