This post really ought to have the subheading 'further proof I need a better camera'.
Chewy Chocolate Banana Cookies
I can happily announce that they survive freezing beautifully. Mind you, they were only in there for a week. I couldn't help it... Perhaps I should make the batter a week before going on holiday and then force myself to wait until I get back. It might be the only way...
Pumpkin and Pesto Bread
I made this yesterday with the remains of a frankly disastrous pumpkin mash I made for dinner Friday night. Mum called in the middle of preparation and the result was little more than pumpkin smoothie. The bread, however, is quite surprisingly lovely. As quick breads go, this is very quick (though that's possible because I already had my mush to hand). It's very moist, but with an almost scone-y texture.
Unfortunately my camera is craptacular and thus the soft, spongy orange and piquant green flecks are lost in the pixilation. The taste is, not surprisingly, slightly more robust than zucchini bread; I only added a couple of pinches of dried basil, preferring to let the pumpkin-pesto mix be as unmeddled as possible.
ingredients:
3 c all-purpose flour*
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c pumpkin mush (consists 1 part potato, two parts pumpkin)
1 c shredded cheese (parmesan and cheddar)
2-4 heaped tbsp pesto
2 tbsp dried basil
3/4 c milk (cow's, soya, etc._
1/2 c sunflower oil plus 2 tbsp olive oil
method:
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin mush with the pesto and then gently fold into the flour mixture, gradually adding the cheese and basil as you do.
At this stage the batter looks worryingly like flour dumplings. Worry not! With a couple of very light strokes with your wooden spoon, mix in the milk and oil. (Preferably, you ought to mix the milk and oils together before adding to the batter. I did not. If it did make a difference, I've not noticed it.) Whatever you do, DO NOT over mix. The batter should be lumpy and a bit sickie-coloured. Like something you might find in a Romford alley early Sunday morning.
Grease a 9" loaf pan thoroughly and spoon the batter in until more or less even, then pop in the oven for about an hour. If bottom of the pan out emits a pleasingly hollow thump when you tap it, your loaf is ready. (If you prefer not to turn your kitchenware into percussion instruments, the clean edge of a knife run through is also a good indicator.)
This bread is particularly good with a rich Stilton, though plain, with a liberal spread of butter is also nummy.
*I ought to point out that though I've used all purpose flour for a similar recipe, I didn't have more than one cup of it yesterday. I substituted one cup for strong bread flour and one cup for gluten-free flour. You can't tell there's anything amiss in the resulting bread, but it could make a difference in another kitchen.
Mmmm... Other kitchens... My kitchen didn't come with such conveniences as 'shelving' or 'cupboards', so we had to add our own. I bought this wee corner shelving thing on eBay:
The slanty roof is what we would call a 'running theme' if we were in real estate.
If you squint you can just about see Elvis, living out the rest of his days as a clock behind the basil plant.
Organic veg box? Num! We used to get one of those, but ended up having to stop because we weren't getting through all the carrots. Please do try it out though and let me know if it goes well, I'm anxious to know how it turns out in someone else's kitchen.
Posted by: Emmms | November 27, 2006 at 09:38 PM
Pumpkin and pesto bread sound lovely. I'll have to cross my fingers and hope for a pumpkin in our orangic veg box soon!
Posted by: Kendra | November 27, 2006 at 08:44 PM