Cat Ears & Coffee: Eats

We're jammin'! The other weekend Kyle and I decided to hit up Eastern Market for produce because it was so nice outside, and I suddenly had the urge to make some strawberry rhubarb jam because it sounded so summer-y. I had never made strawberry rhubarb jam, but you know, optimism and all of that. So! I bought the supplies, and the next day jarred up four pints of the stuff and gave them away to friends and family.

I asked Kyle to take pictures of the jam for this post while I was at work last week, which explains why they are so creative. If it were me, I would have just set the jar on the table and taken a shot. Here, we have what it looks like at an interesting angle, sitting in the window, and what it looks like spread across half-eaten toast! Who knew that a jar of jam could make for such an interesting photography subject.

Get

4 cups crushed strawberries

3 cups chopped rhubarb

6 tbsp pectin

4 tbsp lemon juice

6 cups sugar

Makes 4 pint jars.

Prep four pint jars and lids, tips here.

In a pot, add strawberries, sugar, and pectin, and bring to a boil. Let boil for one minute, and stir mixture. Next, add lemon juice and rhubarb. Let boil one more minute. Carefully ladle jam into hot jars, and bring to a boil. Let the jars boil for ten minutes, remove, then set in a cool area for a few hours (or overnight).

*Notes: I did not have exactly 4 cups of strawberries, and they were hella ripe. I also used liquid pectin, and I am not overly fond of the liquid. These came out a bit thinner than I would have liked (note all the fruit is at the top!), but we just mixed it up and it still tastes pretty yummy. I would recommend the powdered pectin though, it reaalllllly makes a difference, IMO.

Much like baking, jarring things is very relaxing to me. I really have to focus on what I am doing so that I don't fuck it up, so it really brings me "into the now", and helps filter out whatever is stressing me/giving me anxiety. When I am all done, I get to give away baked treats and jams to people, and as long as it doesn't taste like poop, it makes everyone happy. So! That being said, I am planning on trying out different jams this summer, so stay tuned if you are into that sort of thing.

8:55 AM
9 Comments

Eats: Tuna Casserole

Eats

4:09 PM
12 Comments

Eats: Turkey Shephered's Pie

Eats

Turkey leftovers, FTW! I don't eat meat very often, but when I do, I make sure to get the most out of it. I just threw the last of the carcass in the crock pot to make one last batch of stock, so I cannot wait to start making soups.

What we have here is not soup, it is turkey shepherd's pie! This was Kyle's idea, since we had a bunch of potatoes left over, I didn't have much to get. I didn't really follow a recipe with this, I sort-of picked through a bunch that I saw online to come up with something that I liked, and it came out great! The bigger casserole dish is already gone, and I froze the smaller one. I am going to list the quantities to use to make enough for a regular-sized casserole dish (whatever that means).

Get

4-5 large russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled, and quartered.

Leftover cooked turkey, cut into chunks (I used a little less than two cups).

3-4 carrots, peeled, and chopped into small bits.

1 can of sweet corn, drained.

1 large yellow onion, chopped.

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.

1/2 cup stock.

2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

1-2 tablespoon of cayenne pepper.

1-2 tablespoons of thyme.

1-2 tablespoons of rosemary.

Extra virgin olive oil.

Salt & pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil the potatoes in a pot with salted water, until tender when poked with a fork. While those are boiling, heat up a pan with a little olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, cooking until the onions caramelize. Then add the turkey, stock, corn, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring mix occasionally, and adding additional stock if needed.

When the potatoes are done, drain the water, and mash them down with a potato masher. Next add the heavy whipping cream (I normally use goat milk, but I had the cream leftover from the soup I made the other day. This you can also add more, or less depending on the thickness of the mashed potatoes you want). Then mix with an egg beater, lightly for a few seconds, until the potatoes are slightly creamy, but still thick.

Next take the turkey mix and spread it out evenly in the casserole dish. Then layer the mashed potatoes on top. Using a fork, fluff out the potatoes a bit to make points that will brown nicely while it is baking.

Then bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool for about ten minutes before eating, because I burnt the shit out of my tongue due to impatience.

I am surprised that I have never made this before, it is really good! I am all about comfort food. I think next time I might add peas (Kyle was against the peas, but is okay with a small amount), and maybe some garlic. I have half of the turkey meat still frozen in the freezer, I might have to make this again, because comfort food is the best food.

2:55 PM
8 Comments

Mitten Eats: Coolidge Cafe

Eats

I know it looks like all we go out to eat for is breakfast, but I swear we eat other meals. Breakfast food just becomes our favorite comfort food once it gets cold out. Last Friday night we we went out drinking, and decided on Coolidge Cafe for Saturday morning.

Coolidge Cafe might not be as cute as some of the other cafes in the area, but this is the place to go for hangover breakfast, or if you are just starving in general. Their prices are basically standard diner prices, but you get twice the amount of food that you would normally get anywhere else. No matter what you order, you are taking part of it home. Or you could easily split any of the meals between two people, and there would be plenty! We typically go for breakfast, but Kyle and I have ventured in for lunch on occasion. Everything is pretty good! The best part? They are located in Oak Park, less than a mile from our house. Can't beat that!

Onto the food! Coolidge Cafe has an extensive list of omelets, like, two full pages worth. It makes choosing difficult at times, but it is awesome to have so many options. My omelet was the first one pictured, Lee's favorite. It has gyro meat, onions, tomato, cheese, and sour cream. You have the choice between hash browns, or grits and since I despise grits (Midwesterner much?) I always get the hash browns. Kyle got one of the breakfast combinations, and it came with blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage. Dan got a sausage and gravy omelet (I wanna say it was the country omelet? I know, I suck at writing things down), and it looked incredible.

Oh and if all of that food looks a bit heavy, they offer egg-white omelets for a healthier option.

It was hard to take pics of the interior because it was packed as usual, and despite the fact that it hasn't had an update in years (other than the new shades!), this place has a great sense of community. I feel like whenever we come in here, everyone knows everyone, and depending on which server you get, they might just start a great conversation with you. We have gone in there so many times completely giddy from the night before, being the loud assholes that we are, and they don't care.

Oak Park may be one of the most boring cities in Michigan, but there are plenty of places to eat! I am going to try to make it a point to feature more Oak Park Eats on this blog in the future.

For more info on Coolidge Cafe, check out their Facebook page!

*This is not a sponsored post, I just like food.

11:05 AM
8 Comments

Eats: Cinnamon Butter Cream Frosting

Eats

8:52 AM
7 Comments

Mitten Eats: Hilton Road Cafe

Eats

I mentioned that November was the month for food, so more food posts there shall be! Hilton Road Cafe has been a favorite of ours for years. It is on the more boring side of Ferndale, but that doesn't keep the customers away. On weekends, there is usually a wait, sometimes out the door. It is a tiny place, decorated with chickens, but always festive, depending on the season. I honestly could count this place as our own Luke's, even if our visits are sporadic at best. We tend to go here about once per month, but if we don't show up in awhile, the staff always ask where we have been. We might not be on a first-name basis (yet), but it is nice to be able to recognize a friendly face and bullshit comfortably about the local happenings.

Anyway, on to the food! The cafe has a pretty decent menu, and I have had a little bit of everything over the years, aside from dinner because we never seem to get there in time. My favorites are the skillets, and the omelets. They also always have a board with a list of specials each week, so there is always something new to try. Or, if you just want something sweet, they have freshly baked mini breads, as well as homemade cakes, and pies. PIES.

Kyle got one of the specials, The Cinn-a-bash, and I got my favorite thing on the menu: the chicken and black bean omelet. It comes with hash browns, and toast. It is a HUGE portion (because fat Americans), but I tend to eat half, then take half home. The chicken is seasoned nicely, and everything blends well. We split one of the mini breads, the caramel apple one-SO GOOD. They will even heat them up for you! We sometimes get the mini-breads to go, and have them for breakfast during the week. I didn't actually taste the cinn-a-bash, but it looked lovely, and Kyle devoured it. He said it was really sweet, so if you like a super-sweet breakfast, this one is an excellent choice.

I was not able to take a lot of pictures of the inside, as it was pretty crowded, but it is always a mixed scene. A few families, couples out on breakfast dates, and groups of 20-somethings nursing their hangovers.

I tend to favor the diners in our area, because they are not as common as they are in other states. Michigan, especially the Detroit/Metro-Detroit area is known for coney islands, so diners are usually found a bit further up north, but there are a few good ones around. This one is really a greasy spoon-meets-eating dinner at your mother's place, and you can't really beat that.

4:31 PM
11 Comments

Eats: Sweet Potato Pie

Eats

1:13 PM
9 Comments

Eats: Fancy Beer Cheese Soup

Eats

Never has a soup given me so many problems. It wasn't hard to make by any means, it was quite easy, in fact. However, being someone who cannot consume milk, pizza, ice cream, or yogurt without getting sick, I should have reconsidered making a double-batch of beer cheese soup. Whoops.

Kyle and I often split a cup, or a bowl of soup as an appetizer while we are out. There is a place in Ferndale called One Eyed Betty's that has really great food, and their beer cheese soup is no exception. However, splitting a small portion with someone is vastly different than eating an entire bowl to myself. I was hurting. It is a good thing I have another whole second batch of this in the freezer! Go me.

I got this recipe from Pinterest (that one looks loads better. But I will just blame the shitty lighting in my kitchen, okay?) It's official name is: Brie + Cheddar Apple Beer Soup w/Cinnamon Pecan Crumbles. See? Fancy!

I changed a few things: I used low-fat brie, I also left the rind on. I didn't realize that this recipe called to remove it, and I panicked. After researching online, a lot of people claimed that you are supposed to eat the rind, as it is part of the flavor. Whatever. We didn't die, it tasted fine, so I guess that is up to you. I also totally forgot that I was making a double-batch, and only put in 8 oz of cheddar in, and almost started crying when I tasted it. I kept freaking out, telling Kyle that it tasted like vomit, only to then notice the other bags of cheese sitting on the counter (think my subconscious was trying to tell me something at this point?). After adding it it, it was pretty good!

Get for the soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

2/3 cup apple cider

2 apples, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 beer, 12 oz (I used Blue Moon)

2 cups broth

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 cup milk (I used plain almond milk)

16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz brie, rind removed, cubed

Get for the crumble

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups whole raw pecans (I used walnuts)

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

To make the crumble: preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Working in a Pyrex dish, or a greased pan, Add everything together, mixing well. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

To make the soup: heat a large soup pot over medium heat. add the olive oil, and once hot, add the onions, and a pinch of brown sugar. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, siring until softened. Slowly add the apple cider, until the onions have caramelized. Add the apples and thyme to the pot, stirring until softened. Add in any remaining apple cider, the beer, broth, and a little more cayenne. Cook 5-10 minutes, until the apples are soft.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth, set aside. Once the apples are soft, puree the mix until smooth. Return the soup to the stove, and bring to a low boil. Whisk in the milk mixture, and boil until the soup thickens (about 5 minutes). Stir in the brie and cheddar cheese, until melted and smooth. Ladle into bowls, and top with crumble.

We didn't use all of the crumble in the soup (it makes quite a lot), so I refrigerated the rest, and we put it in our oatmeal the next morning. It was much yum! I think when I make this again, I will try with a pumpkin beer, and maybe some granny smith apples (I think I used gala here). I will probably make a smaller batch too, so that I can just have a small serving instead of a giant bowl.

2:15 PM
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Mitten Eats: Mudgie's

Detroit

11:00 AM
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Guest Post Eats: Pumpkin Pie Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins

Eats

Spiced sweet potato muffins with two different crumbly toppings.

Hello there! I'm Annie, and I play mad scientist in the kitchen. Sara asked me to do a guest post on her blog featuring my first attempts at this particular #FallShit themed muffin venture, so I hope you enjoy! I would also like to say thanks for the opportunity to try my hand at a food blog post. I felt even more inspired to keep working on these babies beyond their maiden voyage as a result!

Let it be known that I love pumpkin. In fact, it is my most favorite kind of pie. I used to gorge on it every season with a mountain of whipped cream covering each slice. Then, one year, I developed a sudden head-to-toe, hive-inducing allergy to the gourd. Coincidentally, that was the same year I decided to take on a whole pie by myself on Christmas Eve. But hey, at least pumpkin went out with a bang, right?

Then, one glorious Thanksgiving, after years of deprivation and endless wandering through a pumpkin-less darkness, I discovered sweet potato pie. I was overjoyed to see that it not only looked like pumpkin pie, but it ate like one as well with its similarly thick custardy texture and creamy smoothness. So, I have been appeasing my pumpkin pie monster by throwing sweet potaters at it for years.

This season, after being inspired by Sara's Guest Post Eats: Iced Pumpkin Cookies, I began to think I wanted to try something new. I believe one of our mutual friends described those cookies as "crack cookies." Unfortunately, I can only eat "crack cookies" with my eyes, (and what remains of my pie-gorging memories). So, I went on a search for something else sweet potato-ish, but with a faux-pumpkin feel. After two experiments, I think I may have found it!

For starters, I seized in on this spiced sweet potato muffin recipe because I was impulsive the first time around, and I pretty much had every ingredient required at home.

NOTE: The original recipe says it makes a dozen large muffins, but for some reason I came out like a bandit with 48 minis the first time, and 24 minis plus a dozen large the second time. Perhaps my muffin pans are smaller than average. Who knows? I'm not an expert.

Anyway, I did make a few changes to the original. Rather than milk, I used half & half in the first batch (all I had at the time), and then unsweetened vanilla almond milk in the second, which turned out much better. Instead of the nutmeg and cinnamon, I used pumpkin pie spice from Milwaukee's The Spice House Rachael's recipe calls for AP flour, but I used a healthier option; white winter wheat pastry flour which contains less gluten and is lighter in texture. Instead of brown sugar, I used dark brown sugar. I thought the deeper molasses flavor might be yummy

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups winter white wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup milk/unsweetened almond milk (vanilla flavored works, too!)

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed or processed in a processor

1 teaspoon vanilla

I used my husband's vanilla extract, which he put together using some leftover Jim Beam bourbon whiskey and Madagascar vanilla beans he purchased from Amazon. He used a one to one ratio because he said he was "cursed with small beans." That means one bean per ounce of bourbon. Typically one bean to two ounces is sufficient.

Beans and a detailed look at the final extract with pretty little bean bits.

As for the hooch, the alcohol is what extracts the flavor, so any type of liquor will do. Just know the mixture needs to be placed inside a paper bag in a cabinet where you must try to forget about it for a month or two. After that, keep it stored in that paper bag because light is its enemy and you don't want to vanquish your delicious boozy vampire.

TOPPING OPTIONS

Next, I needed to figure out a topping! Rachael's did not have one, so I decided to try a double experiment before settling on which one worked best. The first was a pecan streusel topping, and the second was one I threw together; a slightly crunchier version without the flour, and with less butter and larger pecan pieces.

The first time I tried the pecan streusel topping, I used white sugar, which resulted in a very light colored streusel for my tastes. It was delicious and had a nice grainy texture, but I was going for a toastier look. Plus, I think I over-processed my pecans and let it sit for too long. So, for the second batch, I subbed the white sugar for dark brown sugar, and they turned out looking more fit for Fall!

Comparison of anemic looking streusel on the left with a more toasty looking result on the right.

Pecan Streusel Topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar/dark brown sugar

Pecan & Brown Sugar Topping:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

For both options, you can either chop the pecans by hand and then mix everything with a fork or use a food processor first to pulse pecans close to your preference and then pulse a few more times with remaining ingredients. Both methods worked well for me, but make sure the streusel topping does not sit for too long or it will turn into a clump of dough that will be very difficult to sprinkle.

Streusel topping, post pulse. This is about what it should look like.

THE BAKING OF THE SPUD

As for the "pump-con" itself (ha ha ha...), the method I used for baking my sweet potato was to poke it with a fork a few times. Then place it on the middle rack of the oven with a sheet of tin foil on the lower rack to catch the drippings.

Spud in the oven.

Next, turn on the oven and bake at 425 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour. Finally, turn off the oven and leave the potato inside for at least an hour after that. Remove from oven, allow to cool and then easily remove the skin. The sweet potato can either be mashed with a fork, (which I tried on one batch and it left some yummy little potato bits) or it can be pureed into a smooth texture, which gives the muffins a more incorporated look and feel.

PREHEAT & PAN PREP

Eek that thing on up to 350. The original recipe says 400, but every time I have ever made muffins at 400, they come out too dry and more cooked on the bottom than the rest. This way, the muffins are evenly cooked and moist.

Also, grease your muffin tin(s) or place papers into the cups. If you only have one muffin tin and you wind up with more like I did, just bake one after the other, but make sure you are using double acting baking powder if you go that route.

DRY, THEN WET, THEN WET TO DRY

Now let's get down to business. First, in a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: the flour, salt, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice.

The dries.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg, but like I said, I used pumpkin pie spice. I started with 1/2 tsp, and then after the first sampling, went whole-hog on a full teaspoon for the second round.

Now, you don't have to sift, but I like to, because it aerates the flour and produces a lighter texture. Plus, it helps incorporate the ingredients. Just set a sifter over a bowl, place contents in and gently shake and tap until everything passes through the screen. Discard or break down any remaining bits. Then I like to pass a whisk through the flour mixture a few times to be sure everything is dispersed.

Sifting is uplifting!

Onto the wet! The first time I made these, I did not have a full cup of sweet potato. After trying 3/4 cup and a full cup, I found there wasn't too much difference except for a richer color and a little more moisture. So, if you don't have enough, don't sweat it, they turned out great either way! Just add a little bit more milk. Or even Greek yogurt! That's what I'm going to try next time.

The wets.

Now, in a smaller bowl, mix eggs, milk/unsweetened almond milk, brown sugar, canola oil, sweet potato and vanilla. Add wet to dry and mix slowly until just combined, but don't over-mix or stir too vigorously or those muffins will come out dense and chewy.

The mix, all nice and incorporated in the bowl.

DISTRIBUTE & BAKE

Using a 1T for mini muffs or 3T for large, fill each cup with batter, then generously sprinkle on the streusel or crunchy pecan topping.

Bake for 9-12 minutes for mini muffins or 18-20 minutes for large, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If they need a bit longer, cook for two-minute increments, checking each time with a toothpick until done. Carefully remove from pan and place on a rack to cool.

Then repeat once more for second batch, if you have a lot of batter left over like I did.

STORAGE:

These will keep covered on a counter or in a pantry for about 2 days, or in a fridge for about a week. The best part is that these babies can be frozen for quick breakfasts. After they are completely cool, you can either wrap them snugly in plastic wrap and bag them in large Ziplocks or bag each individually. Just 15 seconds on high from frozen (in our microwave) does the trick for the minis. For large, about 30-40 seconds.

And now I shall bid thee farewell on your happy muffin making ventures! Also, eat lots of pumpkin-y things for me!

11:00 AM
9 Comments

Outfits

Eats: Chili Stew

Eats: Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Eats: Tuna Casserole

Eats: Turkey Shephered's Pie

Mitten Eats: Coolidge Cafe

Eats: Cinnamon Butter Cream Frosting

Mitten Eats: Hilton Road Cafe

Eats: Sweet Potato Pie

Eats: Fancy Beer Cheese Soup

Mitten Eats: Mudgie's

Guest Post Eats: Pumpkin Pie Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins

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