A Full English Breakfast Experience

Or should I say "Experiment"?

This move has quite literally been one stressor after another. If not one thing, then two things come up that could potentially cancel our orders. All of us have had a medical issue, at some point or another, since receiving the orders, that we thought for sure was going to prevent us from going. Then there have been military issues for my husband: passing a PT test (this is a feat in and of itself even when you don’t have orders depending on it), passing a medical evaluation, and today, qualifying on his weapon. (Which means, he had to demonstrate, in several positions, wearing a suffocating gas mask, that he could accurately shoot a target with an M16). He did pass, or “qualify,” thankfully. But there are still a few more hurdles between now and boarding the plane.

Next on the to-do list: obtaining Visas! The UK requires any foreigner staying in the country for more than six months to obtain a Visa, including US military members and dependents. This will be an interesting experience!

So I promised y’all (an unmentionable amount of time ago) that I would try out a Full English breakfast and report back. Well I finally got around to that this past weekend. (Yay me!) For this British dish, I again turned to The Guardian’s Word of Mouth blog. I like their site because they provide (sometimes comical) background commentary along with the recipes.

An exact recipe was not really required for this dish, which made it easier to tackle.

Unfortunately, an important staple of the “Full English” is missing from my rendition: Black Pudding. There are two reasons for this. One: while it may be available somewhere in the US, it is not available (and rarely heard of) anywhere near the small Southern state from which I hail. Two: it sounds absolutely revolting and, if I could have found it and purchased it, I wouldn’t have because I wouldn’t have eaten it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Black Pudding (or Blood Pudding), it is a type of sausage “made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled” (wikipedia.com). If that sounds appetizing to you, please feel free to add it to your version of the Full English (everyone makes their own version, apparently).

Also, real English back bacon is not available near me either. Therefore, I had to substitute with regular “American” bacon. The British-preferred back bacon is, obviously, a different cut of pork. It more closely resembles ham (in pictures) rather than the strip bacon we use here in the States. Also, it is noticeably leaner (and doesn't shrink nearly as much).

The bacon (in any form, really) is a typical item on American breakfast plates, as well as the eggs and toast. The mushrooms, tomatoes, and beans, staples in most Full English breakfasts, were a new-fangled taste for my "breakfast buds."

I was admittedly surprised with the mushrooms, cooked according to The Guardian’s recommendations: sautéed in butter, seasoned with salt and thyme. They turned out to be very tasty and not altogether un-breakfasty.

The tomatoes. I was not impressed with the tomatoes. And that really could be my fault. From researching several versions of this breakfast, I found that many people cook their breakfast tomatoes differently. Many choose to grill them. I do not have a grill anymore so I chose to season and roast them (again, per The Guardian’s instruction.) They did not turn out well and were not a welcomed flavor for breakfast.

I would never have thought to include them in my breakfasts. The only time I eat tomatoes is on pasta or salads...

 

Heinz beans were recommended so Heinz beans I procured. However, there were several flavors available and Word of Mouth does not specify what flavor to use so I was left to my own devices. I went with the “Bacon and Brown Sugar” variety because, well, it was bacon-flavored. The other two options were “Chipotle BBQ” and “Ketchup something.” I feel pretty sure that I either did not get the right kind or the “right kind” was unavailable.

In any case, baked beans are not a breakfast food in the States. At least, not in the South, where I am from. We eat baked beans at times like cookouts, barbecues, and picnics.

The tea (yes, I did add milk) was a welcome change to my normal breakfast beverage: coffee. I chose an “English Breakfast” variety from Twinings. It really hit the spot and accompanied the breakfast well.

I know that my own experience cannot compare with the real thing that I hope to try in England (except the Black Pudding). The departure date is getting so close, I can hardly stand the excitement!


(Read about the follow-up here.)

 

Ode to Autumn

Ode to Autumn

Two really big items on our moving check-list were checked off this week: my husband received his official orders and our passports arrived! Next we have to apply for Visas and Tourist Passports (yes, we have to get TWO!)

With the Autumn Equinox this Saturday, I decided to dedicate today's post to Fall and share with y'all some of my favorite things about this season. Fall is my favorite time of year. It is so much more romantic than Spring, I think. It is the beginning of "cuddling weather," cozy nights by the fire, hot cocoa, and sweaters. (And football!)The air is so crisp and smells so fresh! The beautiful bright reds, oranges, and yellows make me happy. And the food of fall just warms your tummy as well as your heart.

Two of my favorite foods of Fall are Pumpkin Bread and Starbucks' Salted Caramel Mocha. When I first tried this drink, I fell head-over-heels immediately! Salted Caramel? What a genius idea! So when I ran across this Pumpkin Bread with Salted Caramel Drizzled Pumpkin Buttercream by Jessica, over at A Kitchen Addiction, I nearly fell out of my chair. A recipe that combines two of my favorite fall flavors? Oh, yes, please. 

So here are the ingredients:

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C granulated sugar substitute
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/4 C pumpkin puree

Now, first let me admit that I did change a few of these items in my version. I didn't have any canola oil. I only buy vegetable and olive oils, so I substituted with vegetable oil.

Also, I don't like sugar substitutes. For some strange reason, they always leave a bad after taste in my mouth. So for the "1/4 c granulated sugar substitute," I used regular granulated sugar. It worked just fine. However, I will note that the sugar substitute Jessica uses makes this recipe much healthier.

Finally, I didn't have any plain yogurt in the fridge. All I had was vanilla-flavored yogurt, so that is what I used. Again, it worked just fine. Using the plain yogurt would probably help make the other flavors of the bread stand out better.

Ok, the directions. First, preheat your oven to 325f. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.

Then whisk together the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until well-combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, using an electric or stand mixer, beat eggs until creamy. Beat in brown sugar and sugar substitute on medium speed for one minute. Add in vanilla, yogurt and oil. Beat until well-combined. Add flour mixture and pumpkin, beat until just combined. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Spread batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.

I love that she uses low-fat yogurt in this bread. It is good for you and takes out some of the fat! This bread turned out to be so fabulously moist and full of flavor! 

Alright, so next it needs some frosting. Jessica includes a lovely Pumpkin Buttercream frosting recipe on her blog. I have always like cream cheese frostings so I used Rachael Ray's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting. And then topped it with Jessica's Salted Caramel Drizzle (which, by the way, I could make a whole batch of and eat by the spoonful. Yum.)

Caramel Drizzle:

• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt                  

In a small saucepan, stir together brown sugar and water. Dissolve sugar over medium-high heat. Continue heating until caramel turns dark brown and starts to boil, making sure to stir constantly to avoid burning. Add butter and salt. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Continue stirring for another 1-2 minutes to cool the caramel somewhat before drizzling over the top of the frosting

Isn't it beautiful? Doesn't that caramel drizzle make your mouth water?

 Needless to say, this loaf didn't last long. This is a recipe I will be making again and again! (By the way, it is an excellent breakfast food. Perfect with coffee.)

 Now what goes better with a hot cup of coffee and a sweet treat? A good book, of course. Or poem. And what better one than this by the brilliant John Keats reflecting the beauty of Autumn in England.

To Autumn by John Keats

Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
They hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while they hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music, too-
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from the hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Check back soon for my next try at a British recipe: a full English breakfast! Sounds yummy, right??

My First British Recipe Experiment

My First British Recipe Experiment: Yorkshire Puddings!

First of all, let me tell you a little secret about me: I love food and I love to cook (but not clean!) I enjoy trying new recipes so I am really excited to start this part of getting ready for the move.

Now, “What are Yorkshire Puddings,” you say? Well, as misleading for Americans as the name is, they are not what we call “pudding” at all (as my daughter matter-of-factly informed me as she watched them rise in the oven). Another term for them is “popovers,” and- if I had to compare them to something- I would say they are very close to “rolls” here in the US. They play much the same role (from what I’ve read) in English dishes. It seems they are most popularly paired with roast, so this is how I served them as well.

As I was preparing to assemble the ingredients, I encountered a small obstacle that I hadn’t considered when I found the “Yorkie” (not the dog) recipe I decided to try: metric measurements. I have probably the same basic understanding of metric measurements that most of America has (which isn’t much, I’m sad to say). Metric units that pertain to cooking are measured in weight, whereas American cooking measures by volume, known as US Standard. (Did you know there is a “Standard” and then there is “US Standard”? Talk about complicating things!)  This presents a challenge since the two are very different units of measurement. But the biggest problem came in with the recipe being in metric measurements and my measuring utensils being in standard.

So before I could even begin, I had to figure out how to convert the recipe’s metrically measured ingredients into measurements my American Standard measuring cups and spoons could handle. And also converting Celsius to Fahrenheit for the oven temperature. Thank you, Google! (Note to self: When you get to England, get new kitchen utensils!)

After researching recipes, I settled on this recipe from The Guardian’s “Word of Mouth” blog. There is an interesting little history of Yorkshire Puddings on this page, as well. Best part about this recipe was the short list of ingredients!

Preheat oven to 230C/446F (I used 450F.)

12-hole muffin tin

2 C AP Flour (orig. recipe called for 250g. Roughly 2 Cups.)

150 ml whole milk (I actually had this measurement on one of my Pyrex glass measuring cups)

150 ml cold water

4 eggs, beaten

"Generous pinch of salt" (I used Kosher, as I do for most everything.)

Beef Drippings, or Oil

Sift together the flour and salt into the bowl you will be using to mix everything together. In a separate container, combine the milk and water and set it aside.

 Next, make a well in the flour and add the eggs. Begin whisking the ingredients together, adding the milk/water mixture gradually until you get a "smooth batter." (Mine was about the consistency of pancake batter. Maybe a tiny bit thicker.)

 Let the batter rest at room temp for 15 minutes. While you are waiting, drop about 1/2 tsp of beef drippings (or oil, if using. I skimmed the fat off the top of my roast and used it) into each hole of the muffin tin and pop this into the oven to heat up (about ten minutes.) 

 When this is done, pull the tin out and ladle in the "pudding." According to the recipe's website, it should sizzle when it hits the hot tin.

Pop the tin into the oven for 15-20 minutes to let them rise. Do NOT open the oven while they are cooking. They will deflate! When they are done, eat immediately!

Shown here with the Open-Face Roast Beef Sandwiches we had with our Yorkies. They were excellent at mopping up gravy!

I read on the recipe's website that there is some debate over how many eggs to use. I have to tell you that this recipe produced some very "eggy" tasting Yorkies. I have nothing to compare them too, but this is not a desirable taste for me. So, next time I will adjust to use less eggs!

I'm Baaack!

Well, after a lengthy, unintended sabbatical, I am back on the blog! I feel so guilty to have left it alone for so long. So much has been going on! The whole month of July and the first half of August I was attending classes everyday to finish up my English degree. As soon as I finished, my daughter started back to school. Third grade! I can't believe it! Also, I have been filling out paperwork and going to all kinds of appointments to prepare for our move. I’ve been busy, busy, busy!

Now things are settling back down, we are back into the school routine, and we have gotten all of our moving paperwork turned in and now we are waiting on "go." We should have our official paper orders by the first week of October. So excited! Less than four months to go!

Well now I am going to start making more time for you! I am starting this week to experiment with some British recipes I am curious about. I have to say, some of the dishes’ names are quite strange (“Toad in a Hole,” and “Meat and Kidney Pie”? Sounds like Halloween Party food to me!) Some of the ingredients have me a little deterred, as well (Lamb kidneys or pork stomachs, anyone?) With that in mind, I am going to start with something that sounds not only yummy, but also really easy: Yorkshire Puddings!

So meet me back here later this week to see how my experiment with this recipe goes! For now, I want to share with y’all some images of the busywork I’ve been up to lately. 

My precious little princess turned 8! So, of course, we had a birthday bash! I've barely turned around and now it's about time to do my son's!

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! These folders were double in size just a two weeks ago. I have had paperwork and appointments coming out my ears for this move! Fortunately, for me, I am finished. My hubbie, on the other hand, is just getting started...

Back to school means homework for her and me!

Here's a look at my homework...working on my honors project. (Yes, it takes two computers...)

Our most recent venture: working the Air Show. It was my first! Very cool! (But don't ask me what kind of planes these are...)

Canadian Parachute Team!

Hubbie working one of the hot dog stands-it turned out to be a fun day! We were really exhausted afterwards.

Come back soon!

Sweet Relief

Quote of the Day: "He covers the sky with clouds; He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills." Psalm 147:8

This time of year, with the weather we have been having, our move to England cannot get here soon enough! We have had 100+ degree weather for 14 days and 26 days with no rain. Unlike the UK, who, according to The Weather Channel, has been having much more tolerable weather (temperatures in the 60s and 70s and plenty of rain. I'm so jealous!)

For the past three days, the weather has teased and taunted us with heat relief, but just wouldn't give it to us. It has been cloudy. It has been humid (extremely). It has thundered and sprinkled. On the first day that we were teased with rain, the storm clouds went all around us but we didn't get a drop. Even though it was "cooler" that day (93 degrees, because it was cloudy), it was incredibly humid so you hardly noticed the temperature difference. The next day, it was the same temperature and cloudy sky, and even some parts of the state, including towns not 20 miles from my home got a few short showers. It skipped us. But today, finally, we got rain!

The kids have even been looking for rain. It's a pretty desperate situation when children even want it to rain. They wanted it to rain so badly before the 4th of July so that they could do fireworks. Better late than never!
It thundered and lightninged and poured for all of ten minutes.  But we are so happy it finally rained! (Now, if you walk outside, it feels like a sauna!)

Rain always puts me in a "cold weather mood." And I love cold weather. (Which is great since I'm moving to a very cold and wet place, right?) It makes me want to get into pajamas, brew some hot chocolate, and cuddle under a soft blanket with my honey. As soon as the thunder clapped, it was as if my comfy sweat pants were calling my name. And comfort food seemed to be the perfect dinner menu so I decided to make good ol' Southern Red Beans and Cornbread with Fried Squash.

Now with this Southern Comfort Food, we had to have dessert. I had some plums that were on the verge of going bad so they inspired the perfect Southern dessert: cobbler!

I used this recipe from my favorite "go-to" website for recipes. I tweaked it a little by substituting 5 of the peaches for plums and adding a pie crust layer for the bottom of the cobbler (using my grandma's pie crust recipe, one of my most treasured possessions). I also added almonds to the crumble on top. My hubby, Matthew, likes nuts in his desserts.

I am like most people and want vanilla ice cream with my cobbler. I came across a recipe for homemade ice cream in this month's Women's Day magazine. This recipe is perfect because it does not require an ice cream maker (which I do not have, but hope to remedy that soon.) And it was so easy! Only three ingredients. Three simple steps. And it tastes divine.

I will say this about the ice cream, though: it does not melt into liquid like regular, churned ice cream. When it begins to melt, it takes on a texture more like whipped cream or Cool Whip instead of turning to liquid. Apart from that, it was the perfect substitute and I can't image an easier way to make ice cream.