Household Ways: National Food Holidays

Showing posts with label National Food Holidays. Show all posts

August 10: For National S'mores Day

I had never really thought about how S'mores are an American treat. But then so are Graham Crackers. So, for all of you that are not American, let me introduce you to the S'more.
You will need marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, and if you don't have graham crackers some digestive biscuits will do.

If you have never roasted a marshmallow, then you will have to learn how to do that first. You will need a stick for that. Something fairly straight. Insert your stick into one end of your marshmallow and roast it over campfire coals until it becomes toasty golden and melty warm.

While your roasted marshmallow is still hot, place a piece of chocolate on your graham cracker, cover the chocolate with the hot roasted marshmallow and top with another graham cracker. It is sort of like a candy and marshmallow sandwich.
And of course, the name comes from the fact that one is never enough and you will need s'more.

Buttermilk Cake

This recipe is from the Smitten Kitchen. It makes a one-layer cake than can be a dessert or eaten for breakfast.

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 large egg

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or any other fruit you like

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using. Add egg and beat well. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter fruit evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate. Serve plain or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Heavenly.

Buttermilk cake made with blackberries.

July 29: In Case You Wanted to Know What Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day Was...

Fresh Blueberry Muffins for July 11: National Blueberry Muffin Day

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart, so it is a bit difficult, but the results are worth the trouble.

Makes 1 dozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1 1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and

the blueberries.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Mix in vanilla.
3.With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. If desired, in a small bowl, mix together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg. Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of muffin batter.
4.Bake, rotating pan halfway though, until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn muffins on their sides in their cups, and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature

June 30th is National Ice Cream Soda Day

It's a good excuse.

June 26: For National Chocolate Pudding Day: Homemade Chocolate Pudding & Vanilla Pudding Mix

In America, chocolate pudding is a chocolate flavored custard. In Britain, chocolate pudding is more of a dense cake, and the word "pudding" itself can be a generic term for "dessert."

June 26 is America's National Chocolate Pudding Day, so make some mix to have ready. I have included a Vanilla Pudding Mix, too-just for fun.

Chocolate Pudding Mix
3 cups cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups unsweeteened cocoa powder
5 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Store in a large airtight container or jar.

To Prepare Pudding: Stir mix before using. Measure out 2/3 cup of mix into a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups milk, one teaspoon vanilla and one tablespoon butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking and stirring for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool.

Vanilla Pudding Mix

3 cups instant nonfat dry milk
4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups cornstarch

Combine milk, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a food processor and process until uniform. You may need to do this in 2-3 batches. Store mix in airtight canister or a closely covered jar.

To prepare pudding: Stir the mix in the canister before measuring out 1/2 cup mix into a pan. Add 2 cups milk AND 1 teaspoon of vanilla and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Continue stirring for 1 minute, remove from heat and pour into individual serving dishes. Pudding will thicken further as it cools. Makes 8 cups of milk.

December 1 is National Pie Day: Pies for You and Pies for Me

When one person likes cherry pie and the next person likes apple and still another likes Mince, it is time to make these individual mini-pies.

Crust: Rub one stick (1/2 cup) butter with 2 cups flour. Add anywhere from 4-8 teaspoons of water. Add a little at a time until it can form a ball but not be too sticky.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch.

Use a large cookie cutter to cut the pastry circles.

Gently place these circles into individual ramekins or into a cupcake tin.

Add your filling. It can be a favorite recipe of your own. It can be canned pie filling.
Or, you can use Lemon Curd, a berry jam or marmalade. Everyone can choose their own filling.