Yesterday I posted on Facebook that I am going to set a New Year Resolution to make new dishes. Two per month is going to be the goal. Twenty-four new-to-me dishes coming this year. And I invited people to join me and form a "Food Club" where we could share the successes and hilarious un-successes of our new dishes. I got several "likes" but no one wanted to join me. This is where I'm sad.
Part of me thinks I may have not explained my entire thought process. So, for those of you who are wavering, thinking this could be something fun, but aren't prepared to invent new dishes... here is a more comprehensive plan.
First, we don't need to meet. It's not about sampling each other's dishes, it's about experimenting and sharing the results. In our virtual Food Club, we can post and respond as we create and feel inspired.
Second, there is no need to invent any dishes. I spent about an hour today pouring over cookbooks trying to find something new to make for dinner tonight. Nothing was calling to me, and that's OK. There are countless dishes out there that I've never made (or eaten), and I can certainly pick twenty-four of them over the next year to try out.
Third, it doesn't have to be a whole meal. Maybe it's a side dish. Maybe it's a dessert (that's what I did!) Maybe... it's a sandwich or a smoothie or a breakfast dish. I've never made corned-beef hash. Perhaps that will pop up this year as a new dish. The point is, it's about trying something new within our own comfort zones.
So... are you interested?
Part of me thinks I may have not explained my entire thought process. So, for those of you who are wavering, thinking this could be something fun, but aren't prepared to invent new dishes... here is a more comprehensive plan.
First, we don't need to meet. It's not about sampling each other's dishes, it's about experimenting and sharing the results. In our virtual Food Club, we can post and respond as we create and feel inspired.
Second, there is no need to invent any dishes. I spent about an hour today pouring over cookbooks trying to find something new to make for dinner tonight. Nothing was calling to me, and that's OK. There are countless dishes out there that I've never made (or eaten), and I can certainly pick twenty-four of them over the next year to try out.
Third, it doesn't have to be a whole meal. Maybe it's a side dish. Maybe it's a dessert (that's what I did!) Maybe... it's a sandwich or a smoothie or a breakfast dish. I've never made corned-beef hash. Perhaps that will pop up this year as a new dish. The point is, it's about trying something new within our own comfort zones.
So... are you interested?
Cranberry Apple Puffy Pie
Puffy Pie was named by my husband about an hour ago. He saw it cooling on the counter and described what he saw. I think the name will stick.
It all started as a way to keep two little boys occupied. They had already drawn pictures, had snacks, played hide-and-seek, built spaceships and pretended to be astronauts, ate gingerbread houses and played outside in the cold. The boys love to help cook, so when I was cleaning out the fridge and came across a bag of cranberries, I knew I'd be making something today with them.
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh cranberries
3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
Over heated to 375*
I floated the cranberries in a bowl of water and set the boys to the task of getting all the "squishy" cranberries out of the water. I had no idea how engaged in this they would get! The squishy cranberries were like treasures to them, each find was a conquest and worthy of celebration. This did leave me free to peel, core and slice apples, as well as grease a pie plate.
After a bit of protesting that they hadn't found all the squishy berries yet and I should let them keep looking for them (as well as learning that one of them no longer had any hands, but just cranberries at the end of his arms now - mothers of boys are laughing here), I was able to drain the water off the cranberries before setting the boys up to make nice flat layers of apples and cranberries in the pie plate.
I sprinkled about a teaspoon of sugar over the apple-berry mixture*.
After combining the Bisquick and milk, I let the boys take turns mixing the dough. Then we all grabbed regular teaspoons from the drawer (not the measuring ones, but the ones you eat cereal with) and dropped the dough over the top of the apple-berry mixture.
The whole thing cooked for 45 minutes. The dough was nicely browned and the berry juices were bubbling at the edges.
* When eating the Puffy Pie, it was only slightly less tart than sucking on a lemon. Well, maybe not that bad, but it definitely needed more sugar for my taste. I sprinkled a little on my serving at the table. My husband thought it was perfect just the way it was. So, if you like tart, this will be enough sugar, but if you like sweet, increase the sugar to about 1/4 cup.
It all started as a way to keep two little boys occupied. They had already drawn pictures, had snacks, played hide-and-seek, built spaceships and pretended to be astronauts, ate gingerbread houses and played outside in the cold. The boys love to help cook, so when I was cleaning out the fridge and came across a bag of cranberries, I knew I'd be making something today with them.
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh cranberries
3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
Over heated to 375*
I floated the cranberries in a bowl of water and set the boys to the task of getting all the "squishy" cranberries out of the water. I had no idea how engaged in this they would get! The squishy cranberries were like treasures to them, each find was a conquest and worthy of celebration. This did leave me free to peel, core and slice apples, as well as grease a pie plate.
After a bit of protesting that they hadn't found all the squishy berries yet and I should let them keep looking for them (as well as learning that one of them no longer had any hands, but just cranberries at the end of his arms now - mothers of boys are laughing here), I was able to drain the water off the cranberries before setting the boys up to make nice flat layers of apples and cranberries in the pie plate.
I sprinkled about a teaspoon of sugar over the apple-berry mixture*.
After combining the Bisquick and milk, I let the boys take turns mixing the dough. Then we all grabbed regular teaspoons from the drawer (not the measuring ones, but the ones you eat cereal with) and dropped the dough over the top of the apple-berry mixture.
The whole thing cooked for 45 minutes. The dough was nicely browned and the berry juices were bubbling at the edges.
* When eating the Puffy Pie, it was only slightly less tart than sucking on a lemon. Well, maybe not that bad, but it definitely needed more sugar for my taste. I sprinkled a little on my serving at the table. My husband thought it was perfect just the way it was. So, if you like tart, this will be enough sugar, but if you like sweet, increase the sugar to about 1/4 cup.