Friday, January 31, 2014

 I still have a few opening so for this class. Please let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to attend. 



                 Cake Decorating 101



Tips for baking the cake
Tips for icing the cake
How to do boarders
Roses and other flowers



                              Thursday, February 6 @ 6:30pm - 8:30
                                              4223 SR 103 South, Willard OH 44890


Class time will be spent watching demonstrations of techniques
 and practicing on your own. 


$35 Includes a small cake that you decorate during class.

Payment via PayPal is preferred to reserve your spot.
Cash is accepted day of event if space is still available.
Contact me to sign up.
Facebook: Sue Rodman Danhoff
Email: tarrymore@yahoo.com
Cell: 567.227.7133
PayPal payments can be sent to my cell or email.

If you can, please bring to class:
Apron      ~   Open star tip   ~  Closed star tip   ~  Rose tip  ~  Writing tip  ~  Leaf tip   ~  Flower nail  ~  Small pointed scissors  ~  Decorating bag or parchment  ~  Clean wash cloth
6-10” flat or off-set spatula for icing

Don't worry if you don't have these items. I have extra of most things and we can take turns with what we don't have enough of. 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

 I HATE to throw anything away! Ask anyone who knows me and they will back me up on this. When Kelly Brown and I had The Antique Oven, she used to hide the glass gallon jars from the pickles and mayo deep in the trash so I wouldn't find them. After all, you can't have too many glass jars! Not only did we make tea in them, you can store pasta, flour, sugar, left over soups, all kinds of things!! But alas, they thought having 8-10 would be enough... silly them... LOL

This year I am rethinking some of my food choices. One of the things I am trying to do is cut out more wheat and replace it with some of the gluten free options.

I had some oranges that needed to be used up (you knew I'd get back to the "don't throw anything away" part didn't you) and I wanted to experiment with gluten free flours. This is the result. Yes, there are a lot of different ingredients.... Gluten free baking is a tricky thing, plus I was trying to keep sugar and fats low, while boosting the fiber. These bars are very moist and spongy. I don’t like things very sweet. This recipe is on the edge for me. So I added a little lemon glaze… ahhh... just right! I hope you like them too.


Gluten Free Tropical Bars

½ cup butter, coconut oil or combination
2 eggs or equivalent egg replacer
¼ cup organic raw honey or pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla or lemon flavoring
1/3 cup almond or coconut milk
2 TB ground flax seed soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 5 minutes
1 mashed banana (approx. 1/2 cup)
2 cups ground orange (rinds and all-no seeds)
1 1/2 cup almond flour (extremely finely ground almonds)
1/3 cup coconut flour
½ cup sweet sorghum flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp guar gum
½ cup unsweetened coconut

Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
Beat butter or coconut oil with eggs, honey and flavoring.
Add milk, flax seed mixture, orange and mashed banana, mixing well.
Stir in dry ingredients until well mixed.
Spread in a 9x13 greased pan.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched in center and tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool, then drizzle with glaze.
  

Citrus glaze: 1-2 cups powdered sugar. 2-4 TB lemon or lime juice to make a thin glaze.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Cake Decorating 101 Class

I have had a lot of interest in cake decorating classes. I had to cancel today's due to Ohio's nasty weather.

Here is more info about the classes and available dates. Saturday, February 8 is already full. If these two fill up I will offer more in march. Advanced classes will also be offered to those completing this class.


Cake Decorating 101


Tips for baking the cake
Tips for icing the cake
How to do boarders
Roses and other flowers


Thursday, February 6 @ 6:30pm - 8:30
Saturday, February 15 @ 10am - Noon



Class time will be spent watching demonstrations of techniques
 and practicing on your own. 


$35 Includes a small cake that you decorate during class.

Payment via PayPal is preferred to reserve your spot.
Cash is accepted day of event if space is still available.
Contact me to sign up.
Facebook: Sue Rodman Danhoff
Email: tarrymore@yahoo.com
Cell: 567.227.7133
PayPal payments can be sent to my cell or email.

If you can, please bring to class:
Apron      ~   Open star tip   ~  Closed star tip   ~  Rose tip  ~  Writing tip  ~  Leaf tip   ~  Flower nail  ~  Small pointed scissors  ~  Decorating bag or parchment  ~  Clean wash cloth
6-10” flat or off-set spatula for icing

Don't worry if you don't have these items. I have extra of most things and we can take turns with what we don't have enough of. 

Friday, January 24, 2014

Winter Vegetable Chili

Wow! I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last posted!! It has been a crazy year for sure. My mother in law fell last February in Florida and fractured her pelvis. After a month in rehab in Florida, and a month of rehab here in Willard, she was able to come home. BUT... she can lo longer live alone (plus she has dementia). So.... my hubby and I moved in with her (just across the street from our house).  It has been a crazy year (10 months) but we are slowly adjusting to the new reality. Sometimes I look longingly across the street at my house sitting all lonely over there and feel sorry for myself. But then I have to remember that Mom D sits in her chair wishing she was still alone and that everyone would quit telling her what she can and can't do. We all are making adjustments. My blog is one of those things that had to be cut out in order to survive emotionally and physically through these changes. I am HOPING I'm finally to a place where I can get back to my blog and other interests that have been set aside this last year. I am painting my watercolor portraits again. I'm sewing more. I'm starting to teach cooking and cake decorating classes while I have respite care for Mom D. Slowly, life is expanding outside of these walls. 

While I eat fairly healthily as a norm, I am trying to improve in some areas this year. One is possibly going gluten free or at least cutting out wheat whenever possible, using as much organics as I can, using more "natural" sugars, cutting out Canola and Vegetable oils as much as possible and substituting coconut, olive and grapeseed oils. I don't want to make too many changes at once, so you will see a gradual change here on the blog. Hopefully you will enjoy the health benefits from these changes right along with me. I value your feed back, so let me know what you think and any ideas or knowledge you care to send my way. :) 


This recipe was in the January 12, 2014 edition of the Willard Shoppers Helper. I have no idea who the author is. This chili is delicious!!  I did add some garlic with the onions though. J Nice, thick chili and very filling, even without any meat!! Woot woot! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Winter Vegetable Chili
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium, 1 3/4lb, butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾” cubes (4-5cups)
1 ½ cups chopped carrots (2 medium)
1 ½ cups chopped onion (1 medium)
3 TB chili powder
1 can 28oz plum tomatoes
1 can, 4oz, chopped green chilies
1 cup vegetable broth
¼ tsp salt
2 cans, 15-19oz, black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in 5Qt Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add butternut squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Remove.
In same pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and sauté onions and carrots until golden.
Stir in chili powder and cook an additional minute.
Add tomatoes, with their liquid, chilies, with their liquid, vegetable broth and salt.
Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to break u0p the tomatoes.
Add black beans the reserved butternut squash. Return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in cilantro.

Each serving: about 225 calories, 5g total fat (1 saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 930mg sodium, 44g total carbs, 14g protein.