Intentions
Cooking and baking is a completely selfish act for me these days. I find that I get more enjoyment out of the entire process than I do eatting my creations (I could be onto a new diet!). I am teaching myself to cook with "intention" as I heard on a cooking show. I love the process of planning, shopping to find all the ingrediants, prep work and the execution. Previously I thought it was some hard-to-learn-skill filled with weird gadgets that I didn't have, memorization of zillions of recipes and required the kitchen equivalent of a 'green thumb'- which I believed I didn't have. I really swell up with pride when someone declares my food "the best ____ I ever had!" Or when the guys tell me about one of the other guys talking about how good something was I made weeks ago!
I loved baking with my Grandma as a child out at the lodge, making everything from scratch and working for days sometimes. Looking back I realize that is because it was a business so we needed the quantity, not because getting quality was difficult. She was known as having 'the best buns on the river'! My mom made comfort foods like chicken and dumplings and chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. One of my favorite things to make is her eggs benedict on a Sunday morning, yum! Since I don't have children, I never thought I had a reason to learn to cook.
Then one day, it just happened, I learned how to cook. Thinking back I believe it started when I ended up in Fort Greely, Alaska living with people that really enjoyed cooking. I was the sous chef, helping and measuring and doing whatever I could to help. I was absolutely intrigued by everyone reactions to the good food that was prepared for our group and I memorized most of the recipes without even trying. Everyone would talk about the meals for days! I learned my basics there I guess, I got my feet wet, so to say.
I had a couple friends that ended up living with me again in Georgia. We would take over my kitchen and really cook some meals! When they left I missed them so much, one day I started remaking their favorites that we made together. Which really got me going and interested in trying some other recipes 'out of my comfort zone' and trying to make them my own. Matt really was my first guinea pig, I cooked everything I knew how for him, and things I didn't! He ate every bite and loved every meal. His praise was a new experience for me, having someone that wasn't picky and loved all my food. Then his family introduced me to the Food Network...Game Over! I got the cooking bug and now am on the quest to making healthy, delicious, fabulous food!
My job site is my newest panel of guinea pigs. I made this apple strudel a couple weeks ago for the first time for Matt and I- it was sooo good! This morning I made smaller ones for the guys out here. It is super easy and was quite the hit with the guys! I had three marriage proposals and several guys tell me stories of similar items their mothers use to make. There was a concrete pour this morning that started at 1 am, my intention was to comfort them with morning strudels, it worked.
I loved baking with my Grandma as a child out at the lodge, making everything from scratch and working for days sometimes. Looking back I realize that is because it was a business so we needed the quantity, not because getting quality was difficult. She was known as having 'the best buns on the river'! My mom made comfort foods like chicken and dumplings and chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. One of my favorite things to make is her eggs benedict on a Sunday morning, yum! Since I don't have children, I never thought I had a reason to learn to cook.
Then one day, it just happened, I learned how to cook. Thinking back I believe it started when I ended up in Fort Greely, Alaska living with people that really enjoyed cooking. I was the sous chef, helping and measuring and doing whatever I could to help. I was absolutely intrigued by everyone reactions to the good food that was prepared for our group and I memorized most of the recipes without even trying. Everyone would talk about the meals for days! I learned my basics there I guess, I got my feet wet, so to say.
I had a couple friends that ended up living with me again in Georgia. We would take over my kitchen and really cook some meals! When they left I missed them so much, one day I started remaking their favorites that we made together. Which really got me going and interested in trying some other recipes 'out of my comfort zone' and trying to make them my own. Matt really was my first guinea pig, I cooked everything I knew how for him, and things I didn't! He ate every bite and loved every meal. His praise was a new experience for me, having someone that wasn't picky and loved all my food. Then his family introduced me to the Food Network...Game Over! I got the cooking bug and now am on the quest to making healthy, delicious, fabulous food!
My job site is my newest panel of guinea pigs. I made this apple strudel a couple weeks ago for the first time for Matt and I- it was sooo good! This morning I made smaller ones for the guys out here. It is super easy and was quite the hit with the guys! I had three marriage proposals and several guys tell me stories of similar items their mothers use to make. There was a concrete pour this morning that started at 1 am, my intention was to comfort them with morning strudels, it worked.
Apple Strudel
Prep: 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup dried breadcrumbs (I crumble whole wheat flax seed bread and bake it while the oven preheats, about 8-10 minutes)
1-2 grated peeled red apple
3/4 cup dried fruit mix (such as golden raisins, apricots, peaches, prunes or any combo)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Armagnac, or other good-quality brandy, or good-quality rum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 (at least 11 by 14 inches) sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, for serving (delete whipped cream if breakfast)
Prep: 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup dried breadcrumbs (I crumble whole wheat flax seed bread and bake it while the oven preheats, about 8-10 minutes)
1-2 grated peeled red apple
3/4 cup dried fruit mix (such as golden raisins, apricots, peaches, prunes or any combo)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Armagnac, or other good-quality brandy, or good-quality rum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 (at least 11 by 14 inches) sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, for serving (delete whipped cream if breakfast)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. with rack in upper third. Gently stir together breadcrumbs, apple, raisins, prunes, honey, brandy, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set filling aside.
Brush a sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with 2 sheets, and brush with butter; repeat. Spread with filling. Starting at a short end, roll to enclose filling, burrito style. Transfer, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. with rack in upper third. Gently stir together breadcrumbs, apple, raisins, prunes, honey, brandy, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set filling aside.
Brush a sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with 2 sheets, and brush with butter; repeat. Spread with filling. Starting at a short end, roll to enclose filling, burrito style. Transfer, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes (15 min if smaller ones are made). Transfer strudel to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and serve with whipped cream.
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