LittleJudeonFood

One kid's adventures in gastronomy

Category Archives: Hits


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Breaking Bread

I have a lot of friends whose mamas make bread. (I have more friends whose mamas buy it from the store.) Mama falls somewhere in between. She likes making it, but she doesn’t always have the time or inclination. (This is what she tells me, as I don’t know what inclination is.)

Knowing me like she does, however, she thought I’d enjoy learning how to make it. We’ve made lots of cakes and scones and cookies and even pizza dough, but I haven’t made a yeast bread yet. I have to say it’s about as scary as roasting a whole chicken: once you do it, you realize it wasn’t so bad. (It’s especially easy when you have a stand mixer, as it does all the kneading for you.) Here’s how we did it:

In a small bowl, add the yeast to the warmed water. Whisk until all the yeast is dissolved, getting into all the corners of the bowl (the liquid will foam). Let sit while you pull together the other ingredients.

Make sure all the yeast is dissolved in the water.

Make sure all the yeast is dissolved in the water.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the flours, salt, sugar, shortening, and dry milk.

Look at how well I can add the flour.

I’m pretty good at getting all this stuff into the bowl. Well, most of it, anyway.

Pour in the yeast mixture. 

The mixer's really full, so start on the lowest setting. (I made it go really fast, and it was very funny.)

The mixer’s really full, so start on the lowest setting. (I made it go really fast, and it was very funny.)

With the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on low setting until dough forms, 5–8 minutes. Stop the mixer and pull out a small chunk of dough. Stretch it. The dough should thin to the point of breaking, but not readily tear apart (a small hole is okay). This is called the gluten window. If the dough pulls right apart, return it to the mixer and continue mixing another 2 minutes, then recheck the dough. Mama says it’s important that you don’t overmix your dough, or you’ll overdevelop the gluten, and you’ll have tough bread. (Remember our bread pudding?)

The dough was a little frightening as it flopped around the bowl.

The dough was a little frightening as it flopped around the bowl. Mama didn’t get a picture of the gluten window. (I really couldn’t see it anyway.)

Lightly grease a large bowl or cookie sheet with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Place dough in/on it, then cover with a clean dishtowel. Let it set out on the counter until it doubles in size, 1–2 hours. This is called proofing.

Holy proof!

Holy proof!

Once the dough has finished proofing, punch it down and give it a few more kneads with your hands to get out any air bubbles. This was my favorite part! Divide the dough in half.

Lightly grease 2 standard-size (9″ x 5″) bread loaf pans and set aside.

Lightly flour a work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough to about the length of the loaf pan.

The dough is really soft, so it doesn't take but a few quick rolls to stretch it out.

The dough is really soft, so it doesn’t take but a few quick rolls to stretch it out.

With your hands, roll the dough like a jellyroll then place it in the loaf pan, seam side down. (Mama says if you wanted to add a flavor to your dough, like roasted garlic or herbs, lay them on the dough before you roll it, then your flavors will be swirled in the bread.) With a sharp knife, cut a slit, about ½ inch deep, down the length of the loaf, across the top. Repeat with second loaf. Cover the pans with the dishtowel and set aside to proof a second time.

Heat the oven to 350°F. When the loaves are again doubled in size, lightly brush them with egg wash (1 egg, beaten with about 1 tablespoon of water or milk). This will give them a nice golden color. Bake in the center of the oven until an internal temperature reaches 190°F (about 50 minutes). You can see that ours got a bit dark. This was all Mama’s fault, since I’m not allowed near the oven. If your bread is getting too dark, too quickly, tent foil over it for the remainder of the bake time.

Unmold the loaves within 5 minutes of taking them out of the oven, and set on a rack to cool completely before cutting. The waiting is the hardest part, but Mama says you’ll crush all the lovely airiness of your bread if you cut it while it’s warm.

Mama says they're a little dark and a little lopsided, but neither one of us care.

Mama says they’re a little dark and a little lopsided, but neither one of us care.

Mama declared the loaves imperfect, but still a terrific freshman attempt on my part, even though I took a nap somewhere during all that proofing.

Love, Jude

Wheat Bread

3 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water, 105–110F°
1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
7 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sea salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces (1/2 cup) shortening
3/4 cup dry milk

Makes 2 (9″ x 5″) loaves

Note: Mama tried really hard to convert her weighted measurements to cuppage. To get as close as you can to Mama’s measures, spoon your flours into your measuring cups, rather than dipping your cups into the flour.


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I want more broccolini!

Yes, dear reader, I really did say this. Many times. I eat regular broccoli by the stalk, but I really liked its funny little cousin. Mama steamed it for all of 2 minutes, lightly salted it, and served it with a small pat of butter. If you haven’t tried this tender veggie alternative, consider picking some up.

As much as I would’ve been perfectly satisfied with just the broccolini, Mama did actually make dinner in the form of quesadillas. You might recall that I am a fan of a local eatery’s cheesey version (usually after swimming lessons, rather than visits to the E.R.). I had no idea they were so simple to make at home. Much like a pepper, you can stuff just about anything into a quesadilla, and it’s a great way to clear out the veggie bin. But you must not skimp on the cheese. (Did you know queso means “cheese” in Spanish?)

Mama sauteed sliced peppers, onion, and shiitake mushrooms. She tossed in some leftover lentils at the end. Separately, she sauteed sliced chicken breasts. To assemble the quesadilla, she heated a whole-wheat wrap in a frying pan, flipped it over, sprinkled half of it with shredded cheese, then layered on the pepper mixture (and the chicken for Papa). She topped with some arugula then more cheese, folded the wrap in half, and cooked it until the bottom browned. She flipped it and cooked until that side was brown. Remove from the pan, slice into wedges, and serve with salsa and sour cream, if you have it.

Mama actually made me a cheese quesadilla and served some of the stuffin's on the side. You can see how quickly I'm eating the broccolini.

Mama made me a cheese quesadilla and served some of the stuffin’s on the side. You can see how quickly I’m eating the broccolini–my hand is just a blur.

I’m not going to lie. I prefer the quesadillas that Mama buys, but this wasn’t all bad. Did I mention the broccolini?

Love, Jude


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Breakfast Worth Waiting For

Yesterday, Mama showed me how to make bread (I’ll tell you all about it some day). She thought we’d have French toast today, but last night, she had other designs. She cut one of the loaves into cubes, laid them in an 8 x 8 baking pan, added cranberries, and poured a mixture of egg and milk over it. Then this morning, she baked it. It took a really long time, but it was really yummy. (I had some after I’d had my oatmeal.) Parts of it were kind of crunchy, and parts were soft and creamy. Then there was the tart zing of cranberry.

Baked cranberry goodness

Baked cranberry goodness

I can get used to mornings like this.

Love, Jude

Cranberry Bread Pudding

This one’s really easy:

1 cup bread cubes + 1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk) + 1 egg (increase as necessary)

Added fruits, nuts, flavorings

Generously grease a baking pan. Add cubed bread (day-old works best). Mix in blueberries, cranberries, bananas, dried apricots, walnuts, pecans, or whatever suits your fancy. In a separate bowl, mix together cream/milk and eggs. Add vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, maples syrup, and any other flavorings as desired. Mama says you can even put bourbon in it, whatever that is. Pour over bread cubes, making sure all the bread is submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, uncover and bake at 350°F until set and puffy. (Ours took about 1 hour, 10 minutes. You can see why I needed to eat my oatmeal first.) All you have to do is peek at the center. If it’s still liquidy, it’s not ready. If your bread is browning too fast, tent foil over it for the remainder of your bake time. You can also start with the foil for the first half hour, then remove it for the last half hour.


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These are not pancakes!

As I learned when I picked up one of these golden patties and put it in my mouth. It was a crab cake! Mama kept it simple and followed the recipe on the side of the can, but she said you have to pick through the crab just to be sure there are no bits of shell. She fried them in oil, and while they were frying, she made tartar sauce: mayo, capers, relish, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper (all to taste). “Oooh, capers!” I said, as I dipped my crab cake in it. It probably wasn’t my favorite thing to eat, but I ate almost the whole thing…until my tartar sauce ran out.

That's me, pilfering a grape.

That’s me, pilfering a grape.

While the cakes cooked, I helped Papa make a salad of Boston lettuce, grapes and raisins, pine nuts and hazelnuts, topped with poppyseed dressing. I liked the dressing fine (and of course the grapes and raisins), but I haven’t yet come around to eating lettuce. I can’t eat everything, you know.

Love, Jude


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Jude Appleseed

I am not a baby who doesn’t know where food comes from. I’ve found eggs at the homes of some of my friends, and I’ve picked strawberries and blueberries and raspberries, as well as peaches and apples. We grew peas and tomatoes last summer, too, but (as Mama will be quick to point out), I kept picking them off the vines before they were really ready to eat. And then there was the mint that grew so out-of-control that I could have played hide-and-seek in it.

In the fall, Mama took me to an organic apple orchard not too far from our house. I knew just what to do. And, aside from the branches still being wet from that morning’s rain, I was really good at getting to the inside branches and picking big beautiful apples…each of which I, naturally, tried to take bites out of.

Mama can’t remember how many apples we picked that day, but it was definitely two full grocery sacks. And Mama says you can never have enough fresh apples in the fall. Why, for 1 pie alone, you need about 5 of them. And then consider applesauce. All that peeling and chopping cooks down to hardly anything! Let me show you.

But first, Mama pointed out that it’s very important to choose a sweet apple: honeycrisp, gala, fuji, pink lady, winesap, Cortland, jonagold, rome…the list is nearly endless. If you go to an orchard like we did, just ask the owners. They’ll be able to tell you! You want to avoid tart little numbers like grannysmith, otherwise you’ll have to add a whole lot of sugar. And you know how Mama feels about sugar. (Something else you can ask is whether they have any seconds–these are the apples that they’ve picked off the ground. It’s not as bad as it sounds–a wind could’ve just blown it off and caused a bruise, making it “unsuitable” for selling…but ideal for applesauce!)

Some folks choose to not peel their apples when making sauce. Some even toss the whole, roughly chopped apple in, seeds and all, choosing to strain the finished sauce. Do whatever works for you. Mama peels them, and Papa and I eat the peels. It’s win-win. There’s no formula for chopping or slicing the apples. Large chunks will take longer to cook down, but you also don’t have to make them itty-bitty.

Just lop off the apples "cheeks" for a quick way to core them.

Just lop off the apples’ “cheeks” for a quick way to core them.

Add the apple chunks to a large pot with a splash of water in it. (Mama says this keeps the apples from sticking initially.) She added a few cinnamon sticks and cloves, but she cautioned that it’s better to use cheesecloth that you can easily fish out, or just remember how many of these you put in the pot, as nobody wants to bite into a whole clove. (Alternatively, you can skip the spices, or use dried.)

The apples chunks don't have to be that small when you start.

The apples chunks don’t have to be that small when you start.

Turn the heat to medium to get everything going, and put a lid on the pot. Stir it occasionally. You don’t have to linger, but do keep an eye on things. Lower the heat a bit, and if the apples seem to be sticking or scorching, then turn it down some more, stir them, and maybe add another splash of water. (You shouldn’t have to at this point, but better to be safe than ruin a batch of applesauce.) Taste it, too, from time to time. Maybe you’ll want to add some brown sugar or other spices.

Here's what the apples look like after a little bit of cooking.

Here’s what the apples look like after a little bit of cooking.

Once the apples are supersoft, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, you have a couple options. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, then take a potato masher and go to work. That’s usually what Mama does, but this time she decided to use her immersion blender. You could also use a food processor, a blender, or a food mill to reach your desired consistency. Spoon the sauce into clean jars. If the jars are hot and the sauce is hot, Mama says you could get lucky and have them seal. But Mama just let the jars cool, then she stored them in the freezer. (Let them thaw in the fridge overnight.)

The apples are so soft they're practically turning themselves into sauce. Don't forget to fish out the cinnamon sticks and cloves!

The apples are so soft they’re practically turning themselves into sauce. Don’t forget to fish out the cinnamon sticks and cloves!

The applesauce was slightly spicy and very smooth. We ate it warm right from the pot, and it was the perfect snack on a crisp afternoon. Of course, it’s also good cold. Sometimes Mama mixes in raisins or adds it to oatmeal, but mostly I eat it straight. And what did we do with the couple dozen remaining apples we had? Stay tuned…

Love, Jude


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Lazy Sunday

It used to be that I ate an egg for breakfast every morning. Then it was smoothies. And now it’s oatmeal. Because my oatmeal takes about half an hour to cook, Mama usually makes a big batch one day so that it’s ready for me to eat on the other days. She tried something new today, though: baked oatmeal.

A friend of Mama’s told her about a delicious oatmeal she made with bananas and blueberries and she shared the recipe. Because I was still sleeping when Mama made it, I can only report on how delicious it is. But Mama said it was supereasy. It was sweet from maple syrup and the fruit, and very hearty. We agree that we might try it without walnuts next time, and this morning Mama dolloped some banana yogurt on it for me. What a treat!

Mama says if you want to make this the night before, you can pull together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another, but don’t mix them, or the oats will absorb all the liquid before it has a chance to bake in the morning. Sorry, not much of a shortcut here, but just think of how yummy the house smelled as it baked while Mama was wrangling yours truly. And I can eat it for breakfast tomorrow, and the next day, and the next…

I really REALLY like oatmeal, and this one is fantastic.

I really REALLY like oatmeal, and this one is fantastic.

Then for lunch, we made an old standby: egg salad. I helped Mama crack and peel the boiled eggs, then I mashed them with a fork. After we mixed together the mayo, mustard, vinegar (which I tasted straight from the bottle), dill, salt, and capers, we did something very important: we tasted it to see whether it needed anything. “More capers!” I said. (It’s true. I really did.) So Mama obliged, and we ate the egg salad on toasted English muffins. Well, I ate most of mine. But I picked out all the capers.

Yes, I'm still in my jammies. The title of this post is "Lazy Sunday" for a reason.

Yes, I’m still in my jammies. The title of this post is “Lazy Sunday” for a reason.

Love, Jude


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No Carry-Out Menu Required

Tonight it was just Mama and me for dinner, so she kept it simple and showed me how to stir-fry. She explained that there are two tricks to stir-frying: a hot pan (not necessarily a wok) and thinly cut vegetables. The high heat cooks the small pieces quickly so they retain some of their natural crispness.

Start by cutting all your veggies to a relatively equal size. Your stir-fry won’t work if you’re scrambling to cut more items once you get your pan going. Tonight, Mama sliced cremini mushrooms, snow peas, carrots, asparagus, yellow pepper, broccoli, and zucchini. She heated toasted sesame oil, which has a higher smoke point—that’s how hot you can get your oil before it begins to smoke and set off that horrible screeching alarm in your kitchen. Plus, it has a nice nutty flavor. (I tasted it, so I know.)

First Mama sautéed the mushrooms to get them golden, then added the remaining vegetables, stirring constantly. Some folks would add scallions or garlic at this point, but Mama opted not to. Then she added about equal amounts of seasoned rice vinegar and tamari, which is similar to soy sauce. And that’s it! Serve with brown rice, top with cilantro or lime or chopped peanuts/cashews (if desired), and you have dinner.

Just look at all those yummy veggies!

Just look at all those yummy veggies!

Now, I like rice as much as the next baby, but let me tell you about those vegetables. First I ate all the broccoli. Then the carrots. Then the asparagus, and next the mushrooms. I ate that stir-fry right up! But my favorite part was the fortune cookie Mama produced for me for eating such a good dinner. I love opening them. This one read, “If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.”

In bed…which is where I’m headed.

Love, Jude

All the veggies looked good, but I decided to start with the broccoli.

All the veggies looked good, but I decided to start with the broccoli.


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Let Them Eat Cookies

Grandma was visiting for Christmas, and Mama thought we would have fun making cookies, so she made a couple batches of dough one afternoon while I napped. Normally, Mama doesn’t like making cutter cookies because, she says, they stick and become distorted when you pick them up, or they roll unevenly and then bake unevenly. But she declared this dough, from The Joy of Cooking, a winner.

Mama cut the dough in half with my new favorite tool, a bench scraper, and she showed me how to lightly flour the table. Then together we rolled the dough with a rolling pin. What a funny tool that is! Mama finished rolling it to the thinness she wanted, saying it was important to move the dough (so that it doesn’t stick to the table) and not roll off the edges (so that you don’t smoosh it). Then we pressed our cookie cutters—a tree, a snowman, and a star—into it. I had to put my whole hand on the cutter and press really hard, then Mama showed me how to give it a little jiggle to be sure it came free when we lifted the cutter. And it worked! I gently poked the dough out of the cutter and onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet, and we started all over again (when I wasn’t eating the dough, that is).

Waiting for the first batch to bake was easy because we kept making more cookies. But waiting for that last batch to cool before we could decorate them was really difficult! Mama let me play with the leftover dough, so I could practice rolling and patting and cutting. She said we couldn’t use the little bit of dough for cookies anymore because it had been rolled and stretched and floured too many times, and the cookies would be tough. (I don’t really think I would mind. Would you?)

Mama had made a basic icing with powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice. She took care of frosting the cookies, but I decorated them with sprinkles and other tiny candies. Mama taped over some of the holes on top of the bottles, but I still managed to get the sprinkles all over—and then I ate them! I figured out that if I pressed my hot little fingers into the errant sprinkles, they’d stick to my hands and I could just eat them right up. You might remember that I don’t often get unbridled access to sugar, but Mama had no control over me, and it was awesome!

The cookies were, of course, yummy. They were crisp on the bottom and softish on top, which Mama and I both like, and the lemony icing cut the sweetness a little bit. My friends certainly liked them, and I didn’t mind sharing.

Love, Jude


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Figs: Not Just for Newtons

I ate my first figs this week. I didn’t want to, but Mama and Papa kept cajoling me. They were relentless. “It’s sweet,” she’d say. “It tastes kind of like a grape,” he’d say. “You’ll like it,” they’d say. Finally, I took a tentative bite. Then another. The supple flesh yielded a delicate sweetness. I took another bite. Where have these been all my life?

Turns out, they’re not always available. My friend Milo recently picked the first figs from his tree. And, like pomegranates, figs aren’t in stores year-round. You have to wait for them, so savor them!

Incidentally, Fig Newtons are named for the place where they’re made: Newton, MA. Mama says it’s a nice place to visit, particularly in the fall. You also might be interested to know that figs need tiny wasps to pollinate them—wasps that lose their antennae and wings as they excavate a path toward the center of the fruit. I’m sure you can understand what that means: they don’t make it back out! But don’t worry: the fig ends up digesting the wasp, much as we digest the fig, so it’s not like you’re really eating a tiny wasp with every fig. It’s kind of funny to think that, though, isn’t it?

Don’t you just want to take a bite?

Mama gave me some ideas to get you started. There are no recipes, as this is just what she’d put together.

  • Toast pine nuts in a dry pan while you’re blanching or steaming green beans (which are in season right now!) until bright green. Add the beans to the pan with quartered figs, a pat of butter, then finish with a toss of sea salt and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Serve alongside a grilled or roasted pork tenderloin.
  • Whisk together 1 part fig-balsamic vinaigrette and a smidge of Dijon mustard with 2–3 parts olive oil until combined. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Pour over fresh greens, halved figs, crumbled goat cheese, and torn prosciutto.
  • Halve figs and place them, cut side up, on a baking sheet (lined with foil or parchment). Drizzle honey over them and bake at 350°F until figs are soft and releasing their juices, about 10 minutes. Terrific on their own as a snack, over ice cream, or serve with strawberries or raspberries and Brie or blue cheese.
  • Caramelize onions or leeks in butter, layer them in a pastry shell (either premade or store bought—or heck, break out the phyllo or puff pastry), top with figs, goat cheese, and fresh thyme, then bake until the crust is done. Finish with a swirl of balsamic reduction. Or skip the tart and pile all this loveliness on a pita, naan, or flatbread for a personal pizza; add some arugula or mache for a subtle peppery or nutty note.
  • Cook equal parts chopped figs & sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat until thickened, squishing the fruit as you go along. Now you have jam!
  • Poach figs in port or Grand Marnier with the seeds of a vanilla bean, and a strip of lemon or orange peel, and aromatics like a cinnamon stick, cloves, or star anise. Then reduce the liquid until it’s of a syrupy consistency. Serve over ice cream, panna cotta, tapioca, or angel food cake.
  • Slice them, dehydrate them (in a very low oven or in a dehydrator), then toss into salads or granola or mashed sweet potatoes—or simply snack on them as they are.
  • Bake a basic yellow or almond cake in a jelly roll pan (lined with parchment paper). Carefully lift the cake out of the pan, and cut in half. Spread your fig jam over one half of the cake, lay the other half on top, and slice into even squares. How’s that for a fig newton??

I hope you enjoy figs as much as I do.

Love, Jude


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It’s my birthday!!

Last year, when I turned 1, Mama made me banana muffins. She made them again this year, but she also made some of her zucchini muffins with all the fresh zucchini we picked up at the farm stand. And she added our bluebies to them!

9 dozen muffins later….

Look at all the blueberries! They burst in my mouth. So yummy.

I like the mini-muffins because I can shove just about the whole thing in my mouth (even though Mama and Papa say, “Don’t stuff!”). I opened my presents and got to blow out candles, all before breakfast.

My new birthday trucks didn’t get in the way of my blowing out the candles on the first try.

Some may speculate now whether I should change the name of my blog, as I’m technically no longer a baby. “Toddler Jude” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. What do you think?

Love, Jude (who’s 2!)

Blueberry-Zucchini Muffins (Dairy-Free)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 large farm-fresh eggs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups freshly grated zucchini, drained
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup frozen organic blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray/butter the tins.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini. Add the oil, soda, and salt, and stir to combine.

Add to the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until just combined, and all the flour is moistened. Gently stir in the blueberries.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes (about 19 for regular muffins, 15 for minis). The muffins should be firm to the touch, and a pick inserted in the center should come out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 dozen regular muffins & 1 dozen minis, or 18 regular muffins

Note: Mama advises grating your zucchini first and putting it in a collander set over a bowl while you gather the rest of your ingredients. And she says these muffins freeze really well!