Locally Grown Inspiration

Shopping in Whole Foods yesterday, I was taken by the large amount of local lamb meat in the meat section. And, as I am heading out to Greece in just over a week, I figured it might be time to practice making lamb. And even more importantly, I'm totally for buying local when possible.

We bought a 2 lb. butterflied leg of lamb. At home, I rubbed it over with 1 clove chopped garlic, about a tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, and sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper. Then evenly rolled and tied it. This part was a little tricky, and my dad took charge and did most of it. Then I seared it on all sides in a grill pan over high heat, before putting it in roasting pan in the oven at 375 degrees with some quartered redskin potatoes for about half and hour, checking the interior temperature until it reached 125 degrees.

Let me just say it made a pretty freaking good meal: Roast lamb, roast potatoes, and steamed green beans.

The local lamb meat came from the Wagon Wheel Ranch in Mount Airy, MD, from free range, naturally fed livestock. And to think, we may have been eating one of these little creatures.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

While not studying for my finals last month, I couldn't help browsing through recipes I was just dying to make. At the top of my list: marshmallows. And I don't know why. I don't even really like marshmallows. But on every website and blog and recipe I looked at, people were absolutely raving about homemade marshmallows. They were supposedly heavenly, or something.

Well, those people couldn't have been more right. I literally whipped up a batch almost immediately upon returning home, adding a special seasonal twist.

These are so good that you really can't eat just one. And knowing they aren't from a giant processor, and don't contain funky chemical preservatives merely encourages continuous snacking. And these are also great in hot chocolate, even coffee. Alone, each one tastes like a little piece of whipped heaven.

***Make sure you have all ingredients and equipment measured and ready to go before starting. The process goes very quickly***

Ingredients:
.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Line a 9X9 inch baking pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes. (Continue with next steps while waiting.)
Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add in the vanilla extract beat to incorporate.
Scrape marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly (Lightly greasing your hands and the spatula helps a lot here). Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.

In a shallow dish, combine equal parts cornstarch, confectioners' sugar, and crushed candy canes. (Do not over-crush the candy, leave some small chunks in the mix). Remove marshmallow from the pan, and cut into equal pieces of about an inch. (Make sure to grease the knife or scissors, as well as your hands before doing so. It will make the process much easier).
Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar mixture.
Store in an airtight container.

Then, try not to eat them all at once.

Recipe from Baking Bites.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

So, because I am pretty awful at regularly updating I am backtracking all the way to Thanksgiving! Because I really just had to share this!

Pumpkin Spice Cake! Deliciously moist with intense flavors. And, of course, as good as traditional Pumpkin Pie is, sometimes its just really nice to switch things up.

Recipe found at Joy of Baking.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 and 1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin pure
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour (recipe calls for cake flour, but I used all-purpose)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8 inch cake pans. (I put parchment paper rounds in the bottom and buttered and floured the sides.)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add pumpkin and vanilla, beat well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and spices.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in three additions to the pumpkin batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Pour batter into the two prepared cake pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes in the pans, and on a wire rack until completely cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces on cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 cups confectioners sugar

In a food processor (or mixer), combine cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add syrup and sugar, adding additional to meet your taste.

Place one layer of cake top side down. Spread frosting on top. Place second cake top side down on top. Frost the top and around the sides of the cake. Top with toasted and chopped nuts if you desire.

Keep refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving.


And here is the pumpkin cake with all 4 or 5 or 6 other desserts, including my sister's peanut butter and fudge pie.