Oh, Hi there....

Littlefoodies is back with a brand new edition......

It's been a long while but its time to get things rolling again. Happy 4th of July, Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Halloween, Merry Christmas/Holidays, and everything else that I have missed in the last 7 months. Life is busy around here. We started home schooling the Littlefoodie, who turned 5 this past summer. The household picked up and moved. we have a beautiful new garden bursting with broccoli, pumpkins, cauliflower, bok choy. The littlefoodie lost another tooth 2 weeks ago and is working on 3 more- 6 total! I have been sewing and having fun with that. We started a new square foot garden and have been living the best way we can- clean, green and full of imagination.

Today is a rainy day here in the land of sunshine and plastic surgery and we've all been hit and recovering him the sickness that seems to be milling around. After littlefoodie made a mural out of cardboard- depicting the waters of ancient Egypt (there is that awesome imagination) we decided to pull out some frozen cranberries and bake us some muffins. For the last few months I have been receiving an organic fruit box from Farmer Steve in Ramona which is put on by our local CSA's moderator. Bi-monthly I get the juiciest and sweetest oranges around, apples, pears, pomegranates, fuyu persimmons, passion fruits, juju fruit, quince, avocados (they are amazing and creamy) and whatever happens to be in season in the farm. They have also begun offering organic eggs! We took the rind and juice of some tangerines and combined with the tartness of fresh cranberries threw them into our muffins along with a handful of chopped walnuts. I am almost smell them now (as much as my stuffy nose can breath).

Later today I plan on puree the persimmons, as I have a crazy amount and throw them in the freezer to make persimmon jam later next week. These persimmons are like none others I have had.

Cranberry, Tangerine and Walnut Muffins

1 1/2 cups fresh organic cranberries
2 tbl organic cane sugar
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 cup organic almond meal (can use regular flour, oat flour, barley flour, etc.)
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
4 tsp aluminum free baking powder
Zest of 2 tangerines or zest of 1 small orange and juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 organic egg
3/4 cup buttermilk (can sub regular milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc.)
1/4 organic butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Line muffin tin with liners. Combine cranberries and 2 tbl sugar in a bowl.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, orange peel and salt. Stir. Combine egg, milk, butter and juice in a small bowl. Make well in flour mixture and add wet ingredients including cranberries and walnuts to dry. Folding until just incorporated. Spoon into muffin tins and bake 15 min at 400 F.

Enjoy!

panforte

panforte is an italian dessert. its sort a cross between a confection and a cake...a little fruitcakeiness to it too. its yummy, gooey, dense and good. i haven't made this in years but we are having quite a x-mas and i always make italian for x-mas so hopefully this will be a new one added to my list! i got the recipe off of epicurious. it was printed in gourmet december of 2002. i changed it slightly, adding different fruits and fruits and some orange zest.

enjoy!

PANFORTE
4 teaspoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder plus additional for dusting
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted and loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel and chopped
1 cup dried unsulfured apricots, cut into halves
1 cup dried mission figs, each cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup candied citron
zest or 2 oranges
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup honey

Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan; parchment paper; a candy thermometer
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Line springform pan with parchment, using a round for bottom and a strip for side. Butter paper well and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and 4 teaspoons cocoa in a large bowl, then stir in nuts and fruit.

Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil without stirring until thermometer registers 238 to 240°F, about 2 minutes.

Immediately pour honey over fruit mixture and quickly stir until combined (mixture will be very thick and sticky). Quickly spoon mixture into springform pan, spreading evenly with back of spoon. Dampen your hands and press mixture firmly and evenly into pan to compact as much as possible. Bake in middle of oven until edges start to rise slightly and become matte, 50 to 55 minutes.

Cool panforte completely in pan on a rack, then remove side of pan and invert, peeling off paper. If making ahead, wrap panforte (see cooks' note, below). To serve, cut with a serrated knife into small pieces.

Cooks' note:
• The flavors of panforte deepen over time — it's best made at least 1 week ahead and chilled in a large sealed plastic bag. It can be made 1 month ahead and chilled, wrapped in parchment and then kept in a sealed plastic bag.

sage and cranberry scones with lemon glaze

enjoy!

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup organic natural cane sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon, minced
3 sage leaves, rubbed and minced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
combine ingredients for glaze. set aside.
1 large egg

lemon glaze:
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbl cane sugar
4 tbl half and half or cream
1 sage leaf


preheat oven to 400F.

sift flour thru salt into a large bowl. stir in lemon zest, sage and cranberries. combine.

whisk together yogurt, vanilla and egg. add to flour mixture and stir to mix.

drop by large tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet. brush each generously with lemon glaze.

bake 15 minutes.