Chilly Car Camping

Now that Winter has overtaken the Midwest (forcing me to wear a minimum of two pairs of wool socks at a time), we have lots of time to catch up on the many things we’ve been meaning to post. Our Pudgey Pie Maker (featured in every photo of this post) is such a delight, and makes car-camping fantastic. You should probably find one, and add it to your camping gear. I have fond memories of baking pies and sandies over the campfire as a child. On this particularly chilly November trip, this caste iron magician not only held our cranberry apple pies, but it also served as an egg skillet. Yummy.

Pie Crust
1.5 c. Flour (I used 100% WW)
8 T (unsalted) Butter
3-7 T Ice Water

Cut the butter into the flour and use a pastry cutter (aka pastry blender) to mix until you’ve come upon a mealy consistency. Think meal worm territory (or maybe that’s gross?…. think granules of sorts). Add ice water (a table spoon at a time) until the dough comes together. Press into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight). Roll prior to your trip and re wrap in plastic wrap). Freeze and put in your cooler prior to leaving (I often forget to bring the things I’ve prepared–its annoying).

Pie Filling
Approximately 3-5 pieces of Fruit, sliced
Approximately 1/2 c. dried fruit or fresh cranberries
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger (all ground/grated) to taste
Sugar to taste (I recommended no more than 1/4 c.)
1-3T flour (or corn starch)

Mix all together and store in the fridge. Pack in your cooler and assemble when the fire is hot. No need to butter your Pudgey Pie Maker (there is a lot of butter in the crust). Set in high heat in the fire, and check/rotate regularly to avoid burned edges.

EEEP! I almost forgot! We also added spicey sausage to our Fremont-Fermented Bean Dip. SO yummy! This provided the bulk of our protein. One day, Trevor will expand upon this recipe. Until then, play around with cooked beans, onions, peppers, salt and a sourdough starter. Basically, you can’t go wrong.

On this trip, we lost light and heat quickly, but [thanks to near-perfect company  and delicious food (along with a great lantern and lots of spare gear and wine)] had an unforgettable and fantastic trip with the dearest of friends. We often reflect on how fortunate we have been to enjoy the outdoors with so many lovely people. It seems like so many of the conversations that evoke change in our lives have occurred beneath the cover of trees and sky—this trip was no exception.

Almond-Sunflower Paste Pumpkin Pie with Almond Custard

How about we promise to elaborate on this recipe/post when we have time to write it out? Great, because we really want to spend this 50* November day outside hiking, running, photographing and eating delicious pozole. In the meantime, we hope that the photos suffice.

Chocolate Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Chocolate Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies
1/2 c butter
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 c roasted and pureed pumpkin
1/4 c heavy cream or milk
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 c fresh cranberries chopped (or 1/4 fresh cranberries chopped and dehydrated in butter/sugar on stove then cooled)
1/4 c chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350*. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl puree pumpkin with whipping cream. (Note if you are using canned pureed pumpkin, you can skip this step and just combine the cream and pumpkin witht eh butter mixture). Combine puree with butter mixture. Add cranberries. In a third bowl  (or in the now-empty-pumpkin-bowl) mix together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to butter-pumpkin mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Drop cookies on a greased (or nonstick) cookie sheet and bake at 350* for approximately 7-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on a wire rack prior to glazing.

 Fresh roasted pumpkin pureed with heavy whipping cream  has such a delightfully vibrant orange color. It looks like candy, so naturally it took all the self control we could muster not to consume this puree prior to adding it to our cookies and pie. Our reward was well-worth the wait—tastey treats whose over-consumption can be justified by claiming that “squash is good for us.”

These cookies are cakey and delicious straight out of the oven, but we firmly believe in taking this one step further by adding a lemon glaze. This balances the taste, giving a citrus/acidic/zesty/bright start to a rich a full flavored dessert! Yummy!!!

Simple Lemon Glaze
powdered sugar
fresh lemon juice

We just mix lemon juice with powdered sugar until we have the consistency that looks right for a glaze and then drizzle it over the desserts with a spoon. Trevor’s Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls are also complimented well by this frosting.

Fremont’s Sweet & Savory Pancakes

Remember Fremont, our beloved sourdough starter? Remember how we told you that we LOVE using him in just about anything? If not, don’t sweat it-we surely don’t expect you to memorize every detail of what we write (actually, that’d be pretty concerning). If so, here’s an example and please don’t stalk us-we’re not THAT interesting.

This weekend, we had some odd-and-ends and leftovers from a few projects: spicey syrup from candying nuts; pistacio rosemary cheese mixture from pizzas; salty roasted pumpkin seeds from a savory sourdough bread; etc. We (actually Trevor) threw together sourdough pancakes, and we (really this time) prepared toppings for our feast.

Some of our favorite combinations from this round of Fremont’s Pancakes are pictured below: sauteed apple, pear, frozen almond custard (dairy-free!!!) and spicey simple syrup; smokey bacon, roasted pepitas and hard cheeses; apple, fontina, bacon and simple syrup.

Nature Rulez

Our dear friends were recently married in the beautiful mountains of Aspen, CO. We had the privelege of backpacking, hiking and camping during our stay. Yes, we were the only wedding guests to do so. No, we don’t regret even a second of it. To the contrary actually, we wouldn’t dream of spending time in the mountains any other way. Despite the chilly nights, we slept well alongside Maroon Creek and woke early to the breathtaking sun as it peeked over the misty mountains. And despite the daily rains that impeded our attempts at creating hot meals, we ate well-quite well.

Eating on the trail can be an adventure in itself. We’ve found that planning/packing foods high in calories, protein and healthy fats that are lightweight is an essential part of trip preparation. In our opinions, the prepacked spice packs from outdoor adventure stores are not only overpriced, but they lack freshness and variety. This is why we pack our own emergency spice kit. It typically includes any of the following: salt, ground pepper, tumeric, cumin, piquin/cayenne/aleppo pepper,dried parsley/basil/thyme/oregano. Additionally, a small bottle of oil is of great use when preparing just about any meal on the trail.

A few of our favorite foods concocted to last include: homemade granola and nut bars, canned beans/corn/tomatoes (theyre heavy, but worth it for a quick salsa), Fremont’s fermented bean dip,Trevor’s doggy bisquits, peanut butter, tortilla chips and GORP (Good Old Raisins (read “dried fruit”) and Peanuts (read “nuts”)]. This trip, we were fortunate to discover the free bus system of Aspen that allowed us multiple visits to the grocery to enjoy supplements that we would not normally dream of taking on the trail (delicious loaves of bread, fresh berries and bananas, fresh veggies, full fat yogurt, etc).

After returning from Aspen, we promptly purchased a Jetboil camp stove, which stores all components into the 1L reservoir and can boil liquids in rain or shine! With a stove (or access to boiling water), one’s culinary opportunities in the wildnerness are endless. We can now hike up a few hearty (and relatively longevitous) veggies like potatoes, carrots, corn and onions to make stews/soups, hashes, and other heart-warming meals for our weary bones. Also, we can throw dried legumes in our packs: lentils are high in protein as are beans of all kinds! Furthermore, simple grains and hot water allow for an abundance of dishes that meet our carbohydrate needs. An added bonus is, of course, the decreased volume and weight of fresh/dried items as compared to their soaked/canned counterparts. Here’s to fire, heat and hot water!

Other items that one may find useful at a campsite include tin foil, sharp knifes, a can opener, lightweight cookware, handsanitizer, dish soap, reservoirs of varying sizes, etc.

We’ll plan a future post to discuss our favorite foods and beverages during car camping: “Pudgey pies;” Popcorn; Stirfry; Sausage; Stuffed Peppers. (Apparently, we like lots of  “S” and “P” words). Ice and insulation are a couples’ 10th best friend when car camping. Dogs, sourdough starters, fire, sunshine, photosynthesis, and many many other things sneak a bit higher on the ranking.

Cardamom Coriander Cookies

We are addicted to cookies (really though-this may be an addiction; we are terribly fearful of the symptoms of cookie-withdrawal). Last night while editing our cookie lab book/journal, I was inspired to construct a recipe for cardamom coriander cookies. I deliberated for approximately 5 seconds to plan my experiment, and hopped to work. Honestly, there may have been less deliberation, but I like to think myself more of a “planner” than I actually am, hoping it may encourage me to think more frequently prior to acting in all areas of life. Anyway, they (the cookies) miraculously turned out quite well, though I think I ought to have added a pinch more coriander for a more balanced flavor, and maybe a sprinkle of salt prior to throwing them in the oven (don’t worry, I didn’t literally “throw” anything into the oven-this is just another annoying figure of speech that I overuse). Despite the experiment’s imperfections and room for improvement, it was a splendid amount of fun and yielded a cookie that met nearly 97% of my expectations. “Recipes” are mere suggestions, in my humble opinion, so pretty please with a bing cherry on top alter this as you see fit! Below you’ll find (almost) exactly what I did this time around:

CARDAMOM CORIANDER COOKIES
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c .white sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1-4 T. cold water
1 c. AP (all purpose) flour
1 c. WW (whole wheat) flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. coriander
1/4 t. cardamom
1/4-1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl combine butter and sugar. Fold in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients [flours, leavening agents, spices (including salt)]. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. After all dry ingredients have been added, add 1-4 T. cold water (just until the dough combines).

The dough will appear quite dry (similar to a pastry/pie dough). Form cookies and drop on a greased cookie sheet (or on parchment paper, if you happen to be blessed with such a delightful culinary tool). Bake for 7-10 minutes (remove from oven when cookies no longer look greasy/wet). Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Consume and feel the satisfaction of caving to your addiction to cookies.

Kale, Kale, Kale!!!!

My introduction to Tuscan (aka lacinato, dinosaur, black) kale came in the form of a Bon Appetit recipe for oven-baked kale chips. I had never thought much of the brighter curly leaf variety and it is not hard to wonder why: many establishments persist in using it as little else than a soggy green plate liner.

Soggy is precisely what Tuscan kale chips are not: crisp, salty, wafer-thin sheets of pleasantly vegetal goodness, what I have always imagined those so-called “veggie chip” extrusions aspire to be. Sarah and I routinely eat multiple sheet pans worth right out of the oven. If we have company, we sometimes manage to get a third of the crisps into a serving glass. Sometimes.

Making chips out of kale leaves involves little more than salt, oil, any spices you have laying around and a moderately hot oven. Do a search for “kale chips” if you like step by step instructions. It’s easy and worth adopting into your culinary repertoire.

In addition to chips, we enjoy throwing sliced kale into pretty much any concoction that comes to our minds: beans and rice, omelets, squash soup, even salads if the greens are young. As we roll into fall, I look forward to seeing how the hearty greens weather. We have around eight tall, healthy kale plants that have been reliably sprouting new leaves all summer long. We simply cannot keep up with the plants, and it is hard to imagine a time in my life when we held anything less than utmost compassion for the prolific, versatile veg. I imagine we will introduce our future kids to kale in chip form and go from there. After all, I have yet to meet a soul who can resist a tray hot out of the oven.

In conclusion, kale is fantastic, yes? In addition to its dramatic texture and its rich deep color, we LOVE its nutritional value (like most dark green veggies, kale is high in iron) and distinctive flavor. As our summer vegetables slow with the impending cold weather, our kale endures. All summer long, we’ve enjoyed this leafy green. Due to its longevity, we’ll be indulging in this veg for a few more weeks (months if finger-crossing works).

SownandSoured

“Trevor here LOVES making pizza.” This was Chris’ opening line (after “how you ladies doin’ tonight?” of course) on the night that we (Trevor&Sarah) met in Minneapolis. Little did I (Sarah) know that making pizza with Trevor would soon turn out to be among my most favorite pastimes. To be completely honest, while cooking just about anything (yes, even anchovies) with Trevor, I’m the happiest gal you’ll ever meet.Since meeting, we’ve been falling hopelessly in love with one another, and equally in love with spending time in the kitchen (is that even okay to say? Ha! O well, I’ve said it, so the damage has already been done). It may be true that we’re in the kitchen (provided our jungle/garden counts as an extension of “the kitchen”) more than we work or play or sleep. We haven’t yet collected and analyzed the data to adequately test that hypothesis; someday we will. This blog was born of our mutual love for science, an enormous backlog of food photography, and the need to keep track of our methods [as we so poorly record them in lab/recipe notebooks (though we’ve planned to do so on many an occasion)].

“SownandSoured” has a fairly simple explanation. We love photosynthetic processes (to be fair, we love most biological processes) and have begun our first garden together this year. Hence, the first word in the title “sown.” Furthermore we love fermentation (see, I told you that biological processes were dear to our hearts)….of many, and potentially all, kinds. “Fremont Jr,” our beloved sourdough starter, is our most prolific pet (not our favorite, but certainly the most versatile). He is a key player in an absurd number of our concoctions including, but certainly not limited to: breads, pancakes, hondava, oatmeal, cookies, etc. Additionally, brewing beer, and other fermented beverages, is fast-becoming a Brown family passion (read obsession). As we delight in the way that fermentation sours its reactants creating delicious products, we arrived at the title “SownandSoured” for our food, gardening, and fermentation blog.  See? Easy peasey.

We’re delighted that you’ve decided to take a peek and hope to steal as much of your screen time as possible. More than this, we hope to inspire an adventurous culinary, scientific and active spirit in you…or at the very least encourage your already existing one to grow!!!!