Daring Bakers catchup post: foooooooood.
Uugghh, I'm 2 months behind on Daring Bakers posts. :( I did both of
the challenges on time and took pictures on time, but I've been so
busy that it's been tough to find the time to edit the photos and
write a post.
it to count, anyway...'>
First up is October's challenge! The challenge for October was to make
a double-crust savory pot pie from scratch. I am already a pro at
traditional pot pies, so I decided to use a sort of bizarre recipe
that the host posted for a yeast-based dough!
What made it so bizarre was that it was like... an entire packet of
yeast. For a single crust for a pot pie. This seemed so crazy/overkill
that I had to try it! The result was a really crispy/chewy crust that
held up quite well, but the taste was so, well, yeasty, that it just
wasn't for me.
Working on a roux for a garlic sauce... I used to be terrible at getting a roux to come together, but I've learned that a little patience goes a long way.
The rest of the innards! Tofu, greens, peppers, tomatoes, cheese,
spices... The good stuff.
Waiting to be closed and put in the oven!
All done!
A finished piece!
This was a fun way to break away from a stereotypical pot pie, even if
it wasn't totally up my alley, and it was nice to make something that
was fairly healthy for a change! DB challenges are usually pretty
unhealthy, haha.
Next up, November's challenge: a Neapolitan pastry called sfogliatelle. I'd never even heard of this pastry before, so it was
all brand new to me! The host posted 3 different ways to make these.
Two were very delicate and beautiful, but they both required pasta
makers, which I don't have... so I made the ugly, lumpy version
instead, haha.
I made a bunch of candied orange peel for these! I've made lots of
candied peels before, but it's always fun to do, so I didn't mind.
It's a nice way to put to good use something that would otherwise go
in the garbage.
These are kind of made like ravioli, where you roll out a square of
dough, put a lump of filling in the middle, and pinch together the
ends to make a blobby shape. The filling is a ricotta mixture with
lemon zest and candied orange, and the dough is kind of a mix between
a pie crust and a cookie in texture.
The finished pastry out of the oven, cracked open!
You can see the filling inside here--it cooks while being baked but
doesn't become fully incorporated into the dough, so you have a sort
of creamy/gritty middle inside of a super crisp dough on the outside.
I thought these were awesome! I don't know that they're something I'd
make again any time soon, but it was a lot of fun and they tasted
fantastic. I hope some day I can make the other 2 varieties, too, as
they're much more aesthetically pleasing.
BONUS ROUND: THANKSGIVING.
I did my own cooking for a delicious one-man Thanksgiving meal and
just wanted to show off because I'm proud of my hard work, haha.
Pecan/raisin sage stuffing.
Stuffed portobello mushrooms
Sweet potato casserole (I wish sweet potatoes were on sale for more
than one week of the year!!!)
Green beans with a lemon vinaigrette. Looks boring, tastes awesome!
Pumpkin pie! Made with tofu, but you would never know by tasting it. :D
This week I have been getting up at 5:30 in the morning every day to
do an extra workout, and I'm doing my best to eat super healthy to
make up for going crazy on Thanksgiving... Fingers crossed that my
measurements won't go up. I'm doing T25 in the morning and then either
Insanity or lifting weights after work. Here's hoping I don't have to
try to add a third workout somehow into my already painfully tight
schedule. >__< I just want to not look like crap!
the challenges on time and took pictures on time, but I've been so
busy that it's been tough to find the time to edit the photos and
write a post.
it to count, anyway...'>
First up is October's challenge! The challenge for October was to make
a double-crust savory pot pie from scratch. I am already a pro at
traditional pot pies, so I decided to use a sort of bizarre recipe
that the host posted for a yeast-based dough!
What made it so bizarre was that it was like... an entire packet of
yeast. For a single crust for a pot pie. This seemed so crazy/overkill
that I had to try it! The result was a really crispy/chewy crust that
held up quite well, but the taste was so, well, yeasty, that it just
wasn't for me.
Working on a roux for a garlic sauce... I used to be terrible at getting a roux to come together, but I've learned that a little patience goes a long way.
The rest of the innards! Tofu, greens, peppers, tomatoes, cheese,
spices... The good stuff.
Waiting to be closed and put in the oven!
All done!
A finished piece!
This was a fun way to break away from a stereotypical pot pie, even if
it wasn't totally up my alley, and it was nice to make something that
was fairly healthy for a change! DB challenges are usually pretty
unhealthy, haha.
Next up, November's challenge: a Neapolitan pastry called sfogliatelle. I'd never even heard of this pastry before, so it was
all brand new to me! The host posted 3 different ways to make these.
Two were very delicate and beautiful, but they both required pasta
makers, which I don't have... so I made the ugly, lumpy version
instead, haha.
I made a bunch of candied orange peel for these! I've made lots of
candied peels before, but it's always fun to do, so I didn't mind.
It's a nice way to put to good use something that would otherwise go
in the garbage.
These are kind of made like ravioli, where you roll out a square of
dough, put a lump of filling in the middle, and pinch together the
ends to make a blobby shape. The filling is a ricotta mixture with
lemon zest and candied orange, and the dough is kind of a mix between
a pie crust and a cookie in texture.
The finished pastry out of the oven, cracked open!
You can see the filling inside here--it cooks while being baked but
doesn't become fully incorporated into the dough, so you have a sort
of creamy/gritty middle inside of a super crisp dough on the outside.
I thought these were awesome! I don't know that they're something I'd
make again any time soon, but it was a lot of fun and they tasted
fantastic. I hope some day I can make the other 2 varieties, too, as
they're much more aesthetically pleasing.
BONUS ROUND: THANKSGIVING.
I did my own cooking for a delicious one-man Thanksgiving meal and
just wanted to show off because I'm proud of my hard work, haha.
Pecan/raisin sage stuffing.
Stuffed portobello mushrooms
Sweet potato casserole (I wish sweet potatoes were on sale for more
than one week of the year!!!)
Green beans with a lemon vinaigrette. Looks boring, tastes awesome!
Pumpkin pie! Made with tofu, but you would never know by tasting it. :D
This week I have been getting up at 5:30 in the morning every day to
do an extra workout, and I'm doing my best to eat super healthy to
make up for going crazy on Thanksgiving... Fingers crossed that my
measurements won't go up. I'm doing T25 in the morning and then either
Insanity or lifting weights after work. Here's hoping I don't have to
try to add a third workout somehow into my already painfully tight
schedule. >__< I just want to not look like crap!