Monday, November 16, 2020

T Stands for Home Cooking


Update: For those of you who asked, I've inserted the mac and cheese recipe as well as for the Boston Brown bread.

 Happy Tuesday everyone! 

Today I am going to annoy some of you who are hungry because my post is full of food!  I'm giving you fair warning! Smile.

Last week was a fairly low key week. I puttered around the house doing some much needed tasks and had  a couple of art days. I also spent some creative time in the kitchen. 

First I made this pan of butternut squash macaroni and cheese last week. It was a new recipe and quite good.  I think I should have added a little less cheese because I added a bit more than the recipe called for and the squash wasn't as dominate a taste as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, you can still taste the squash.  You never go wrong with mac and cheese in my book. And it has to be cheesy to be mac and cheese. I used ziti noodles rather than the small elbow noodles, and it made it more of a pasta meal. 


Mac and cheese recipe  can be found here at this website (Sally's Baking Addiction):  Butternut squash mac and cheese

Early in the week I also made these Boston Brown bread muffins.  Boston brown bread is a quick, non-yeasted bread made with molasses and usually with raisins. It is traditionally baked in a coffee can (or some kind of large can) and then taken out of the can and served. Yes a round, can shaped bread with lines, just like canned cranberry sauce.  You would pour the batter into the empty can, open on one end and then bake it. Once baked, you would use your can opener on the other end of the can and then use that end to push out the finished loaf. You can buy round bread molds, but I don't have one. You can also buy canned bread in the grocery store which you reheat and eat.  I did, however, find this recipe for  making the bread in muffin form.  This one was another winner too. They were moist and had a nice molasses taste. I will definitely make these again.


I found this recipe in an old Williams-Sonoma muffin cookbook. I was actually going to get rid of the cookbook, but not now.



I also bought myself a new cookbook last week. I stopped at Trader Joe's after a beach walk trip on Tuesday. It was such a beautiful day that no one was in the stores in that strip mall.  After Trader Joe's I decided to take advantage of the empty stores, and I dropped into Barnes and Noble, the book store. It was a well enjoyed treat to browse. 


I've been looking for a good sourdough cookbook that wasn't just about bread. I also wanted a cookbook that had some recipes for some more unusual breads. I think I found it.
I tried one bread from this new cookbook. It was a  sourdough butternut squash and dried sour cherry bread. I had some squash leftover from the  mac and cheese (plus winter squash is the tastiest so I always keep a couple on hand). I enjoy munching on dried sour cherries, so I even had those in the cabinet. I  decided it needed some crunch too so I added some walnuts. 


This bread was also a winner!  I've been having it toasted for lunch for several days now.



And since it is Tuesday and T day, I need a drink photo. Here's mine. Awhile back I met my daughter one evening after she was done with work  so we could go to Costco.  Before we went to do a stock up, we stopped at  Chick Fil-A for dinner. They are only doing drive through or take out (you can't even go into the restaurant), so we went through drive through to get dinner and ate it in the car.

Be sure to stop by   Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog.

Here's our drinks. My Diet Coke on the left and her lemonade on the right.



And my fries on the left and my still wrapped chicken sandwich on the right.  It's fast food but better than other chains.

I am linking these photos up to Art Everyday Month. It is day 17.

Lastly, some of you last week asked about showing a photo of the elephant my daughter picked out on our visit to Annalee Dolls.  Here she (or maybe he) is.

Thanks so much for visiting. I wish you all a Happy T day too!



19 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Your baking looks wonderful, all of it. I especially love the look of that Boston bread. And I do have round backing tins, never been used! Happy T Day, take care, hugs, Valerie

CJ Kennedy said...

I’d like the brown bread muffin recipe, please. Brown bread is a hit here, but I’ve never made it as I don’t think I have cans large enough. That and the fact, they are manufacturing cans with only one edge that works with a can opener. What’s up with that? Sounds like you had a nice outing. Cute elephant, too. Happy T Day

Linda Kunsman said...

Oh yes, now you have made me hungry!! I love squash too, and that bread looks heavenly-yum!! I used to make Boston breads in cans:):) I no longer have the cans though(they were recycled coffee cans). Would you share the recipe - or a link-I'd love to make these muffins.
And what a darling elephant, sure to bring continuous smiles. Happy T day!

Divers and Sundry said...

Your butternut squash dish looks tasty, as do those Boston Brown Bread muffins. I'm looking up a recipe for that bread. Muffins are such an easy way to make sure part of a loaf doesn't get neglected. I've never had any luck with sourdough breads, but you ended up with a winner. The elephant is adorable :)

Happy T Tuesday!

DVArtist said...

Nice foody post. I love the look of that bread!! I would like squash in my mac n cheese but Mr. M. not so much. LOL Enjoy your day and the new cook book.

Jeanie said...

You are on such a roll! It all looks terrific -- especially that bread!

Lowcarb team member said...

Food looks delicious.
My nephew loves sourdough bread ...
Love the elephant :)

All the best Jan

Eileen Bergen said...

Three out of three new recipes from scratch. Woohoo, that's a home run. I did a bunch of scratch cooking last week too.

Being at home so much seems to make a lot of women (especially) more domestic. I'm noticing things that need doing and trying recipes that I've been saving, as well as old favorites. With that plus arts and crafts, life can't be boring.

The elephant is adorable.

Happy T-Day! Stay safe and stay well. Hugs, Eileen

kathyinozarks said...

You've been baking some goodies. That sounds good mac and cheese with squash. and your breads look delicious too. I love new cookbooks-I finally just needed to stop buying them-at one time I had around 300-yikes
Happy T wishes Kathy

Kate Yetter said...

I loved everything about your post! That mac and cheese sounds delicious! I would never think to add squash but that would certainly make a one dish dinner. The brown bread is something that I have never heard of before but I loved that you described the process in detail. I really enjoy learning about and cooking recipes from the past. I get a thrill from making something that one of my ancestors made. I know, sounds weird. But there is something to be said about historical recipes. Not to mention that most of our foods now are laden with sugar and unhealthy ingredients. I have never tried a Williams Sonoma recipe that I didn't like. Sounds like you found a good one.
I am adding that sourdough book to my to-read list. Looks like a great one with a variety of recipes. Your bread looks delicious with the dried cherries and squash. So glad you shared all your yummies with us.
And that elephant is SO adorable!!
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I ate before I visited, but you still made me hungry. I love mac and cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food. and that Brown Betty sounds wonderful, too.

I simply adore the cute elephant your daughter chose. It's a real keeper with it's package.

We don't have a Chic Fil-A here, but your drinks are making me thirsty. I'll appreciate the food, too, but I like what you baked better. Thanks for getting us all hungry, then sharing your fries and drinks with us for T this Tuesday, dear Erika.

CJ Kennedy said...

Thank you!

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, all the food looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing the recipes, I'd like to try all of them especially that yummy Mac and cheese 😀. That Christmas elephant is so adorable too - I love it! Have a wonderful week and Happy T Day wishes! Hugs, Jo x

Mae Travels said...

Putting squash in the mac & cheese is a great idea! I like that you made it from scratch not from a box. It's been ages since I saw one of those canned brown breads -- I didn't know they still made them.

be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

NatureFootstep said...

looks very tasty :)

Anne (cornucopia) said...

That mac and cheese looks delicious. But I read the recipe, and am a little skeptical. :-) I like the baking endeavors you've done. I never heard of bread baked in a can, but hey, it works! Was that a result of some Yankee ingenuity? Necessity is the mother of all inventions, so way back when, someone must've realized they could use a can when in need. I LOVE that elephant! Stay warm. Today is supposed to be our coldest day so far this season. Brrr. Happy T-Day!

Lisca said...

Yès, it was definitely a mistake to read your post on an empty stomach. It all sounds and looks delicious. I have copied the butternut squash mac & cheese as I have several squashes in my pantry. I'll make it next week and let you know. The Boston muffin looks very nice too. I'm into finding a substitute for molasses and I'll try that too.
Thank you for granting our requests (recipes, elephant).
The little elephant is gorgeous. Good choice.
The bread book looks indeed unusual. I'm glad you are having success with the recipes.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca

Cath Wilson said...

Your cooking looks so appetising. Love the look of the Boston Brown Bread muffins. You have such unusual recipes over there but most of them just don't translate. I bought a bilingual cookery book from the students when I worked in France - American missionaries. The American recipes with the French equivalent ingredients were so much fun. It was like learning another new language, learning to cook and especially to bake because their flours aren't anything like ours. I tasted some fab tray bakes, though. I daren't bake like you do because I'll just eat it...and balloon!!!
Cath x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh My, Mac and cheese - one of my favourites! I have only just started to make it again as it puts my sugar up. I have found if I am sensible all day I can afford to have it once in a while! Alas the muffins that sound and look so delicious are a DEFINITE no, no! The sourdough fruit bread is a possibility, especially with added nuts!
A takeaway chicken sandwich sounds like a good start to shopping trip!
Belated happy T day, Chrisxxx ps Cute Elephant!