pear crostada

We decided to have a simple meal of all vegetables this evening.  We had roasted broccoli and brussell sprouts.   We had fried eggplant and okra.  Between the CSA box and our garden, I had a lot of all of these that needed using.

The last time we were at the grocery store, Small Mister asked for pears.  Small Mister and I had dinner by ourselves on Saturday.  We had cheese bread with prosciutto.  I was planning this dessert then but we were not very hungry so I had a bit of pizza dough leftover.  The pear that became more then a bit bruised became pear crostada.  

I made a very small crostada to go with all the vegetables.  My Beloved oohed over it.  Or was it more of a hum....  That I am not sure.  I know I would have liked it for my whole meal.  The flavors were just that good.  The pizza dough had been in the refrigerator for four days so there was a lot of flavor there that had developed.  Then the pear roasted with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.   It made its own sauce.  

This would also be very good for breakfast.  Just a thought.

pear crostada

1/4 to 1/3 recipe of pizza dough  (mine had been in the refrigerator for four days)

1 pear, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the pizza dough very thin.  Place the sliced pears in the center.  Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.  Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons over the pears.  Add the butter.  

Pull the sides of the dough up over the edge of the fruit but not covering it completely.  Sprinkle a bit more of the sugar mixture over the dough.  I really only used about half of what I mixed but what you use will depend on your own taste.

Bake for 17 minutes or until golden and the fruit is soft. 

I would suggest to let it cool off so you do not burn your mouth but I understand if you cannot.  This might also be very good with some vanilla ice cream or some heavy cream drizzled over it.  I do not think it needs it though.

basting a quilt

I got a quilt "basted" last night.  I am not really sure how.  The help I was receiving was not very helpful last night.  I thought I was going to get less "help" because Poppa was watching Motor GP last night.  Motorcycles!  Usually Small Mister rushes right over but Grandmomma was MUCH more interesting.  

It is going to be an interesting week to get this quilted.  We are off to a wedding next weekend.  I am trying to finish a dress for it that I am making out of my stash.  I just wanted something different to wear.  Since the Tall Short Person has plans for that weekend too, we have Small Mister every evening.  Her plans may have changed but that does not change the work schedule.

It is going to be an interesting week.  And the weather has finally changed here.  I wish to go camping but that does not look like it will happen soon.

Hopefully, quilting will get done.  I do have a deadling for this quilt.  The weekend after Thanksgiving.  We may be seeing Nirjinan then.

sourdough crumpets

I had a friend ask me if I had ever tried making crumpets.  I told him I had thought about it but never had tried.  In Seattle, there is a crumpet shop in the Pike Place Market that I always loved going to.  When I moved away, I did miss the crumpets.  You can get them from the grocery store now but they are just not the same.  My friends prompting was just enough impetus for me to try.

They were actually quite easy.  The one gotcha is that the griddle has to be at a low enough heat to cook them without burning but not so low that they do not cook.  A balancing act just like everything in life.  I will make them again but I always make too much batter.  Yes, the batter seems to refrigerate well but the crumpets are not hole filled during that "baking."  It just means they do not sop up the butter and honey in the same way.  They are still very yummy.

The real key is patience.  Just like most of life.

sourdough crumpets

sourdough starter

1 cup flour 

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup water

1 1/4 cup milk

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the sourdough starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water in a non-metal bowl the night before or eight hours before you wish the crumpets.  Cover and let sit in a warm space.

The next morning, remove a couple tablespoons of starter for the next baking.  Add the 1/4 cup water, milk, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sugar, and salt.  Cover and let sit in a warm place until spongy.  

Heat a griddle over low to medium low heat.  Grease metal rings.  I used round cookie cutters.  Add a small bit of oil to the griddle.  Place the rings on the griddle.  Fill the rings with the batter until about half full.  "Bake" until the top of the crumpet is dry.  The length of time this will take will depend on the heat of your griddle.  Not to hot to burn, remember.  

Make sure the crumpet is not stuck to the ring.  Turn the crumpet and remove the ring.  Let this side brown.

Eat with butter and honey.

I know these freeze well.  Next time I might bake them all at once and freeze what I do not eat.  That way I would get the holes!  Thoughts that come to me when I am typing.

a sweater for me in progress

I got fussed at, again, this week about not taking care of myself.  About always giving and not receiving.  Well, this one is for me.  I am making myself a cardigan, top down crochet.  I am spinning all the yarn I am using on the smallest drop spindle I have.  I know this is the slowest way to make yarn but it is very meditative.  I also find the drop spinning helps my spinning on the wheel.  I work on this sweater at work because I work on the sweater I am making for my Beloved at home.

I am thinking about making my own wooden buttons for this.  The yarn really deserves something that special.  Or maybe I will be able to find some hand carved horn or bone.  This sweater may really be too warm to wear here except maybe three times a year or in the office.

The process is making me smile.

mountain quilt

I finally finished the quilt that is going to the mountain.

My Beloved helped me put this together.  He helped pick the fabrics and design it.

I designed the side with the nine squares, which is the side I like best.  

I guess this quilt never really spoke to me so it was easy to set it aside.  It actually has another of my quilts being used as batting.  It was a quilt that I made years ago and it was falling apart.  This give is it another life.  And I know it is machine washable and dryable.  The quilt I brought back last time was filthy.  I will not have to worry about this one and washing.  Or if it stays on the mountain.