Plum Clafoutis

This time of year the local farmers market has baskets brimming with tiny marble sized plums. These purple beauties always catch my eye...they're so miniature and cute, I just have to buy them! The problem is what to do with my impulse purchase. Last year I found a recipe for plum clafoutis...it was a total flop, my fault completely. So, I knew that this year I wanted to try it again.. a non-floppy one of course. So, I did what I do best....Cook without a recipe...kinda silly for me to write out recipes for you when I hate to follow them myself. Just a guideline (I STILL don't color inside the lines.)

Anyhow, heres the recipe and some pics

I know it kinda looks like pizza, but it isn't.





Non-crappy Plum Clafoutis

Knob of butter
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of cream
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup of sugar
Plums- as many as you need to cover the bottom of your pan in a single layer


Heat oven to 400

wash, half and de-stone plums

In a cast-iron pan, melt the butter Throw in the plums and let them cook for a few minutes. remove from heat.

In a large bowl mix your milk, cream and cornstarch. Stir. Add eggs and sugar. Stir some more. Pour the whole mess over the buttery plums.

put in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Drink some coffee and check your email....

DING!

Breakfast is ready.
Take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.

Scoop some into a bowl or onto a plate and enjoy!

Zucchini

"What do I do with all this friggin' zucchini," is a question you may have asked yourself.. perhaps not...maybe you don't even know what a zucchini looks like! In late summer, these squashy behemoths are popping up everywhere and people have to come up with creative ways to get rid of it all! Personally, I love the stuff. I saute them with S and P in a little olive oil, or pop slices straight on the grill- But like I said- there is a ton of it... you need to find new ways to cook it. Here is one of my favourites.

Also, making his Blog debut, is Felix! He didn't help cook, or even eat. But, instead, he helped demonstrate how monster the Zucchini are.

Wicked awesome zucchini cake

1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cup chocolate chips
1t vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
1t salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (leave the skin on)

Put the stick of butter, and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave for 1 minute (you can also do this on the stove.) Stir until the butter and chocolate chips are melted, and the mixture is nice and glossy. You may need to heat it a bit longer- do this in 15 second increments. Add the sugar, and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs. Mix.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture. Stir just until mixed. Add the zucchini and remaining cup of chocolate chips.

Spread into a greased 9 -inch cake pan, or my persona favourite, 4-4-inch round springforms.

Put into a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (cake pan) or 35 (small springforms,) it is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Flip on to a cooling rack, and let it cool off a bit!

This is great with fresh fruit! the topping I made was,

1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1T maple syrup

Cook on the stove until boiling, Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve on top of a slice of cake. You should probably put whipped cream on it too. Thats what I just ate......for breakfast.

Beer in the Rear Chicken

First thing, crack a can of beer. Take a big drink.

Liking the recipe so far? I thought so.

Now, once the can is about half way emptied press in a sprig of rosemary, and a few pieces of peeled garlic, and put it into the center of a dutch oven or roasting pan. I only had bottled beer, so I emptied an old can of coke, and poured the beer into it.




Rinse a fryer inside and out, pat dry with a paper towel.

Gently manoeuvre the can of beer into the cavity of the chicken without spilling any. Rub with salt and pepper.. This time around I decided to add a little bacon hat to the chicken, and because we have hundreds of apples around, I halved a few, and put them into the pan to mingle with the chicken juices.

Put into a 350 degree oven for about 90 minutes, or until the chicken is at least 160, basting the chicken at your leisure.

Remove from the oven and stand for a few minutes.



Now sometimes getting the can out of the chicken is tough. Personally, I pick the chicken up with tongs or oven mitts, invert it, and pour the beer out through the top of the chicken, into the roasting pan.

This last time since I had these lovely chickeny apples and bacon juices in the pan, I decided to make a gravy out of the whole mess. So I set the apples, juices, and beer to boiling and then added corn starch mixed with water. The apples really made this dish, they lent a really nice sweetness and fresh taste to the gravy.


I can of beer
I small fryer or roasting chicken
rosemary (or whichever herbs you have on hand)
Garlic
2 strips of bacon
salt and pepper
a few cut up apples


This is one of my absolutely favorite things to cook- But seriously, poor chicken.

Guten appetit!