November 17, 2011

Poi (Taro) Bread

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Poi (Taro) Bread

Poi (Taro) Bread

November 17: National Homemade Bread Day

We took a drive down to the “Southernmost Bakery in the USA” when we went to the Big Island of Hawaii with Islander’s ohana (family). Punaluu Bake Shop was where we all stopped for snacks and stocked up on sweet breads. We loved all of their light, fresh-baked fluffy loaves—traditional Portuguese and guava and taro flavors.

Having made “mainland” poi for an earlier blog recipe post, Islander decided to use up the leftovers and bake bread inspired by the one from Punaluu Bake Shop. It turned out to be a tasty taro bread with a pretty purple hue!

Prepare poi (taro) bread in a machine for a sweet and simple loaf with a tropical touch. It is a unique and onolicious way to observe National Homemade Bread Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from the Polynesian Cultural Center via Food.com)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup poi (or mashed taro paste)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon yeast
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon purple food coloring
  • 3 ¼ cup flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

In the container of the bread machine, place the water, yeast, sugar, butter and egg. Spoon in the poi. Add the purple food coloring, if desired. Top with flour and salt. Place the container in the bread machine.

Poi (Taro) Bread

Set the bread machine to a large (2 pound) loaf, as this bread rises high. Select the cycles for sweet or white bread with a light crust. Press to start. Notice that the purple color blends nicely into the dough. Let the bread machine continue kneading, rising and baking. Remove the baked bread from the container. Cool completely before slicing.

Poi (Taro) Bread

Notes

 

November 11, 2011

Crabmeat St. Martin

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Crabmeat St. Martin

Crabmeat St. Martin

November 11: Feast Day of St. Martin of Tours and U.S. Veterans’ Day

What a coincidence that the feast day of St. Martin of Tours falls on Veterans’ Day in America. St. Martin, the patron saint of soldiers, once served in the military like his father, a veteran officer. This fourth-century soldier in the Roman army then became a soldier for Christ. St. Martin made it his mission to help spread the gospel and build the Church. A relic of his military cloak used to be carried into battle by succeeding kings; the military priests who cared for his cloak (cappa Sancti Martini) were called cappelani (translated in French as chapelains, from which the word chaplain is derived).  St. Martin is also the patron saint of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps.

For the feast day of St. Martin, we combined crabmeat with a creamy sauce to serve with crackers. It is also appropriate to serve ths appetizer at patriotic parties to honor our military members on Veterans’ Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf via Chef John Folse and Company)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 ounces) crabmeat
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  • 2 tablespoons onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons celery, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream, heated
  • 1 tablespoon white wine
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • dash Tabasco sauce
  • salt and cayenne pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions

In a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Saute the onions, celery, green onions and garlic until soft but not browned. Mix in the flour. Whisk in the hot cream until slightly thickened.

Crabmeat St. Martin

Let simmer before adding the white wine, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Crabmeat St. Martin

Add the crabmeat, red pepper and parsley. Stir until well blended. Spoon into ramekins. Serve with crackers.

Crabmeat St. Martin

Notes

  • The island of St. Martin (St-Martin/St Maarten) in the Caribbean was named Isla de San Martín by Christopher Columbus who first sighted it on November 11, 1493.
  • Learn more about the history of Veterans’ Day from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • The Bible has many military metaphors. Soldiers for Christ are mentioned in the New Testament.
  • God bless all our American military men and women today, including Islander’s Daddy (U.S. Navy-Retired), Lisa L. (U.S. Navy-Reserves) and Lisa’s son, Darby F. (U.S. Air Force-Active Duty). Thank you to all our veterans for fighting for our freedoms!
 

November 8, 2011

Cappuccino Cupcakes

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Cappuccino Cupcakes

Cappuccino Cupcakes

November 8: National Cappuccino Day

On our Italian vacation, we began each day with a breakfast of brioches and biscottis. Highlander would also have his morning coffee as the caffeine would give him a boost of energy as we prepared to go sightseeing all over Rome, Florence and Venice. Instead of his usual “tall, no-whip mocha” that he orders in American coffee shops, Highlander would drink a cappuccino from the Italian cafés.

In Europe, traditionally cappuccino is consumed in the mornings (but now it is starting to get popular to drink it during the day). Cappuccino is made with steamed espresso and hot milk and has a foamy top texture. Some baristas even make artistic designs on top of the foam.

Instead of making the beverage, we baked cappuccino cupcakes. We created them to look like mugs and flavored them with Hawaiian ingredients (Kona coffee).  They are a cute coffee confection to commemorate National Cappuccino Day.

Recipe

For the cupcakes

(Adapted from 125 Best Cupcakes Cookbook by Julie Hasson)

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground coffee (we used Kona coffee)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sugar (we used C&H brand, granulated white)
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used Hawaiian Vanilla Company brand)
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee (we used Mulvadi brand) mixed with 1 teaspoon warm water
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips (we used Nestle brand mini morsels)

Directions

In a bowl, mix the flour, ground coffee, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the egg with the sugar and oil. Mix in the vanilla.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

Stir in the coffee mixture. Gradually pour in the flour mixture and alternate with the sour cream. Mix until the batter is smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

Scoop into brown cupcake liners, Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Yield: A baker’s dozen.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

For the chocolate glaze

(Adapted from Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn)

  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate squares (we used Baker’s brand) or chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Directions

In a bowl, combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup. Microwave for a minute until all ingredients are melted. Stir until smooth and well blended. Dip the top of a cupcake in the glaze, twisting and tapping off the excess. Let set.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

For the cappuccino mug decorations

  • Chocolate frosting, cold
  • Chocolate-covered circle mini pretzels (we used Nabisco brand)
  • Whipped cream or Cool Whip
  • Chocolate-covered coffee bean (we used Island Princess brand)

Directions

Spread a little cold chocolate frosting on the side of a cappuccino cupcake liner. Attach a circle pretzel. Continue assembling the other cupcakes. Refrigerate to set the “mug handles” in place.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

Pipe a little whipped cream or Cool Whip on top of the glazed cupcake. Top with a chocolate-covered coffee bean.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

Notes

 

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