Random Culinary Arts and Sewing Post

 It's been a long time since I've posted a food post.  I still enjoy the culinary arts, I just don't post nearly as much since there is really no reason to do so, since the cookbook has long been finished.  I definitely try not to use social media to self brag etc, but rather to give to viewers, and the way the world scene is going, I'm definitely trying to keep priorities right, but I still have a few sewing and cooking projects going, just not taking on as much, but here is a random food post that I thought might be of use to some, and so I can actually remember what I did. :-)

ABOVE:  Two friends came over one Saturday evening a few weeks back, so I experimented with a sugar free quick and easy dessert.  It was successful.  First off, I made homemade chocolate biscuits...flour, olive oil or grass fed butter, water, organic milk, cocoa, sea salt, organic eggs, aluminum free baking powder, and instead of sugar, I used real, pure stevia.  (I made gluten free biscuits since that is my normal diet....As I always say, there is nothing wrong with wheat...aka gluten, it's actually really healthy, I just don't digest it well.)  The only thing with the chocolate biscuits that could have been done better was that I didn't measure, and put in too much cocoa, so I know next time.  Baked the biscuits....set aside.  Then, took 8oz cream cheese, and 8oz fresh strawberries, 1 cap full of rum, 1 tbsp lime juice, pure stevia to taste, and pureed all together in the blender....set aside.  Then,, on the stove top cooked down 8oz of fresh strawberries with stevia to taste and water for about 10 minutes until it cooked down to a nice sauce after constantly stirring....set aside.  For presentation.....put one biscuit on bottom of wine glass or goblet, then added a layer of cream cheese strawberry mixture, then repeated biscuit and cream cheese strawberry layers.  Then, on top of both layers added the cooked down red strawberry sauce for the topping.  Then, added a fresh strawberry on top of the strawberry sauce inside the glass, and then added another fresh strawberry on the side of the wine glass/goblet for garnish!  Easy, healthy, yummy, sugar free, and attractive dessert!

ABOVE:   Someone took a few friends out to dinner one time, so the doughnut pan got pulled out and used!  (I baked instead of fried them...a lot healthier.)  Thanks to an old friend, Anna G. who gave a few friends this recipe of hers a few years ago!

For the doughnuts....in a small bowl of warm water....poured in 2 1/4oz packets of dry quick active yeast for 10 min.  Then, in a larger mixing bowl, added 5 cups wheat flour,1/3 cup olive oil, 2 organic eggs, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups organic milk, 1 cup water, and added in the yeast soaking in the warm water into the mixing bowl and mixed everything all together.  I also added about 2 tbsp of cinnamon to the batter.  Did NOT grease doughnut pan, just poured batter into pan and baked for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F.  While the doughnuts were baked, made doughnut glaze for the topping on the stove top.  In a sauce pan...combined 1/3 cup grass fed butter, 2 cups confectioners sugar, 1 1/2 cup vanilla, however, I used cinnamon, and 4 tbsp hot water.  Stirred constantly over medium heat until glaze was desired consistency.  When doughnuts were done, pulled them from oven, and dipped the top into the glaze while still hot.  For garnish sprinkled the sprinkles on top while the glaze was still hot so they would stick.  Voila!...homemade doughnuts!

 ABOVE:  A friend came over on Labor Day, and we had a simple lunch of brussel sprouts with fresh peaches.  I put red wine vinegar, chopped onion, garlic, sea salt, and a pinch of real coconut sugar since sprouts can be on the bitter side...aka sugar made from a coconut, and pan seared the sprouts on the stove top in olive oil....added raw sliced almonds for garnish and crunch as shown.

ABOVE:  Spicy homemade chili for a few friends.  This is one of my original recipes which can be found in my cookbook, so I won't list all of the ingredients.  ...a plug for my cookbook.  :-)!   I had been sick with a stomach virus, so I didn't put in the hot serrano peppers to keep from upsetting my tummy.  It still was yummy, just not as spicy.  Garnished the plates with fresh avocado, tomatoes, and homemade bread.

This week has been busy for me personally, but been working on a few sewing projects for some friends and myself.  Above is the top of a dress that I'm making for myself.  It's kind of sad, I haven't gotten to sew on it for almost a month now.  I had been sewing on it whenever I had 5 minutes here and there, and like I mentioned earlier, in trying to keep priorities straight, there seems to never be enough hours in the day to sew like I want to when off work and home in the evenings, b/c there are other things to do around the house that are priority, and foremost keeping the right focus on the ultimate goal, but I am finishing up a few sewing projects for friends.  Theirs is priority, mine is just for fun, but maybe by the end of the not Roman but sacred year....lol, I will have my own dress finished!  LOL

BELOW:  An old piano practicing video of a song entitled Scherzino from about 3 years ago.  I seldom have time to practice the piano or flute, working full time, and then when home, cooking, cleaning, and other home owning responsibilities for upkeep, but whenever I have insomnia on rare occasions, I hit the piano for some midnight fun!  Since some of the AC guys helped me move my piano to a better spot where it will stay in tune longer, and since Steve Hercus actually tuned my piano, it's amazing how much better practicing this song and other songs sound.  If I ever make it through practicing this entire song to try to perfect it more, I may post the updated version.  Again, definitely don't want to come across as "look at me" but it's one of those things that might be fun to share, maybe!  Music is definitely made to be shared, when it's worth sharing, anyway!  :)

....there is a random hobby post update for now!  :-)