Homemade Kefir and Honey-Roasted Banana Kefir Smoothie

With the kitchen redesign moving gradually, I was experiencing considerable difficulties having the capacity to cook for a developed timeframe, particularly since cooking is one of my favored techniques for stress alleviation. In this way, this past Friday I said ‘to hellfire with it’ and made a cake in my half torn down kitchen. The broiler was in working request and there was ledge space enough for the blender, and that was adequate for me.

The frequent experience of the cook living in the country or suburbs these days to receive unexpected visits from friends who are touring in automobiles, and she finds she must have something attractive, dainty and nourishing ready at a moment’s notice to supplement the cup of tea or coffee so welcome after a hot, dusty trip.

With a supply of good eggs in the pantry the cook need never be at a loss for a tasty custard, and if she is wise enough to buy Armour’s Fancy Selects when she orders eggs from her market man their goodness will be reflected in her desserts. Aside from their goodness their extra large size will always recommend their use to the wise cook.

There is inspiration in the art that enters into the production of a French dinner, in the perfect balance of every item from hors d’oeuvre to café noir, in the ways with seasoning that work miracles with left-overs and preserve the daily routine of three meals a day from the deadly monotony of the American régime.

It is impossible to deal in a short article with the many varieties of Summer Sauce, but there are three or four which can be touched upon. To have a thorough understanding of their goodness one must not only read about them but taste them. They are the staple diet in many foreign countries and in the Armour brand the native flavoring has been done with remarkable faithfulness—so much so that large quantities are shipped from this country every week to the countries where they originated.

[recipe title=”Homemade Kefir and Honey-Roasted Banana Kefir Smoothie” servings=”4-6″ time=”1hr 15mins” difficulty=”easy”]
For the honeyed pear topping, have ready a sheet of puff-paste made of five ounces of sifted flour, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Lay the paste in a buttered soup-plate. Trim and notch the edges, and then put in the mixture. Bake it about half an hour, in a moderate oven. Grate loaf-sugar over it, before you send it to table.

[recipe-ingredients]

• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Boil the sugar, water and tartaric acid five minutes. When nearly cold beat into the syrup the whites of the eggs, beaten until foamy, and the flavoring extract. Store in a fruit jar, closely covered. To use, put three tablespoonfuls into a glass half full of cold water, stir in one-fourth a teaspoonful of soda, and drink while effervescing.
2. A pint of any kind of fruit juice may displace the water, when a teaspoonful of lemon juice should be added to the contents of each glass before stirring in the soda.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grate the chocolate, put it in a double boiler with the milk; stir until hot, and add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and one pint of the cream. When cold, freeze; when frozen, remove the dasher and stir in the remaining pint of the cream whipped to a stiff froth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mash the raspberries; add half the sugar and the lemon juice. Put the remaining sugar and half the cream in a double boiler; stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside to cool; when cold, add the remaining cream, turn the mixture into the freezer, and stir until partly frozen.
5. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until they’re golden around the edges. In making pies of juicy fruit, it is a good way to set a small tea-cup on the bottom crust, and lay the fruit all round it. The juice will collect under the cup, and not run out at the edges or top of the pie.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: Fruit pies with lids, should have loaf-sugar grated over them. If they have been baked the day before, they should be warmed in the stove, or near the fire, before they are sent to table, to soften the crust, and make them taste fresh. Raspberry and apple-pies are much improved by taking off the lid, and pouring in a little cream just before they go to table. Replace the lid very carefully. [/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

Since most other folks just bring booze, the cookies are always a welcome addition. I made the filling two different ways here, for the first one I cooked down some cranberries with sugar, then mixed that with Vermont Creamery, mascarpone cheese and spices for a tangy, cheesecake-y, and slightly sweet filling. For the other, I sliced persimmons and boiled them in a cinnamon syrup until they softened, then I cut shapes out of them with a cookie cutter so that they would fit in the linzer cookie sandwiches.

To have a thorough understanding of their goodness one must not only read about them but taste them. They are the staple diet in many foreign countries and in the Armour brand the native flavoring has been done with remarkable faithfulness—so much so that large quantities are shipped from this country every week to the countries where they originated.

Puddings that are prepared by boiling, steaming, and baking, and the sauces that make them appetizing, receive a goodly share of attention. Pastries and Pies completes this volume, rounding out, as it were, the cook’s understanding of dessert making. To many persons, pastry making is an intricate matter, but with the principles thoroughly explained and each step clearly illustrated, delicious pies of every variety, as well as puff-paste dainties, may be had with very little effort.