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Homemade Corn Tortillas

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Homemade Corn Tortillas

It’s Easy. Really.

If you learned one kitchen skill to change all your Mexican food recipes, this would be it. Homemade corn tortillas, made from scratch. And it’s so much easier than you might think.  Once you learn this very easy recipe you’ll rarely buy tortillas from the end cap at the grocery store again.

Take the plunge and buy a cast iron tortilla press. You’ll be happy you have it. For around $20 it’s a small tool and you can tuck it away in the bottom of your pantry. I use an 8″ Victoria brand tortilla press and line it with a zip top bag. (Wash the plastic bag to re-use for the next batch of tortillas.)

Downsizing

Walking through the grocery store last week I noticed that my cart was more empty than it has ever been. No more need to pick up bread, pasta or tortillas. Over the years I’ve learned to bake bread and English muffins.  I make pasta of all kinds, and pizza dough too. And using this recipe I mix up homemade tortillas in no time at all.

Having a good supply of organic flour and corn masa at the ready means you can put together dinner easily without making a last minute dash to the grocery store. I have a very small Los Angeles kitchen which means not a lot of room for gadgets and extra tools. And honestly, you don’t need ’em for this.

Be a little patient. If they aren’t just right the first time around, I promise, you’ll get it. Understanding the best consistency of the dough comes quickly. You’ll know you’ve got it right when the dough feels like Play-Do and doesn’t stick to your hands. The press takes a little getting used to but lining it with a zip top bag will make the job sooo much easier.

Tip: Cut off the zipper of a zip top bag then slice down the two sides of the bag so that it opens like a book. Lay the bag inside the press, open, set your ball of dough on the open bag, close it, press, open and toss the flattened dough on the griddle.

I hope you will try this recipe and discover the convenience of making your own homemade corn tortillas.

Homemade Corn Tortillas
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Homemade Corn Tortillas

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Bread, Tortillas
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 20 tortillas

Equipment

  • Cast iron tortilla press
  • Zip top bag

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 2 cups masa harina Make sure to buy Nixta Masa. NOT INSTANT. It's fairly readily available in grocery stores throughout the US and always available in Latin grocery stores.
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cup hot water not boiling (about 120°)

Instructions

  • Cut the sides of a zip top bag along the seams. Leave the bottom seam uncut. Cut off the zipper. The bag should now open and close from the bottom seam, like a book. Lay the bag inside of your tortilla press until ready to use.
    Tortilla press
  • Combine masa harina and salt in a large mixing bowl.
    Masa Harina
  • Add 1½ cups hot water and stir till it just comes together but still has dry corn flour. Then ditch the spoon and get your hands in there. Knead the dough, squeezing, pressing down with the heel of your palm, then folding over. Knead for 3 minutes. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes knead the dough again for about 3 more minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands. It should feel like play-do or that magic sand stuff that kids play with.
  • Break off pieces of dough and roll into ping pong sized balls.
  • Heat a griddle or flat skillet till very hot. Add a couple drops of canola oil to the skillet and brush around to evenly coat.
  • Use a cast iron tortilla press to get the most consistently even and perfectly round tortillas.
  • Heat a griddle or flat skillet till very hot. Add a couple drops of canola oil to the skillet and brush around to evenly coat.
  • Lay the cut zip top bag inside the tortilla press. Open it like a book and place one of the balls of dough on the bag. Fold the bag over onto the dough ball and then press the ball with the iron press. Open the press and lift out the flattened dough, open the bag and peel off into your hand. Then lay the tortilla on the hot skillet.
  • Heat for about 1 minute until golden brown spots form on the bottom of the tortilla. Flip it and do the same on the other side. Remove from griddle and keep warm in a tortilla warmer or wrap up in a clean tea towel. Fold the towel over each tortilla so they are all wrapped up inside but not stacked on top of each other. When the towel is full, start another.
  • Use tortillas immediately while still warm or store them in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Around my house any leftover tortillas get eaten within a day so I just leave them on the counter wrapped in the towel and everybody can grab 'em when the craving hits.

Vermiculture for the Kitchen?

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Worm Farm

Why Vermiculture?

Can worms save the planet? Well, I’m just an amateur backyard scientist and worm farmer but my biased observations say, yes.  At the very least the little wigglers have saved my kitchen and my yard. And my carbon footprint is fading fast. As of this year I am at nearly zero with the trash I take to the street every week. And my compost bin is overflowing with rich black worm deposits that I put back into my plants.

So, what’s the big deal about worms anyway?  First off, vermiculture is a lifestyle that nearly anyone can adopt, no matter if you live in a small apartment or have a backyard. Second, farming worms will reduce your kitchen waste dramatically. And third, your potted plants, garden herbs and veggies will be nourished and healthy, enjoying a seriously reduced risk of disease and un-friendly microbes.

Is It Doable?

To begin with, worms are pretty cheap. (Mine were free. I gathered them along the hiking trail after a huge downpour several years ago.) When buying, order the very smallest amount available. Be patient and feed them well, I assure you, they will MULTIPLY.

You can make your own DIY worm farm for your little friends or use something like the Worm Factory farm I use. (Didn’t pay full price for this little condo either. I found a neighborhood post online from a person donating their used farm before they moved) The internet is full of ideas and options for housing and growing worms.

Contrary to popular belief, worms do not smell bad. In fact, the kitchen odor I used to have from my garbage disposal and kitchen trash can is completely eliminated. There is no smell besides the yummy aroma of good home-cooked food in my kitchen. Worms are not gross. (They can be kinda cute) They do not bite. And they are very cool hermaphrodites with zero hangups about that. They just do their thing, making the world a better place, one bite and poop at a time.

What I Do

Every week I siphon off between 2-4 cups of amber liquid from the bottom of the worm farm condo and use it to fertilize my herbs and potted plants. I scoop out spades full of rich black droppings from the lower levels of the farm to use all over my garden and yard. I also mix it in with potting soil when planting new starts. The deposits actually look and smell like high grade composting soil that you find at the local nursery, not poop or manure. There are many worms that go along with those scoops  and back into the soil around my yard. The worms continue to grow and feed on the soil throughout the yard, aerating the soil and keeping it workable, healthy and nutrient-rich.

The Benefits

These powerhouse little eaters keep my kitchen clean and food waste to a minimum. I feed them egg shells, shredded egg cartons and paper, pancakes, waffles, bread and yeast discard, and most organic waste that is NOT citrus.

I no longer buy plastic bags and containers of fertilizer for my plants. The waste reduction is one of the coolest things about this little lifestyle tweek. I’m now 5 years into worm farming and befriended the lowly worm is still at the top of my happiness list.

If you do vermiculture/vermicomposting and have some good tips and tricks, I’d love to hear about it. Please share your adventures.

Worm Tea
Worm Castings

Angel Food Loaf Cake

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Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is one of my favorite desserts. It’s light, springy and has a addictive chewiness at the edges. Plus you can eat an entire cake in a single sitting (I know I can!) and not even feel it. Heavenly. Angel Food…oh, I get it.

But if you think angel food cake requires a bundt pan, I’m here to tell you, there’s another way. Angel Food Cake baked in a loaf pan.

Angel Food cake requires egg whites. I make a lot of ice cream custard that uses plenty of egg yolks. I’ve usually got a lot of leftover egg whites multiplying in my fridge.  And my dog can only eat so many of them. In that case, I needed another solution, other than wasting a bunch of egg whites…I really hate wasting food. That said, my small kitchen doesn’t have room for a bundt pan that I’d use only a couple of times a year. My favorite alternative is this Angel Food Cake. In a loaf pan.

This cake is topped with whipping cream shaken up in a jar and fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries from the garden. But you can whip your cream with a mixer.

I used a standard 9 x 5 loaf pan. And here’s a tip: Do NOT grease the pan and DO NOT line it with parchment paper. Angel food cake really needs to stick to the pan for better rise in the oven. Sticking to the pan is important so that the cake stays in the pan when you turn it upside down to cool. 

Another tip: Whip your egg whites at room temperature for maximum loft and fluff. Use cream of tartar, lemon juice or distilled vinegar when whipping. Whichever you have on hand.

You must invert angel food cake while it’s cooling so it maintains its loft. Otherwise it will just be a flat, dense loaf. I simply turn the cake over onto a couple of food cans then come back in an hour to take it out of the pan.

Top angel food cake with your favorite fruit and cream or drizzle with chocolate.

Angel Food Loaf Cake
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Angel Food Loaf Cake

Make this airy fluffy light cake easily in a loaf pan. Use the berries you have available and enjoy this sweet summer treat with jam or homemade whipped cream.
Course Dessert
Keyword Baking, Berries, Cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 9 x 5 loaf pan

Ingredients

  • ¾ cups sugar divided
  • ½ cup cake flour All-purpose is ok
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 6 real egg whites (not from a carton)
  • 1 Tbsp cream of tartar, lemon juice OR distilled vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • whipping cream
  • fresh berries

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 325°
  • Whisk together flour, cornstarch and ¼ cup of the sugar. Reserve ½ cup sugar for the next step.
  • In a clean bowl of a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed with the cream of tartar (or lemon juice or distilled vinegar if using instead), vanilla, and salt until foamy. About 1 minute.
  • Increase the speed to high and gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until soft hilly peaks form about 3-4 minutes. Do not beat into stiff peaks.
  • Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the flour ingredients. Add about 1/4 at a time to the egg whites. You want to incorporate all of the flour without deflating the egg whites. Take your time and gently fold. You may have a few small lumps, just make sure there is no dry flour left.
  • Gently pour/spoon the batter into the loaf pan and evenly spread. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and no longer sticky on top.
    Angel Food Cake Batter
  • Turn the pan upside down and rest on top of two jars or cans. Cake must cool upside down for at least 1 hour. Angel food cake will deflate if it cools right-side up.
    Cake cooling hack

Whipping Cream

  • Chill a mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Pour 1 cup of very cold heavy whipping cream and 1 Tbsp sugar into the chilled bowl.
  • Using a mixer with whisk attachment, mix the cream and sugar on high until rich and creamy. Do not over-mix or cream will become a dry clump that scoops rather than dollops.
  • To serve, carefully run a butter knife around the edges. Lay the pan on its side and carefully pull the cake out with your knife. You can use an offset spatula and run it under the bottom of the cake to gently pull it from the bottom and sides.
    TIP: Slice the angel food cake with a serrated knife. Gently "saw" down into the cake rather than pushing it down and smashing the cake.
    Serve with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and homemade whipped cream.

Sourdough Country Bread Loaf

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Sourdough Country Bread Loaf

Bread is baked in every type of environment all over the world. As you can imagine, that makes for as many different ways to bake bread as there are bakers of bread. Sourdough bread is no exception. In each unique kitchen bread dough is subject to countless, hard-to-control variables. Temperature, humidity, types of water, flour or oven all vary depending on the kitchen, baker or region.

Because of this, there are endless numbers of bread recipes to be found in books and on the internet. My advice: Grab a basic recipe that works for you and make that your starting point. Learn from it, then experiment with it. Change the variables that are more appropriate for your kitchen, your available time or your budget. Try different flours and tools. Keep in mind that this, or any recipe for fermented sourdough bread, is not a guarantee for perfection. It’s just an outline of the specific tools and techniques you will need to get started.

This recipe for a basic country sourdough loaf is the one I use at home, in my own kitchen. I have given specific measurements and times for this bread, however, measurements, length of fermentation, folding, proofing and baking are often different every time I bake it. This is because I may use different combinations or types of flour. It may be summer and blazing hot or winter and quite chilly in my kitchen.

Through much trial and error, I have learned what works and what does’nt work in the process of baking my own bread. My loaves are usually delicious but not always perfect. (The photo on this post is one of my first loaves) I have incorporated many recipes and techniques from bakers all over the world. In the end I have learned to celebrate even the most ragged-looking loaf of whole-grain bread that comes out of my oven.

Be patient and observe the process. It can be frustrating at times. When you make mistakes (yes, you will!) take a picture, laugh and try again another day. Take notes and hang in there.  I think you’ll find the result to be rewarding and very satisfying.

This loaf of organic 100% whole grain, sourdough leavened bread is my Saturday bread. It’s the one I make to get me through the coming week. It’s perfect for French toast, grilled cheese sandwiches or just slathered with bread and jam for afternoon tea. When it gets a bit stale, (it won’t last for that!) cut it up into cubes, toss it with olive oil and garlic and bake up some croutons.

Sourdough Country Bread Loaf
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Sourdough Country Bread Loaf

Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Global
Keyword Baking, Bread
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours
Servings 8

Ingredients

Levain

  • 25 grams sourdough starter wild yeast
  • 100 grams all-purpose flour organic preferred
  • 25 grams whole wheat flour organic preferred
  • 125 grams purified water

Final Bread Dough

  • 350 grams white bread flour organic preferred
  • 50 grams whole wheat flour organic preferred
  • 275 grams purified water lukewarm - 100°
  • 10 grams Kosher salt or sea salt
  • 200 grams sourdough levain that you mixed at the beginning

Instructions

  • Early in the morning, at least an hour before you begin making your bread dough, take out 25 grams of your starter and drop it into a clean container. Add 100 grams white bread flour, 25 grams whole wheat flour and 125 grams of purified water. Give it a stir and let it bubble and mingle for at least an hour. This is how you mix your levain.
  • Check your levain/starter after about an hour and do a "float" test. Scoop out a spoonful of the yeast and drop it into a cup of water. If it floats to the top, your levain is ready for you to begin mixing your bread dough. If it sinks, WAIT. Check back in another hour to see if it's floaty. Once it floats, proceed to mix your dough.
    Float Test
  • Tip: Weigh out flour first into one container. Then weigh out water in a separate container.
  • The dough should be 78° when you are finished mixing. Water is a big factor that will effect final temperature. Use a thermometer to check water and dough temperature. Write down the temp of the water you use so you can adjust it the next time. Target temperature should be 78°.
  • Pour 275 grams of water into a mixing container. Add 200g of the levain, (sourdough) that you mixed up earlier, to the water. Use your hand to swirl the sourdough into the water.  Break up any clumps and get it totally mixed together in a cloudy water sort of situation.
    Levain & Water
  • After sourdough/water is completely mixed, add in the flour and mix with your hand to incorporate. It should resemble a shaggy, slightly wet dough. Once the flour is incorporated let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Do not add the salt yet.
  • This 30-minute resting period is called the autolyse. During autolyse the flour absorbs the water and begins to develop dough strength. Set a timer and after thirty minutes, add the salt. If necessary, add a few dribbles of water if the dough is really stiff. Mix with your hand to combine.
  • When mixing I use a "pinch and fold" method; pinching or squeezing the dough with my fingers until it becomes longer, like a fat snake. The pinching helps to evenly distribute the salt. Then I fold the dough 4 times and pinch again. Turning the container and folding and pinching, folding and pinching for about 8-10 minutes.
  • Check the dough temperature. You want it to be 78°. If it's too warm, place it in the fridge to cool it down for a couple of minutes. If it's too cold put it in a warm place in your kitchen.
    Dough Temperature
  • At 78° the dough should take about 3.5 hours to finish its first rise. During those 3.5 hours you will knead the dough every 30-45 minutes. You will do this right inside the container, not on the counter. The dough will get noticeably stronger and more elastic with each fold.
  • Folding means taking the ball of dough, stretching it until just before it tears, and folding it back down onto itself. By doing this the dough gets strength and the temperature gets evenly distributed.
    When folding, work your way around the mixing bowl until you have made a full rotation of the bowl. For me, it is about 4 folds total each time. You should feel the dough becoming less stretchy and more elastic each time you go back to the container to fold it. Ken Forkish has a great video demonstrating this method of folding the dough.
  • When the dough has completed its first rise it will have risen about 30% in volume. I use a clear plastic container with measurements on the outside so I can see the dough rise and fall with each fold.  You can also put a piece of tape at the dough line so you can see how much rise occurs.
  • After about 3-3.5 hours it’s time to shape your dough. Dust your work surface with rice flour (or wheat flour if you do not have any rice flour) and turn the container over, letting the dough release and fall onto the countertop
  • Shape the dough into a boule or round by folding just as you did when the dough was in the container. Once you've made a full rotation of folds, flip the dough over using a dough scraper or your hands, and gently work dough into a circular ball shape.
  • Remember: Shaping takes years to get really good at. Be patient, it’s easy to get frustrated, but you will get this over time. It takes practice.
  • Grab a bowl or basket big enough to hold the loaf. A colander works really well for this too. Line it with a clean lint free kitchen cloth and dust generously with flour. Pick the loaf up and place it into the "basket" you've created, seam side down. The seams will become the top of the loaf once baked and will open naturally as the dough expands.
  • Let the dough do a second rise (also called proof) in the fridge.
    Proofing allows the dough to rise just a bit more and adds flavor.
    Note: You can proof your basket of dough on the counter for 1 hour, if you want to fast track this loaf and bake it in the same day. Pre-heat your oven to 500° while dough is proofing on the counter. Continue with steps to bake following proof.
  • If refrigerating, stick the basket/bowl of dough, kitchen towel and all into a plastic bag to prevent the loaf from drying out or creating a "skin" over the top. Put it in the fridge between 12-24 hours.
  • One hour before baking, pre-heat oven to 500°. Use a cast iron or ceramic pot (LeCreuset, Lodge, etc.) to bake your loaf in. I use the combo cooker by Lodge. Put the cast iron pot and lid into the oven. Allow oven and pot to heat for one hour.
  • After an hour of pre-heating remove your loaf from the fridge. Dust with flour to avoid any stickiness.
    Remove pot from oven. (Use oven gloves! The pot gets VERY hot and steamy and it’s easy to get burned. The scars on my forearms are evidence of this.) Keep oven gloves nearby. You are going to pull the pot out of the oven, set it on the stove top, and open it up. Smoke and steam will come out. It's very hot!
  • Still wearing the oven gloves, turn out your dough from your proofing bowl/basket into your gloves. The loaf should not stick, if it does, try to remain calm, and gently ease it out. (Make a note to use more flour next time.)
    Carefully place the loaf into the shallow/lid side of the cast iron pot. Put pot lid back on and put the pot into the oven.
    Nice job!
  • Bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes put on your oven gloves and remove the lid of the pot, being VERY careful as steam will, again, come out from underneath. Turn the oven down to 450° and let bread bake another 15 minutes.
  • Each oven is different, so keep your eye on the loaf, checking for color. When the loaf is done it should be dark brown, like dark chocolate. Remove the pot from the oven and place loaf on wire rack to cool.
  • Turn that oven off! Tap on the bottom of the loaf. It should sound hollow thudding sound, like a drum.
  • Resist the temptation to slice into your loaf to eat it warm. Bread develops even more flavor as it cools. Allow to completely cool for two hours before slicing.
  • It's a long process, but you’ll love the taste of the final bread. And you’ll get lots of compliments. If you enjoy it, try it again. Practice makes perfect, if you decide to stick with it. There are TONS of methods and recipes all over the internet to try out. My favorites for learning were Ken Forkish’s book, Flour Water Salt Yeast and the Tartine Cookbook.
  • Have fun and happy baking!

How to Feed a Sourdough Starter

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Wild Yeast Starter

If you’ve already got a sourdough starter in the kitchen, you will need to maintain a daily feeding schedule to keep it alive and thriving.

You can feed it with any flour that you have on hand, just DO NOT use bleached flours. All-purpose UNBLEACHED flour is fine. I always use organic flour as well. For a more sour and vigorous yeast, use whole wheat or rye flour. If your dough gets too sour, you can transition it to a milder yeast by using all-purpose flour for the next several feedings.

If you are going to be out of town or just want to take a break from feeding your yeasty baby, just cover it and pop it into the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 months.

When you take it out of the fridge, it may look dead or have a liquid floating on top. That’s ok. Stir it and smell it. If it smells like strong beer or wine or strong yeast, that’s a good sign. If it smells like nothing, that’s ok too. If it smells rotten or rancid, it probably is. The liquid that floats on top is fine. It’s called “hooch,” and it’s just a message from your yeast that it wants to be fed. Stir it down and feed your starter.

Sourdough starters are pretty resilient. It’s tough to kill these guys with regular maintenance. Hot temperatures and neglect will be the death of your wild yeast. Keep it cool (72F – 80F) and fed and it will reward you well.

The flour to water ratios in this recipe are what I use to keep waste to a minimum. You can change the amount of flour and water that you use in your starter depending on how much bread you bake with it. You just need to maintain a ratio of 100% flour to 100% water. Any weight or combination of flours is fine. I typically keep 15-25 grams of starter, then add 100 grams of purified room temperature water then add 100 grams of various flours.

Jump in, be patient and enjoy experimenting in the world of fermentation.

Wild Yeast Starter
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How to Feed a Sourdough Starter

How to feed a wild yeast sourdough starter for homemade bread
Cuisine Global
Keyword Baking, Bread, Sourdough
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 25 grams starter
  • 50 grams unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour (organic optional)
  • 50 grams rye or whole wheat or any combination of flours that you have on hand (organic optional)
  • 100 grams purified spring water

Instructions

  • Every day, at the same time, pour off 2/3 of the culture, keeping only about 25g. (It’s a good idea to put the 25g seed culture into a clean jar to mix the next day’s batch. I rotate two jars back and forth every morning.)
  • Mix together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and purified water. Mix well and cover. Try using a coffee filter secured with a re-used produce rubber band. This allows the live culture to continue gathering wild yeast from the air around you.
  • If you forget to feed, don't worry. Just feed once you remember. Sourdough's are pretty resilient and will not "die" easily.
  • If you don't want to feed daily, keep the sourdough starter in the fridge.

Animal Style French Fries (Copy Cat Version)

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Animal Style French Fries (In N Out Copy Cat)

When it comes to making Animal style French fries at home, I might have a slight advantage. My son worked at In-N-Out when he was in high school and possibly, just maybe he shared a few tips with me along the way.

The best tip I leaned to get that unique In-N-Out taste: add a little yellow mustard to the grill before tossing on the burgers. Or in this case, the skillet you saute your onions in.

Animal Style Sauce Ingredients
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Animal Style French Fries (In-N-Out Copy Cat)

When you can't get to In-N-Out Burger to satisfy your craving for Animal Style French Fries, this quick and easy copycat version will make your day. Be sure to make A LOT of extra.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword French Fries, Potatoes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Vegetable Spiralizer (optional)

Ingredients

  • 3-4 organic Russet potatoes scrubbed clean and spiralized using thick setting
  • ½ large brown onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup Thousand Island dressing store bought (use your favorite brand)
  • ⅛ cup yellow mustard
  • 2 Tbsp neutral cooking oil canola or peanut
  • 2 cups peanut oil or canola oil
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste
  • grated cheddar cheese for topping optional

Instructions

  • Spiralize the potatoes using the thick setting on your spiralizer. (If you don't have a spiralizer, julienne slice the potatoes with a kitchen knife.)
  • Heat 2 Tbsp oil in skillet and add chopped onions. Saute until soft but not too browned.
  • Add yellow mustard to the onions and saute for another minute.
  • Add Thousand Island dressing to the mix and saute for another minute. Turn heat off and set aside until potatoes are fried.
  • Heat 2 cups of oil in a skillet until shimmering. Make sure oil is very hot or the potatoes will stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add potatoes in batches, not over-crowding them so that they move about freely in the skillet.
  • Once the potatoes are browned, remove from oil and set on a paper-towel lined plate or screen to drain.
  • Once potatoes are fried, plate them and spoon the onion/Thousand Island mixture over the top. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper and grated cheddar cheese if you like that.
  • Put on a bib and enjoy every single crunchy, gooey bite.

Notes

When talking through this recipe with a friend, she asked if she could make her own Thousand Island if she didn't have any on hand. The answer to that is YES!
For fresh Thousand Island Dressing from scratch mix all the ingredients below together in a bowl. Use immediately and store the rest in the fridge for up to 2 months.
1 cup good mayonnaise
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp finely minced onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Best Buttermilk Substitutions

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Alright, so you’re up early in the morning, the coffee is brewing and you’re halfway through your prep for a big bowl of pancake batter. Your house guests will feel so loved!

And then, you discover, there is no buttermilk to be found anywhere in the kitchen. Oh no! This recipe will be so average without buttermilk! Running to the store is not an option. What to do?

First, what is buttermilk and why is it important to this recipe?

Buttermilk is the liquid that is left behind after butter is churned from cream; kind of like skim milk. It’s lower fat than cream, full of flavor and has a sourdough-like tang. It’s a darn delicious acidic addition to recipes and it works like leaven to give your favorite cakes some lift.

Here are some options if you are plum out of the real thing.

  1. Check your produce drawer and see if you’ve got a lemon in there. Add a Tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk and give it a good stir. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until the milk has curdled a bit and there you have it, a substitute for that fluffy pancake recipe.
  2. If you’re out of lemons, look for a cup of plain yogurt. Greek or regular are both fine. Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup milk and you’re good to go.
  3. If you bake, you may have a tin of Cream of Tartar in your spice cabinet. Grab that. Whisk 1 3/4 tsp Cream of Tartar with 1 cup of milk. Pour the milk in slowly while whisking to keep the Cream of Tartar from getting clumps.
  4. Always stock a can of Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend powder (My favorite option.) in your pantry. As soon as you open it, you’ll need to refrigerate it. You do not need milk for this substitute either. Just mix it up with water, according to the measurement instructions on the side of the can. A can of Seco lives in my refrigerator full time and gets plenty of use.

Now go make those Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes to wow your friends and family.

The Great Outdoors (A Basic Pantry List)

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Camping

Give Me A Tent

It’s no secret that I love camping. In a tent. On the ground. In the wilderness. Away from the chaos and overwhelm of the daily human experience.

It’s liberating to have no agenda, no distractions, and no connectivity for a day, a week, or, if you’re like my kids, all summer long. All my kids are serious campers too. I love camping with them and swapping recipes and tips for future campfire meals. One of my favorite challenges of camping trying out a brand new kitchen, of sorts.

Getting There

The week before a camping trip I totally throw myself into the challenge of creating a non-traditional camp menu and that sometimes includes gourmet meals. It doesn’t make sense to me to compromise and subject myself to bland and boring canned food. Or packaged deli stuff loaded with preservatives. Not while I’m hanging out in the toolies trying to escape the trappings of society.

Some Helpful Tips

I’ve fine-tuned my cooler packing/bear box packing situation. I’ve learned over the years that a load of veggies will feed you through a couple of weeks in nearly any remote outpost. And veggies need little or no refrigeration. The key is to leave the meat and dairy products behind in your refrigerator back home.

A trick to keep your cooler cool is to refill used plastic bottles with water and freeze them before a trip. Drop them into the cooler instead of bags of ice to keep everything nice and chilled. The bottles take a long time to thaw and they don’t leave a pool of water in the bottom of the cooler. After they melt use the water inside them for washing and anything else around the campsite.

I also keep a zippered lunch bag stocked with salt & pepper, dried herbs and spices, in my camp kitchen box. When I get home from the trip I take inventory and refill the lunch bag with fresh spices so it’s ready to go for the next camp out.

For the most part, I’ve found that my go-to pantry list works well whether I’m in the mountains or at the lake and can stand up to any season or weather. Importantly, you don’t need to pack a bulk load of food like you’ve just come back from a binge at Costco. On the contrary, just pack the amount you’ll need for the time you’ll be in the wild. The dried items pack down really small and the herbs and spices take up very little room.

Now Go Get Your Groceries

Take a minute to think about how long your favorite pantry items last at home. Then you can begin putting together a menu and shopping list. Think grab-and-go snacks and meals to assemble and get you far from home and out of town in no time.

So here it is: my personal grocery/pantry list for camping trips. Have fun out there.

  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Apples
  • Broccoli
  • Zucchini
  • Mushrooms
  • Peppers
  • Bananas (For stuffed bananas roasted over the fire)
  • Avocado (Use to replace mayo or other condiments that might spoil without refrigeration.)
  • Dried fruit (raisins, dates, cherries, cranberries)
  • Nuts
  • Oats
  • Granola
  • Rice
  • Flour
  • Pasta
  • Tortillas
  • Lentils
  • Beans
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Shallots
  • Lemons
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Salsa
  • Non-tender herbs (rosemary, mint, dried oregano, dried thyme)
  • Nut butters
  • A bag of chocolate chunks
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Nut milks, coconut milk (for soups and coffee creamer)
  • Liquid eggs (great for pancakes and work better for me than soggy egg cartons)
  • Baking powder
  • Honey
  • Maple syrup
  • Butter
  • Cooking oil
  • Tea bags
  • Starbucks instant coffee packs
  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Jameson
  • Spice pack (salt, pepper, cumin, curry, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cinnamon)

Los Angeles Bread Crawl

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My kids are fantastic cooks. We have so much fun cooking together, swapping recipes and chatting about our most recent experiments in the kitchen or entertaining. I get many of my best ideas from them.

This spring my son came up with the idea of a doing a Los Angeles Bread Crawl together. Since I am a bread baker, I jumped at the chance to wander the city’s best bakeries for a day.

We started off early at the LA Farmers Market so we would be sure to get a loaf of Bub and Grandma’s before they sold out. (I got the last seeded loaf.) Then we headed over to the Arts District for a taste of Bread Lounge. Pichoun got sampled, Tartine, Clark Street Bakery and several tucked away bakeries we meandered through on our way to a late brunch of French toast at Fundamental.

Los Angeles bakeries are creating some of the best Old World, artisanal breads anywhere in the world. LA is an incredible city to explore food and discover all that her local artisans have to offer.

Food adventures the best shared with family and friends, appreciating food and life together.

Bread Bakeries Los Angeles
Bread Bakeries Los Angeles
Bread Bakeries Los Angeles
Bakeries Bread Los Angeles

Los Angeles Pop Ups – Zoe Food Party

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Zoe Food Party. A seriously fun name for this small neighborhood feasting spot in Highland Park. Crowds go to parties and Zoe’s little corner of the city is indeed, a party. The cozy backyard space is filled with families, friends, children and neighbors meeting together to share a deliciously intriguing breakfast together.

Zoe starts making her pitas early Tuesday to serve on Wednesday mornings at 8:00AM. Her pitas are simple, perfectly golden, round pockets of tender soft bread. Beautiful even before they are filled with her ever-changing flavorful ingredients. Crunchy carrots, pickled radishes, fresh dill and fennel tops, scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, fresh cream and bright orange edible nasturtiums. Those are just some of this week’s ingredients. Show up next week and you’ll get a totally different and delightful taste surprise.

You can get your hands on one of these substantially sized breakfast pitas for $10 and by the time you walk around to the front of the building to order a cup of coffee at Collage your pita will be ready.

Get there early. You’ll see her little pink sign propped out on the sidewalk along York Blvd. She opens at 8:00AM and always sells out.

Find Zoe Food Party on IG and Twitter @zoefoodparty