I am a popcorn monster. During the cold winter months in northern Minnesota when it gets dark early, there’s nothing like curling up in front of the fire with a bowl of popcorn. I don’t eat the popcorn from a bag that is prepared in the microwave — too much sodium. The kind I eat is prepared the old-fashioned way in a pot on the stove, then drizzled with just the right amount of melted butter and sprinkled with salt. Napkins are a must.
Years ago, I had a generous neighbor who would make batches of Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn, always sharing a big bowl of it with us. It would usually be during the summer time. We’d sit out on my front porch munching and visiting, and suddenly, the bowl would be empty. The snack that my neighbor had intended for my family was gone.
I hadn’t thought of that sweet, chewy treat in such a long time. But the other night, as I was sitting on the couch with my big bowl of buttered popcorn, watching The Biggest Loser, that popcorn treat popped right into my mind.
Lucky for me, my neighbor was willing to share the recipe. Yesterday, I made a couple of batches of it for my segment on Lakeland Public Television. When the cameraman arrived, I noticed that he very comfortably began picking chunks of the cooling Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn from the baking sheets. One mouthful led to another. He couldn’t stop. Was he another popcorn monster? I sent a bag of the addictive snack back to work with him. (I have a feeling he didn’t share it.) As he was leaving my house he said he was going to make a batch of Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn to serve to friends as they watch the big game on Sunday.
There’s a bowl of it still sitting in my kitchen. Peanut butter, honey — sounds like breakfast to me!

Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts, optional

Heat oven to a very low temperature. The lowest my oven goes is 170 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with waxed paper and set aside.
In a large pot on the stove, pop popcorn (for this recipe I use the yellow variety which pops larger than the white kernels), using just enough canola or vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Transfer popped corn to a large oven-proof bowl. Place in warm oven.
In a medium saucepot, mix sugar, honey and corn syrup. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. Once it starts to boil, set timer for 3 minutes and continue to stir as mixture bubbles. After 3 minutes, remove pot from heat. Add peanut butter and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Remove warm bowl of popcorn from oven. Pour peanut butter syrup over the popped corn and mix well until all the popcorn is coated. Add peanuts at this time, if desired.
Spread the Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn on two waxed paper-lined baking sheets to cool. Once cool, store the popcorn in a tightly covered bowl or tin.

It wasn’t often that my dad was in charge of making supper, but every once in a while my mom would hand preparation of the last meal of the day off to him. His motto in the kitchen was, "the simpler, the better." He’d open a can of Campbell’s bean with bacon soup, mix it in a pot with some water, then slice up a couple of hot dogs and toss them in. He had supper on the table in no time at all. And, I think we liked it. Ugh.
My standards for bean soup have a come a long way since then. No more Campbell’s for me. On a chilly Saturday afternoon, I love having a pot of homemade bean soup simmering on the stove.
I like to use dried beans when I can. They are very inexpensive and I find their taste and texture to be so much better than canned beans. I like to use a quick soak method, boiling the rinsed beans for 2 minutes, then removing the beans from the heat, allowing them to soak for an hour in the hot water.
A little sauteed onions and carrots add great flavor to the soup. Pieces of tender, smoky meat come from the pork hocks. I don’t add hot dogs, but I do slice up some Kielbasa to stir into the soup.
So, why make this soup? Beans are low in fat, high in protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates. They contain no cholesterol. They are a good source of folate and iron, plus they offer some B vitamins, calcium and zinc. Most importantly, it tastes great. A bowl of this warm and satisfying soup makes a meal. I wish my dad would have had this recipe.

Country-Style Three-Bean Soup

• 1/2 pound northern beans
• 1/2 pound red kidney beans
• 1/2 pound pinto beans
• water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked pork hocks
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 peppercorns
• 3/4 pound Polska Kielbasa, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Rinse and sort beans, removing any small stones, shriveled beans and dirt. In a large soup pot, heat beans and 8 cups of water to boiling. Boil 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans in colander and rinse with cold water.
Return soup pot to heat. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes, until onions are tender. Add pork hocks and 8 cups of water to the pot. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. I like to put the bay leaves and peppercorns in a tea ball before adding to the pot. This makes removal very easy. Heat to boiling. Return rinsed and drained beans to soup pot. Simmer soup for 45 minutes. Remove about 2 cups of soup and place in a shallow bowl. Mash the soup with a potato masher. You could also put the 2 cups of soup in the blender and puree. Return mashed soup to pot. This gives the soup a thicker texture.
Add sliced sausage. Cook 20 minutes more.
At this point, soup can be covered and refrigerated overnight.
At serving time, heat soup until piping hot. Remove bay leaves, peppercorns and pork hocks. Cool the hocks slightly. Trim some of the meat from the hocks and add to soup. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

I don’t think this is the kind of pie the American Pie Council had in mind when they dedicated January 23rd as the day to celebrate pie. Today is the day to make pie, eat pie and share pie,  the food that those at the Pie Council tout as the ultimate comfort food.

I actually started celebrating yesterday with Grits and Ham baked in a pie plate, of course. The art of making a pastry crust is not needed for this pie, though. Whew, I know that’s a relief for many.

I wasn’t raised in the south, never lived in the south. But several years ago, on a visit to Alabama, I was introduced to grits. Thick, gloppy, white and flavorless, they sat in a warming tray on a breakfast buffet. I decided it would be the first and last time grits ever entered my mouth. I was convinced that only those who grew up in the southern United States could appreciate grits.

Grits reappeared in my life a couple of years ago. I was in Texas visiting my son and daughter-in-law. Some friends of theirs invited us to their home for dinner. And that’s where I fell in love with grits. Delicious barbecued brisket was served with creamy, cheesy, garlic-laden grits. Now, that was comfort. Our gracious hosts shared the recipe for those scrumptious grits and we’ve been making them at our house ever since. We eat them like mashed potatoes alongside pork, beef and anything barbecued.

A Southern staple, grits are made from corn that has been ground to a coarse consistency, much like cornmeal, but coarser. It comes in a couple of varieties, instant and quick-cooking. The coarsest variety is stone-ground, which is often used to prepare polenta. For this recipe, to save time, I used Quaker Quick Grits, which cook in about 5 minutes. When you visit the south, you’ll often see grits served for breakfast. With cheese and garlic added to it, grits make a good side.

My pie recipe today is similar to a crustless quiche with the creamy consistency of grits laden with cheese. Little cubes of ham stirred into the mix along with a few eggs, turns it into a meal that’s easy to prepare and can be served morning, noon or night.

I made two Grits and Ham Pies yesterday. I gave one to a friend. The other I served for supper last night. And, lucky me, there are a couple of leftover pieces in my refrigerator. They won’t be taking up space on the shelf very long. A quick trip to the microwave and they’ll be ready to eat.

You still have time to observe Pie Day. Make this crustless pie this evening, toss together a salad of fresh greens and segment some juicy oranges. Invite a couple of friends over and celebrate pie. Celebrate grits.

Really — try it, you’ll like it.

• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking grits
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup chopped cooked ham
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 large eggs, beaten
  
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in grits. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Transfer cooked grits to a mixing bowl. Gradually add milk and mix until smooth. Stir in ham, cheese and seasonings. Add eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a buttered 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6 servings.

Pie Day Grits and Ham

The fried breaded pork chops my grandma used to make were delicious with creamy mashed potatoes. But my updated pork cutlets encrusted with a parmesan-walnut mixture demand a new partner.
Maybe the combination of flavors in this pasta dish was inspired by the roast chicken that I love. Canned artichoke hearts pureed with garlic and olive oil become a paste that I massage under the skin on the chicken. More artichoke hearts are stuffed into the cavity of the bird along with fresh lemon and sprigs of rosemary. Tomatoes and roasted pepper strips are spooned over the bird while roasting. The resulting tender roasted chicken is absolutely delicious. It’s those flavors that I’ve tossed into this penne pasta.
If you have some cooked chicken in the refrigerator left from another meal, chop it up and toss it into this pasta dish to make a meal. Or, serve it along with my favorite roast chicken. Or, better yet, enjoy it with its’ perfect match — Parmesan-Walnut-Crusted Pork Cutlets. You can get the recipe from my most recent newspaper column.
This recipe yields a big bowl full of Mediterranean flavor. Soft, mild Havarti cheese melts nicely into the brothy tomato base. The aroma of onions and garlic will waft through your house as the sauce simmers. If you’re planning your meals for the week, prepare the sauce on the weekend, and, if you can wait, save it for another day. After an exhausting day at work, cook the penne while the sauce is heating, then toss it all together with the Havarti cheese.
You’ll be hoping for leftovers. This is one dish that I don’t mind eating for several days. When stored tightly sealed in the refrigerator, it stays moist, even through the reheating process.

Pasta with Tomatoes,
Artichokes and Havarti

• 1/4 cup olive oil. divided
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 large cloves garlic,
  minced
• 3 (28-ounce) cans whole
  tomatoes, drained, chopped
• 1 (14-ounce) can quartered
  artichoke hearts, drained
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red
  pepper flakes
• 2 cups reduced-sodium
  chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 16 ounces uncooked dried
  penne pasta
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded
  Havarti cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  cheese

Saute onion in hot olive oil
in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic
and saute for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts, dried basil
and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Add chicken broth and return to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 hours or until sauce is thickened and
reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper.

Cook pasta to al dente
according to package directions. Drain.

Combine cooked pasta with
tomato sauce mixture and Havarti in a large bowl. Toss mixture to combine.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Makes about 8 servings.

• Because Havarti is such a soft cheese, it is easiest to grate when it is very cold, right out of the refrigerator. I use the grate blade on my food processor.

After working with pineapple recipes for a couple of weeks, I still had some fresh spears of the juicy fruit in my refrigerator. Since I needed a quick meal last night, I decided on stir-fry. With a pound of shrimp and a few vegetables along with the pineapple, dinner was ready in less than 30 minutes.

I used 26/30 count shrimp, meaning there are 26 to 30 shrimp in one pound. The lower the numbers, the larger the shrimp. To save time, I buy the shrimp that have already been peeled and the veins (the black line along the outer curve of the shrimp  the digestive tract) have been removed. If I am going to boil or grill the shrimp and want to be sure I get the most flavor, I buy them with the shells on and remove the vein myself.

Have all the ingredients for the stir-fry prepared and ready to go before you actually start cooking. Start cooking the rice at about the same time you begin preparing the stir-fry ingredients. This dish doesnt require a lot of different vegetables to chop, so, really, in no time at all you’ll have a delicious meal — no take-out required.

Quick Stir-Fried Shrimp with Fresh Pineapple

• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 to 3 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
• 1 pound bag frozen shrimp (26/30 count), peeled, deveined
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into small squares
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 2 cups small cubes of fresh pineapple
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Make the sauce by combining cornstarch and water in a large cereal bowl. Use your clean finger to stir the mixture until the cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk in the chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry and red pepper flakes. Set the sauce aside.

In a large non-stick skillet or a wok, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they have completely changed color. The shrimp I used were a gray-blue color when raw and turned white when they were cooked. They will feel more firm than when they were raw, but they should not feel hard. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate.

Very carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add remaining oil to cover the bottom of the pan. As soon as it is hot, add the red peppers and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add green onion. Stir fry for another minute.

Add the fresh pineapple and stir-fry until heated through, just a couple of minutes.

Add the shrimp and the garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.

Pour in the sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook just until sauce thickens.

Serve hot with cooked rice. Makes about 4 servings.

I love Saturday mornings — especially ones like today. There was no place I had to go, there was nothing I had to do. Just sit by the fire in my jammies with my cup of hot, dark coffee, nibble a warm just-baked scone and watch the snowflakes drift by the window.

I have a favorite scone recipe. I sometimes try a new one, but always come back to my old reliable scone. Large rounds of not-too-sweet dough with big chunks of dried fruit and nuts and lots of sugar over the top make these tender mounds irresistible.

This morning I dared to give them a new twist. Since it is national oatmeal month, I decided to add some oats to the scones and swap whole wheat flour for the all-purpose white flour for some added fiber.

I wanted the scones to come from the oven as soon as possible from the time I got out of bed in the morning, so I placed all the dry ingredients in the bowl of my food processor before I went to bed. I chopped and measured the dried apricots and walnuts and sealed them in a zip-top bag. I cut the chilled butter into small chunks and covered them in a bowl where they sat in the refrigerator overnight. I lined my big Doughmakers baking sheet with parchment paper.

This morning, while the coffee was brewing, I preheated the oven, whirled the dry ingredients in my food processor with the cold cubes of butter, stirred in the remaining ingredients and in no time at all, the mounds of dough were in the hot oven. No kneading, no patting, no rolling, no cutting. Drop the dough from a spoon right onto the baking sheet. Perfect for a lazy Saturday morning.

I am able to purchase King Arthur brand white whole wheat flour in my local grocery store. It contains 100% of the wheat germ and bran delivering whole wheat goodness with a lighter color and milder flavor than regular whole wheat flour. I often substitute it for part of the all-purpose flour called for in some of my recipes. It can also be used in any recipe calling for whole wheat flour. I’m never disappointed with the results.

It will take 3/4 to 1 cup of quick-cooking oats to yield 3/4 cup of ground oats needed for this recipe. Just put a cup of oats in your blender and whirl it until it has the consistency of flour. Using oats in this form offers the same fiber and nutrients as the unground oats without dramatically changing the fine texture of the scones.

A key to getting the most tender scones is to use cold ingredients. Use butter, whipping cream and half-and-half right from the refrigerator. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients only until just combined. There will be no trace of dry ingredients.

Customize these scones with fruits and nuts to suit your own taste. Dried cranberries and pecans are good together. Experiment with your own combinations, but use only dried fruits, not fresh.

I love these scones when they are warm. Wrap each cooled and uneaten scone in plastic wrap. This way they can be put into zip-top freezer bags and kept frozen for a month. Leave a couple out, though, so that you can heat them up just a little bit in the microwave for breakfast tomorrow.

If you don’t have a food processor, work the dry ingredients and the butter together with your fingers, a pastry cutter or two knives.

Lazy Saturday. Lazy Sunday. Warm mounds of flaky, tender, buttery dough. Hot coffee. Sizzling fire. Snowflakes. It’s Sconeday.

Lazy-Day Scones

• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup ground quick-cooking oats
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper or two smaller sheets.

In small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest.

Place flour, ground oats, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in food processor and pulse to mix. Add cubes of cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in apricots and walnuts. Pour in whipping cream and half-and-half and stir just until combined.

Drop mounds of batter, about 1/2 cup each, onto baking sheet, leaving an inch or two of space between each mound. Sprinkle each mound with sugar-lemon zest mixture, using the full amount.

Bake scones until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer scones to a rack and cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 large scones.

When I have hungry guests
anxious to start eating, I dont have a lot of time to fuss with a photo. I was
able to click a quick shot of Spiced Chicken and Pistachio Spread before it was
devoured with homemade Armenian Cracker Bread (See my recipe posted on this
blog January 5, 2008).

I had a couple of cooked
chicken breasts in my refrigerator. I had baked a bunch when I was preparing a
pot of chicken enchilada soup and discovered I had prepared a few too many. I
also had a bag of raw pistachios, green and out of the shell. I love chunks of
chicken and pistachios tossed into a salad of fresh greens. So, I decided I would try turning them into a spread seasoned with the spices of the Middle
East to enjoy with my homemade Armenian Cracker Bread.

I had read about za’atar, a
Middle Eastern spice blend of sumac, sesame seeds and herbs. Since I was able
to purchase sumac locally at the natural foods store in Bemidji, I decided to mix
my own blend using the recipe at About.com. Otherwise, I would have ordered sumac or
maybe the already blended za’atar online from The Spice House in Chicago. They have a very
user-friendly web site with pictures of each of the herbs and spices they
offer, as well as an extensive recipe collection. The za’atarr I mixed myself
made enough so that I had extra to store in a jar on my spice shelf. I’ve
already used some to sprinkle on potatoes before roasting them, giving them
delicious flavor. Next time I make my own Armenian Cracker Bread, I’ll sprinkle a bit of za’atar over the top before baking. I think it’s one of those all-purpose spice blends that you can use in all kinds of ways.

Anyway, back to the
chicken-pistachio spread. I chunked up the two large cooked chicken breasts
that I had in my refrigerator and put the pieces into my food processor with
the blade in place. I added some raw pistachios that I had first toasted in the
oven. I processed those ingredients, stopping just before the mixture became a
smooth paste. I wanted some texture left in the spread. After transferring the
chicken mixture to a large mixing bowl, I added minced red pepper and onion along
with the za’atar, some salt, a little heavy whipping cream and mayonnaise to
hold it all together.

The last time I visited
Penzeys Spices on Grand Avenue
in St. Paul, I bought a small jar of Aleppo pepper, a Turkish
crushed chili, with an ancho-like flavor but with a little more heat and
tartness. I decided to add some to the chicken mixture. Next time I will add a
little more to gain a little extra heat.

I stored the chicken-pistachio
spread in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. At serving time, I was surprised
at how soft and spreadable it was right out of the refrigerator. It was
so easy to spread it on the homemade Armenian Cracker Bread (lahvosh) that I
had broken into smaller pieces.

Its a good thing I snapped
a picture before everyone had their first taste. It didn’t last long.

Chicken-Pistachio Spread

• 2 large boneless, skinless
  chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces), cooked
• 1 cup raw pistachios out of
  the shell and lightly toasted
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 teaspoons powdered sumac plus more
  for garnish
• 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
• 1 teaspoon za’atar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Cut chicken into chunks and
place in food processor fitted with steel blade. Add toasted pistachios.
Process chicken and pistachios together until they are ground up but not a
smooth paste consistency.

Transfer mixture to a large
mixing bowl. Add red bell pepper, onion, sumac, Aleppo pepper, za’atar and salt and mix well.

Stir in heavy whipping cream
and mayonnaise, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Pack mixture into smaller
bowl, cover tightly to seal and refrigerate until serving time, at least an
hour or two for flavors to meld with one another.

To serve, place
chicken-pistachio spread on platter. Sprinkle with more za’atar. You can also
place some thin strips of roasted red pepper (from a jar) over the top of the
spread. Serve with broken pieces of Armenian cracker bread (lahvosh). Serves 8
to 10 as an appetizer.

• To toast pistachios, place them in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Slide the pan into a preheated 350-degree oven. After about 8 to 10 minutes you will start to smell their wonderful aroma. That means it’s time to take them out of the oven. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool.
  

My first introduction to lavosh was at the Fargo Cork’n Cleaver way back in the 1970′s. I was a fairly new resident of Fargo at that time. My husband and I were young and our palates were not very sophisticated those many years ago. We may have been celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. For us, the Cork‘n Cleaver was the kind of place we’d go to for special celebrations. I remember feeling very cosmopolitan that night as we sipped wine and nibbled on the Armenian cracker bread topped with lots of melted mild Havarti cheese. Even at that time in Fargo, the cracker bread must have been available in some grocery stores, because I’m pretty sure I remember making some at home after that first introduction.

I called the Cork’n Cleaver this evening to be sure they still had lavosh on their appetizer menu. Sure enough, it’s still there. According to the person I spoke with by phone, it’s a customer favorite. People make a trip to the Cork’n Cleaver just for the lavosh. These days, it can be ordered with Havarti unadorned, or with several optional toppings added.

I just discovered that Armenian cracker bread is not difficult to make in my own kitchen. I read through directions and tips for making lavash in "Baking with the Saint Paul Bread Club," by Kim Ode. In this book, Klecko the baker says that for years he couldn’t get chefs to touch this cracker bread that has been a staple in old world countries for years. According to Klecko, when cafes in Boston, L.A., New York and Seattle started serving lavash in 2001, he knew it would be accepted in the Twin Cities soon after. Wow, Fargo Cork was way ahead of the trend.

Then I checked out the Lavash recipe in "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day," by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Theirs produces a softer version of the Armenian flatbread which they say is good for mopping up sauces and eating with soup.

I used bits and pieces from both recipes to create eight large crispy rounds. I mixed and kneaded whole wheat yeast dough, rich with butter and sweetened with honey. After it rested and grew to twice its size, it was ready to be rolled out paper thin and baked to golden crispness.

I am lucky to have two ovens, so I heated my pizza stone in one oven. In the other oven, I baked the first thin round of dough on a perforated pizza pan. The second round was baked on the preheated pizza stone. As you can see in the picture, both were crispy, but the one baked on the hot stone looked much more rustic and bubbled.

Since I don’t have a pizza peel (yet), I discovered that if I rolled the dough on the round cloth-covered lefse board, I could pick up the whole board and gently nudge the dough onto the hot stone. If you have a peel, this job will be much less challenging. I’m thinking about purchasing the Super Peel, recommended by Cooks Illustrated after they tested several peels.

After only 8 to 10 minutes on the stone, the dough transformed into a crisp, bubbly cracker.

I chose to sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. I used the hint in "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day", brushing a cornstarch wash over the dough before the sprinkle of seeds. The cornstarch wash holds the sesame seeds tight to the cracker. It was a good idea.

A couple of times I forgot to poke holes all over the dough with a fork before I put it into the oven. Huge bubbles began to form. I just opened up the oven and gave the bubbles a poke to pop them.

It was great fun making the cracker bread and very satisfying to admire their finished beauty. The taste is wonderful.

I’ve eaten the flat one that baked on a pizza pan. The rest are looking like a piece of art, stacked in a brown grocery bag. One or two large rounds would be an appreciated and unique hostess gift. How about a package of sliced Havarti along with it?

Tomorrow, I’ll be giving one big round to my snowshoeing partner, I’ll serve some as an appetizer to dinner guests in the evening. I think that group will take care of two rounds. That will leave four rounds to deliver to friends when I go to town. (Remember, I live in the woods.)

Did you notice that lavosh appears throughout this story spelled different ways? Depending on which cookbook you’re reading, the word may be spelled lavash, lavosh, or lahvosh. You choose. But most agree that no matter how it is spelled, it should be pronounced la-VAHSH.

We’ll enjoy this cracker bread that I’ve made, but it just won’t be the same as sitting by the fire in the Cork‘n Cleaver on a cold winter evening sipping wine and nibbling the warm lavosh topped with Havarti.

Armenian Cracker Bread

• 2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

• 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry yeast, or 4 1/2 teaspoons

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

• Sesame seeds

In a 4-cup glass measure or bowl, dissolve yeast and honey in 2 cups warm water. Let it set until the mixture is growing, with foamy bubbles on the top.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, yeast mixture, and whole wheat flour until smooth. Add salt and 2 cups of all-purpose flour, mixing with a wooden spoon. Continue to gradually add more all-purpose flour, mixing well after each addition. When dough leaves sides of bowl when stirred, transfer to flour-coated work surface. Cover dough with mixing bowl turned upside down and let rest.

Make a cornstarch wash: Use your clean finger to stir 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a tablespoon of water until cornstarch is dissolved. Add 1/2 cup water and whisk with a fork. Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high. Set aside to cool.

Use your clean hands to lightly coat the inside of a large, clean bowl with oil or shortening. Uncover the resting dough and use your greasy hands to knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface, continuing to add more flour until the dough feels smooth and soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or Press’n Seal. Find a warm spot to place the bowl of dough and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

If using a baking stone, place it in oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If you will be using an ungreased pizza pan, preheat empty oven to 375 degrees.

Punch the dough down. Separate the dough into 8 equal pieces. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface and keep the rest of the dough pieces covered. Roll each piece of dough into a paper-thin round, about 14 to 15 inches in diameter. Poke holes all over the dough with a fork. Brush with cornstarch wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Use a pizza peel to transfer the dough to the hot baking stone.

If using an ungreased pizza pan, carefully pick up the dough and place it onto the pan, adjusting it to be centered in the pan. Use fork to poke holes all over the dough, brush with cornstarch wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on rack. Repeat procedure for each piece of dough.

Makes 8 large crackers. Store cooled crackers in a dry place stacked in a brown grocery bag.

If you’re not all that
familiar with the streets and neighborhoods of

Duluth,
Minnesota, you might very well miss the cozy
little eatery called At Sara’s Table in the city’s
Chester Park neighborhood. And that would be
just awful.

My son and daughter-in-law
were the first to fill me in on the cafe that is nestled into an old
neighborhood market not too far from downtown Duluth on the corner of 19^th avenue and 8^th street.
They first ate there a few years ago when they honeymooned in Duluth. I first ate there on Tuesday, January
1, 2008. What a great way to begin the New Year.

The name on the building
still says Taran’s Market Place. You have to really know where you are going in
order to find Sara’s Table, because you don’t see that name until you get up
close to the door on the side of the building. Then, to confuse us even more,
it has another name  Chester Creek Cafe which also shows up on the door. I
guess it would be safe to say to look for Chester Creek Cafe At Sara’s Table in
the old Taran’s Market Place. Or is it Chester Creek Cafe/At Sara’s Table? As
long as you know where it is, it doesn’t really matter what you call it.

I knew I was going to love
this place as soon as I walked in and spotted pump pots full of hot coffee with
plenty of mugs stacked along side, ready for customers to help themselves. It
was before noon and there were already several hungry people waiting for a
table to open up. I sipped hot coffee and admired the glass case full of sweet baked
treats. The German Chocolate cupcakes were teasing me with their good looks,
but I was there for breakfast, the meal I most like to eat out. Oh, I wish I
would have bought one of those little cakes to bring home for a later-time
indulgent snack.

The cafe is very casual. The
booths and tables are built from recycled wood. The wood covering the ceiling
comes from the old coolers that used to be housed in the basement of Taran’s
Market. Used books are organized on shelves and can be read in the cafe or
purchased to take home.

The menu selections make it
clear that the cafe places high importance on using organic and sustainable food from the region. A sign near the door shows that the cafe is part of
the Heartland Food Network, a program that promotes use of local, organic and sustainable food, supporting small-scale farmers.

I knew that I had to order
one of the Specialty Pancakes, a huge buttermilk cake that fills the plate. You
can see my pancake in the photo above. The Specialty Pancake gives you the
option of choosing two add-ins that are cooked into the big cake. I chose
bananas and pecans from the list of fruits and nuts, granola and chocolate morsels. The pancake was light and moist, the edges were a little crispy and
the locally grown organic maple syrup was the perfect topping. Oh, so good.

There were six of us at the
table and we each ordered something different  some wanting soup and salad or
a sandwich, others, like me, more interested in breakfast food.

I cant wait for my next
visit to Sara’s Table. Next time I’ll try the French toast made with their
house wild rice cranberry bread. And there were so many sweets in the bakery
case that I must go back to taste. And then, there’s the dinner menu that offers
unique and delicious-sounding choices.

I’ll be going back to this special Table, Sara’s Table, next time I travel to Duluth. Or is it At Sara’s Table/Chester Creek Cafe?

Salad of mixed greens and fresh vegetables with the house-made stone-ground mustard vinaigrette.

Sliced ham and gouda cheese with caramelized onions on toasted wild rice-rosemary bread. The bread is made at the cafe.