Thyme Out

I like to bake. In part because I like to eat baked goods. Unlike most bakers, I like to experiment. Okay, I have to admit, it took me three tries to perfect this cake. But I’m glad I persevered. Check out the ingredient list… For a rich moist cake, it’s pretty healthy… no sugar and no butter! The secret is in the chia seeds, a healthy superfood loaded in omega 3’s, and agave nectar, a natural low glycemic sweetener. As my friend Maria says… “you gotta get on the chia train. Once you get on board, you will never get off.”

This is more of a coffee cake than a dessert cake. It is rich in flavor, but not overly sweet. Thanks to the high fiber cereal, the candied ginger and the pecans, it has a more complex texture than a traditional cake, but is not as dense as a muffin. This is the perfect cake for sitting around the table with your family on Christmas morning.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons organic chia seeds*
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill high fiber cereal
• 3  Tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 cup candied ginger, minced
• 1 cup agave nectar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons organic freshly ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 medium honey crisp apple, cored and grated coarsely
• 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries, chopped into halves
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Sauce

• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• juice of 1/2 lemon

* available at Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods, and other natural grocery stores.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan.
2. Ina small bowl, soak the chia seeds in the 3/4 cup of water, set aside and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
3. Toast the pecans at 325° for 7 minutes, cool, mince and set aside
4. In a small bowl, combine the candied ginger with the bourbon, set aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, vanilla extract and apple and set aside.
6. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour Bob’s Red Mill cereal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, sea salt, nutmeg and pecans.
7. In a large mixing bowl, beat together chia gel, eggs and agave nectar, on medium speed. Add the ginger and bourbon. Add in yogurt mixture. Mix until blended.
8. Turn mixer to low and add dry ingredients. Mix lightly until incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX!
9. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1-1/4 hours.
10. Bake until golden brown and skewer inserted into cake comes out dry. Remove from oven and cool in pan 20 minutes.
11. Release the cake by running a knife around the edges and cool on a wire rack.
12. Heat bourbon, agave nectar, and lemon juice until agave melts.
13. Fork pierce the top of the cake and slowly pour the sauce onto the cake.

…also known as Mitch’s Famous Waffles. Waffles are a standard on Christmas morning when we host the neighbors still clad in their pajamas. Mitch is the cook! All I can say is these are really good waffles. Straight up, these waffles are great—although big, they are light and airy. (Only those with the heartiest of appetites will eat many more than one at a time.) But the beauty of this recipe is that you can vary it in so many ways with different add-ins. We typically have banana slices and blueberries on-hand to add to the batter, and sliced strawberries on the table. (Adding shredded apple to the batter is also an option.) A sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving… always a hit with the kids!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter or margerine, melted
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat your waffle iron (we use a Belgian waffler).
2. Whisk eggs in bowl until thick.
3. Beat in milk, melted butter and vanilla
4. Combine dry ingredients in a second bowl. Sift into egg mixture and beat well, but do not over-mix.
5. Once the indicator light on your waffler has gone off, pour batter evenly into the bottom grid, but not all the way to the edges.
6. Bake until golden brown (about 90 seconds). Remove waffles with fork. Serve. Enjoy.

Not merely turkey redux, but a whole new animal. Transports you from Plymouth to Oaxaca. This is adapted from Mark Bittman and was printed in the San Francisco Chronicle a few years ago. He started with fresh turkey legs; I use my leftover turkey meat from Thanksgiving. Muy sabroso!

Ingredients:

• leftover turkey breast and/or thighs,
  about 3 lbs total
• 2 dried ancho or other mild chiles
• 1/4 cup corn or canola oil
• 1 dried red (hot) chile
• 1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• salt and at least 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 5 or more large cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 or 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon organic freshly ground cinnamon
• pinch organic freshly ground cloves
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• sesame seeds for garnish, as needed
• tortillas

Directions:

1. Soak ancho or other mild chili in hot water to cover. Once softened, remove from water and remove stems and seeds. Set aside.
2. Heat half the oil at medium-high in heavy skillet or casserole that can later be covered. Add hot chili and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add almonds, salt, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, mild chiles, vinegar and half the stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down. Cool slightly (or for several hours) then puree in blender. Add remaining stock as needed to allow the blender to do its work. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and vinegar to taste.
3. Shred turkey (or use whole legs), and add to mole until heated throughout.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with tortillas.

Delicious and easy—potato pancakes. If you used garlic in your mashed potatoes, even better. Serve with ketchup, hot sauce or apple sauce.

Ingredients:

• mashed potatoes, about 2 cups
• small onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon organic freeze-dried chives

Directions:

1. Beat eggs. Blend in potatoes, flour, salt, pepper and chives. Add more flour if needed.
2. Heat up skillet medium-high with canola or safflower oil.
3. Drop 1/4 cup batter on skillet.  Cook until golden, then flip.

My sister lives in Pottersville, New Jersey, a pastoral setting graced with historic barns, stone churches, streams  and horses galloping or posing nobly in meadows, but alas, no pizza delivery. Doesn’t matter, her four kids would never eat any other pizza but this. It’s slapdash, foolproof and delicious. In her words:

Ingredients:

• flour
• cornmeal
• yeast, 1 Tablespoon
• honey, one glug
• olive oil, one glug
• large can tomato sauce
• sugar, 1 Tablespoon
• red pepper, flakes, 1 teaspoon
• oregano, 1 teaspoon
• mozzerella cheese (whole milk, any supermarket brand), shredded
• Italian sausage (optional)
• sliced mushrooms (optional)
• olives (optional)
• sliced mushrooms (optional)
• arugula (optional)

Special equipment:

• pizza stone
• wooden pizza paddle

Instructions:

1. Grab a coffee cup. Fill it with water. Microwave it between 1-2 minutes. It should be hot enough that your finger can stand it but still feel some heat, above luke-warm temperature.
2. Add yeast, honey and olive oil, stir  and wait for it to foam.
3. Pour yeast mixture in bowl and start adding flour little by little and working it until your hands no longer stick to it, about 1/3 of a bag of flour.
4. Separate the dough into 2 round balls and set aside somewhere non-drafty. It will rise in 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.
5. In the meantime, open the can of tomato sauce and mix in, right in the can (less to wash), the sugar, red pepper flakes and oregano.
6. If you prefer sausage topping, sauté the sausage and break up the big clumps.
7. Sprinkle corn meal on a big cutting board or other smooth surface.
8. Set the pizza stone on the rack in the oven and pre-heat the oven to between 400° and 425°F.
9. When pizza is rolled out thin, spread tomato sauce, sprinkle cheese evenly, and add mushrooms, olives, freshly shredded basil or whatever toppings you fancy.
10. Sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza stone.
11. Slide the pizza from the pizza paddle onto the pizza stone in the oven.
12. Bake about 10 minutes or until you see cheese about to turn golden-brown.
13. Toss arugula, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and set out for guests to eat on the side or top the pizza with it.
14. Don’t forget the red wine.