No. 642Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Simple Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Rhubarb season is upon us. What’s better than a simple Rhubarb Crisp with Strawberry ice cream? Wow, I’m up to recipe No. 642 from the Collection Membership.

RHUBARB SEASON

I’m starting to see fresh Rhubarb in the markets, I saw Melissa’s Produce, so it is time to grab some and bake a simple crisp. Actually my neighbors grow it, I will have to look into this. It is a very tart vegetable, so many times you see it paired with strawberries for sweetness.

GRANDMA’S RUBARB

I have written about my Nebraska Grandmother, who came to LA later in her life. She really knew her way around rhubarb, she grew it in her suburban garden, along with potatoes and of course chickens. She was a farmer so this was normal for her. She always made a Strawberry Rhubarb pie, but I opted for something simpler like this crisp.

Simple Rhubarb Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

STRAWBERRY + RHUBARB

Simple Rhubarb Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

You see these paired together in recipes. The strawberries cut the tartness of the rhubarb. I went straight rhubarb for the crisp and served it with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. Another Little Jewel recipe from the Membership Collection.
Thank you for your support!

 

No. 625Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies

 Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies | Bijouxs Litle Jewels

Mushrooms in ginger cookies?? Yes, and they are strangely good, These cookie are the surprise hit of the holiday season. A tender-soft ginger cookie, spiced with molasses, turmeric and just a hint of mushroom-sounds crazy but crazy good-Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies new in the Membership Collection.

GINGER COOKIES

Nothing says the holidays like ginger cookies. My Christmas Molasses Cookies are a staple in the season, but a new favorite has just emerged. These Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies sound like an impossible combination, but I think they are heaven. I sampled them out to my friends and two-thumbs up! Baked with a topping of crunchy Demerara sugar, and yes, crushed dried mushtooms.

Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies | Bijouxs Little Jewels

COOKING WITH MUSHROOMS

These cookies are from one of my favorite creative cookbooks. The innovative recipes are from Andrea Gentl. You may remember her beautiful photos and recipes from the Hungry Ghost website, now shuddered.

But you can still enjoy her lovely recipes via here at Wild Larder Journal Substack.

EARTHY MUSHROOMS

These cookies were inspired from a cookie the author tasted in India-filled with spices of fresh ginger, turmeric, cloves and mushroom powder and made with rye flour-earthy soft cookie that is all at once familiar, yet at the same time very unique. Baking for the holidays.

Ginger Reishi Maitake Molasses Cookies | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Savory the season with Bijouxs. Wishing you all a happy holiday season.

No. 622Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

Nantucket Cranberry Pie | Little Jewels from the Kitchen

Cranberries are always on the holiday table. Of course cranberry relish is a must for Thanksgiving, but cranberries are great baked into this Nantucket Cranberry Pie No. 622 in the Membership Collection.

SWEET-TART CRANBERRIES

My Collection #200 Cranberry & Pomegranate Relish has become a no-cooking Bijouxs favorite, using both raw cranberries & pomegranate seeds, so easy.
Next up is this Nantucket Cranberry Pie, wow is this good. When I say pie, well there is no crust in this, just a soft and buttery layer of cake bursting with cranberries

Nantucket Cranberry Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

UP-SIDE DOWN PIE

As you can see the pie has been inverted after baking, very much an upside-down cranberry cake. The best thing is how simple it is to prepare, and your guests will love it, not missing a Pumpkin Pie.

The ingredients are simple. Fresh cranberries, chopped walnuts and sugar are spread into a 10-inch pan (see notes). Next comes the topping, a simple vanilla batter, poured over the cranberries. Bake at 325°, for about 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with moist crumbs.

Remove from oven run a knife around the inside edge to loosen the pie. Place a large round serving plate on top of cake and flip the pie upside down. The pie will release easily, but if some of the filling is stuck to the pan, remove and pat back into place. No worries a dusting of confectioners sugar after the pie has cooled will hide any imperfections.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Serve at room temperature with a dollop of Crème Fraîche or whipped cream.

No. 615Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Blueberry Crisp

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberries–dark, mysterious little glistening jewels, precious and sweet–dare I say, perfect for Blueberry Crisp, a simple jewel from the Bijouxs kitchen.

FOOD MEMORIES

It’s funny how cravings happen. A simple thought, conversation, or image can return you to a meal, a taste, a time and a place. Our beautiful Pacific Northwest is a place I have traveled to and enjoyed for many years–eating my fill of huckleberries, wild salmon and peaches to die for, and also…

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

COASTAL SUMMER

When people California imagine summertime on the Central Coast, they’re probably thinking of blue skies and ocean breezes with perfect surfing waves. In fact, it’s usually about 60+ degrees here and the ocean is a little gnarly, the fog clouds hang like dark stubble out off the coast. But every afternoon we get a prevailing sea breeze and the sun usually shines.

LOCAL BLUEBERRIES

I have been able to pickup nice blueberries grown just north of me along the coast. I’m lucky to be North of LA and nestled in some of best fruit and vegetable agricultural growers. Baskets of bluberries are found at my Farmer’s Markets.

The memory of blueberries baked into a crisp in the Pacific Northwest. I recreated this lovely treat at home and it’s easy to do. Living in the dry, arid environs of Los Angeles area has precluded me from picking up fresh wild blueberries from the market, but I have found solace in the intense natural flavor from local berries, they make a bright, quick crisp.

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BLUEBERRY CRISP

This recipe is one of the best I have ever encountered, no joke. It came from an vintage Saveur Magazine Numer 51, The California Road Trip. I am so happy I have kept all my Saveur copies for many years I subscribed. My many road trips north to Seattle area have lead me to the most amazing blueberries. This crisp recipe from the Trnindad area is like no other. So simple but the crispy-sweet crust is the winning part of the recipe.

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Just a bite of this crisp takes me back, it hopefully will evoke a memory of your own, a comforting time now easily recreated in a dish. Enjoy!

 

No. 608Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Wild Plum Streusel

Wild Plum Streusel | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Wild plums gathered  from the seaside coast of California are the basis of this luscious, buttery-rich Orcas Island Wild Plum Streusel, a Little Jewel from the Recipe Membership Collection.

WILD PLUMS

A very random collection of dead-ripe small plums were brought to me by a friend, so ripe I had to act fast not to lose their lusciousness. The plums were different varieties of almost-wild trees growing up along the California coast. These were found at a coastal farmers market in the over-ripe bin. I adore plums and since these plums were more-than-ready to use, I was on the hunt for a recipe. I have many plum recipes on my blog, but this one caught my eye.

Wild Plum Streusel | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

 

This recipe hails from Orcas Island. I have been near the area but never to Orcas Island, it looks so beautiful. All of the San Juans are amazing. Vashon Island off the coast of Seattle is one island have to I traveled to and loved. Orcas Island is further north and sits firmily in the within the San Juan Islands. Definetly worth a visit.

OK, the plums are the interesting thing about this recipe. The orcas plums used in the original recipe  are slightly tart, and the wild-ish ones gathered  from north of Santa Barbara I used were also slightly tart. Everyone who tried this streusel commented on how they thought it would be sweet, but instead it was slightly tart. I liked this aspect of the streusel. Try to locate some small tart plums, for the full flavor of the orginal recipe. A cherry pitter will speed things up in removing the pits. The pitted plums are placed on top of a quick cake batter that creates the base of the streusel. Soft buttery cake on the bottom, sweet-tart plums with the streusel topping- yum! Serve with a scoop of gelato.

Wild Plum Streusel | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

MEMBERSHIP COLLECTION

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