Delectable Dessert Collection

 

Spinach Pasta Dough

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup fresh spinach (blanched and squeezed dry)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• Unique Color: Bright, rich green from the spinach.
• Important Notes:
  • Spinach can release moisture, so make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before pureeing.
  • For a smooth mixture, use a blender or food processor.
  • Works well with creamy or pesto-based sauces and pairs nicely with seafood or vegetable dishes.
• Color Considerations: The green hue may fade slightly after cooking, but it will still remain vibrant.

2. Basil Pasta Dough

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves (pureed)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• Unique Color: A deep, fresh green that’s perfect for a summer aesthetic.
• Important Notes:
  • Fresh basil can sometimes brown when exposed to heat, so blanch the basil briefly (boil for 30 seconds, then ice-water shock) before pureeing to preserve the color.
  • Basil has a subtle flavor that pairs beautifully with light tomato-based or pesto sauces.
• Color Considerations: Basil pasta will maintain its green color if processed correctly, though some slight browning can occur if not blanched.

3. Red Beet Pasta Dough

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup beetroot puree (fresh, roasted, or steamed)
  • Pinch of salt
• Unique Color: Vibrant red or deep purple depending on the beet variety.
• Important Notes:
  • Beetroot puree adds a sweet, earthy flavor and beautiful color, but it also has high moisture, so be prepared to adjust flour as needed.
  • Pair it with creamy sauces like goat cheese, ricotta, or a hearty mushroom sauce.
• Color Considerations: Beet pasta tends to retain its color beautifully when cooked but can bleed slightly if left too long in water.

4. Purple Pasta (Sweet Potato Powder)

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup sweet potato powder (or dried sweet potato puree)
  • Pinch of salt
• Unique Color: Purple, often with an earthy, slightly muted tone.
• Important Notes:
  • Sweet potato powder provides a soft, slightly sweet flavor, which pairs well with fall-inspired dishes or savory flavors like sage and brown butter.
  • Ensure the dough consistency is right, as sweet potato powder can make it a little crumbly if not balanced with flour.
• Color Considerations: The purple hue remains vibrant, though it may fade a little during cooking, becoming more pastel-like.

5. Turmeric Pasta Dough

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• Unique Color: Golden yellow, making it eye-catching and cheerful.
• Important Notes:
  • Turmeric has a strong flavor, so use it sparingly. It adds not only color but a subtle earthy taste that complements rich, hearty sauces.
  • Pairs wonderfully with curry-inspired dishes, or light vegetable-based sauces.
• Color Considerations: The golden color holds up well during cooking and will stay bright and beautiful.

6. Classic Pasta Dough (Standard)

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • Pinch of salt
• Unique Color: Traditional ivory or pale yellow.
• Important Notes:
  • This is your base pasta dough. While simple, it holds up well in a variety of sauces, from marinara to creamy Alfredo.
  • Works well with both fettuccini and linguini cuts.
• Color Considerations: A neutral base that works well alongside vibrant, colorful pastas.

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Tips for All Pasta Types:

• Rest the Dough: Allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes after kneading to help relax the gluten and make it easier to roll out.
• Roll and Cut in Batches: Since you're working with multiple colors, it's easiest to work with one dough type at a time to avoid mixing colors or flavors unintentionally.
• Flour Generously: Use plenty of flour while rolling and cutting to avoid sticking, especially for the more vibrant colors like beet or spinach.
• Dry or Store Properly: If you're making these ahead of time, lay out the pasta on a baking sheet to dry slightly, then store in an airtight container. For long-term storage, you can hang the pasta to fully dry.

Serving Suggestions:

These pastas are all incredibly versatile and can be paired with a wide range of sauces:

• Pesto (for basil or spinach pastas)
• Creamy Alfredo (for beet or turmeric pastas)
• Tomato Sauce (classic pasta, basil pasta)
• Brown Butter & Sage (for purple and sweet potato pasta)
• Mushroom Sauce (for red beet or spinach pasta)
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After watching one of the most tear jerking movies ever...Lion, staring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman,  I became fascinated with Indian cuisine. I've been to some elegant Indian restaurants in New York City, but most Indian food looks like a pile of canned dog food slapped on a pile of yellow rice. Presentation really is everything. The decision was made to buy some common Indian Spices, delve into the cuisine and make it as attractive as possible.

First, I found a simple YT video about how to make Lamb Shanks. Lamb isn't a popular protein in the United States. Americans' tend to prefer chicken, pork, turkey, and beef. I found the video below, and then thought how I could make it into an Indian lamb shank. Objective One: must taste Indian Objective Two: It can't look like a pile of goop.

My son attends a local preschool, and their breakfast has something to be desired. They serve the children cereal, milk and maybe....maybe some fruit. The only protein the get from that diet would be the milk. Sometimes the school serves sugary cereal, and Lucky Charms.

This is a crucial time in his life, his brain is not growing as rapidly as it did when he was a baby, but still neurons are making connections on a daily basis. Kids need a diet with healthy fats and protein. I make his breakfast at home every morning, and send it with him to school. He still eats with his friends, but he will not be eating school food.

Sometimes, I make him scrambled eggs with salmon. He only eats a little of that. Then I think of other ways of getting fat into his diet, like mixing some fish oil into his peanut butter - but he can't have peanut butter at school. One thing he always loves its my pancakes. Every two weeks I make a large batch of pancakes, freeze them in little baggies. When I assemble his breakfast in the morning I toss in a couple blueberry pancakes with his egg whites and fruit. Today - I made him a different kind of pancake.

Naomi's Avocado Pancakes

Although avocados contain mainly monounsaturated fats (omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats), they are still a healthy source of fats and beneficial for your child's development. Toddlers should consume 40 percent of their daily calories from fat, with is 33 to 45 grams of fat per day for toddlers consuming 1,000 calorie diets. According to the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory, half an avocado provides your child with about 15 grams of healthy fat. This batch of pancakes contains 3/4 an avocado, he will eat 3 or 4 mini pancakes every day.

So, the small amount of avocado in three pancakes certainly is not enough fats - but hey, it is something, and it is certainly better than pancakes without any avocado.

Hi Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying your summer.

I picked about 10 pounds of wild blackberries, and prepared three quarts. I have to make room for my blackberry wine and need to sell these three jars. They are $11.00 each. These jars are huge and enough to make at least two large cobblers.

Each quart has one tablespoon Splenda, so these are sweet and low calorie. Good for a healthy dessert.

I have only three, blackberry season will be over in the next few weeks, maybe I can pick more. Contact me if you would like one.

Naomi

Buy Here: Each one is $11.00 each

The other day I got the idea to make my boys some nutrient dense homemade granola bars. Today I made a
note to myself to try a recipe. I found several recipes online but decided to be adventurous and go my own way. This is an extremely calorie dense recipe, unfortunately I cannot eat them. I will taste it, but will certainly not eat a whole bar. The recipe is just something I came up with to make sure my boys get a good amount of protein every week.

1. cup rolled oats
2. 1/4 cut crushed or sliced almonds

(bake the oats and almonds for 10 minutes at 350. )

1. 1/4 cup honey
2. 1/4 cup brown sugar
3. 3 table spoons butter
4. 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Mix and melt

Add the toasted oats and almonds to liquid mixture.

Then add:
1. one cup granola
2. three tablespoons soy protein
    (one tablespoon = 5 grams of protein)

I pressed it all into a lightly greased, foil lined baking pan. The toppings were chocolate chips and one tablespoon melted peanut butter. (I mixed a little soy protein into the peanut butter, about .5 teaspoon)

The mixture was so thick that I easily formed bars, but it only fit half of my pan. If the boys like this treat I will double the recipe and make a full pan.

My son's lunch

I made three stuffings, one cheesecake, one gravy and tangerine cranberry sauce.

One word

Exhausted!

In Washington State the berries and rock fruits are in full bloom. Now is the time for our wine making.

This is a great idea

Pike Place Market - Seattle

The other day, I went to the Pike Place Market with my son to look around and see what was going on. How I love that market! The smell of flowers, coffee, and fish...ahhh, nothing quite like it. I saw some pepper ornament things hanging from the ceiling of a shop and asked one of the employees if they were real peppers. He abruptly say, "yes". It was closing time, and he clearly did not want to stand around and chit-chat with me. Anyway, I took the above photograph at Seattle's Pike Place Market. These are drying peppers and garlic. From closer inspection, they look like Thai Red Peppers. I thought that they were so pretty hanging there that I needed to take a picture. I started growing Thai peppers in my garden, and have yet to use them in any dish. The image inspired me to publish a quick blog about Seasoning Blends. (Note: these are not my recipes, I got most of them from allrecipes.com)

Seasoning Blends tend to be very expensive in the supermarket. When we look at the ingredients, it is plain to see there is no reason we should not be able to make these at home.

Alas - here are some of my top picks: 

Taco Seasoning Recipe:

• 1/4 cup Chili Powder
• 1/4 cup Cumin Powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Oregano leaf (or oregano leaf powder)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup himalayan salt or sea salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper