I forgot just how easy this recipe is. I did not forget how tasty it is.

Getting out the good tools because life is short you should use nice things.

This holiday season of email newsletters was peppered with Gifts for Him and Gifts for Her throughout my email inbox. Why can’t there just be “Gifts?”

One of my favorite stores also advertised this. I followed the links for both and found that the same gifts were in each category (thank goodness, hopefully we are way past the Coach debacle), but again I will ask: “What’s so wrong with just saying ‘Gifts?’”

Take 1: Months ago, just after Covid started. Tamaki Gold in the Breville. I remember I really f’ed it up but I can’t remember how. Perhaps it was pressure cooking for 4 minutes. NEVER pressure cook rice for 4 minutes. It was way mushy so we made rice pudding but that was super gross. *blech*

Take 2: Tamaki Gold in the Baby Insta today. 2 rice cups; 2.5 rice cups of water; 2 mins; I forgot about it as we were on a phone call with KH. Still soft but not totally ruined. I will try to salvage it to a cheapa** fried rice tomorrow with leftover takeout sauces and canned veggies. (🤞Cross fingers)

Why, yes, we do. I step outside, let the dog do her business, pick an orange off the tree and voilà!

I finally used the heart-shaped cookie cutter that I bought many years ago at Surfas. I modified my usual Cook’s Illustrated recipe by substituting dairy butter for Miyoko’s, milk for macadamia nut milk, and the egg for Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer. I didn’t use vegan buttermilk. I was surprised the pancakes came out as well as they did given the number of swaps made all at the same time. Also, don’t be fooled by the cookie cutter…you don’t need as much batter as you think tou do, but you do need to take the time to spread it around. Also, the batter was very thick (nota bene).

Classic Lentil Burgers

Made with wholesome ingredients, these veggie burgers have a classic flavor that pairs well with any toppings. Prep Time30 minsCook Time15 mins Servings: 10 burgers

Ingredients

• 600 g cooked green lentils
• 130 g carrots, finely chopped
• 160 g onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 60 g walnuts
• 70 g sunflower seeds
• 65 g flour, I used chickpea flour
• 100 g breadcrumbs, whole grain or gluten-free
• 2 eggs, or 2 flax eggs
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 whole grain buns
• olive oil for cooking

Instructions

• Using a food processor, finely chop the onion, carrots, garlic, walnuts and sunflower seeds then transfer to a large bowl. I process each ingredient individually to achieve the best texture.
• Next add half of the cooked lentils to the food processor and pulse until they appear slightly mashed, then transfer them to the bowl along with the remaining lentils. 
• Once you have all of the vegetables, lentils, nuts and seeds in the bowl, add the breadcrumbs, herbs, and salt.
• In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg with the tomato paste and the Worcestershire. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with vegetables and lentils and stir everything together. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time as you continue to stir. If the mixture seems too wet, add more flour as needed. If you have time, refrigerating the mixture for about 30 minutes also helps dry out some of the moisture.
• Form eight individual patties with your hands, making sure to keep them somewhat flat with rounded edges. They will hold together better if they aren’t too big or thick. At this point you can refrigerate them until you are ready to cook (for up to 2-3 days) or cook them right away.
• When you’re ready to cook them, start by warming the olive oil over medium-heat in a skillet for at least five minutes. Once the skillet is thoroughly heated, cook the burgers on each side for about 5-6 minutes. I like the push the edges of the burger to the side of the pan as I cook them to make sure they are cooked on the sides as well.  Serve on a warm bun with desired toppings and dig in!

Notes

Nutritional content will vary depending on the type of flour and breadcrumbs you use. The listed nutrition facts do not include the bun or toppings.

To cook 1 cup dry lentils: I recommend soaking them for at least 6 hours prior to cooking. This step helps aid digestion and will reduce bloating and gas. Drain and rinse the soaked lentils then add them to a pot with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover half of the pot with a lid and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Transfer to a strainer to remove excess liquid and allow to cool before putting them in the food processor. If you can’t find whole grain or gluten-free breadcrumbs, you can make your own by ripping up bread and processing to a crumb in the food processor.

https://leitesculinaria.com/106433/recipes-pretzel-rolls.html

N.B., only needs the NYTimes pretzel lye for 10 seconds per side of bun

Pretzel Rolls

• Quick Glance
• 30 M
• 2 H, 30 M
• Makes 10

Ingredients

• 500 g white spelt flour or unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for working the dough
• One (7-g) envelope fast-acting yeast
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 300 ml water, lukewarm (about 110°F or 43°C)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 g), melted and cooled
• 1 l cold water
• 54 g baking soda
• Coarse sea salt

Directions

Make the pretzel rolls dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/4 cups warm water and butter. The mixture should be lukewarm.

Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. The dough shouldn’t be sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and continue kneading and punching it down until you have a smooth and elastic ball of dough, 2 to 3 minutes.

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place (preferably in a 100°F (35°C) warm oven) until double in size, about 60 minutes.Shape the pretzel rolls

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, take it out of the bowl, and knead it for about 30 seconds.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions of roughly 3 ounces (85 grams) each.

Dust your hands with flour, place a portion of dough on the palm of one hand, and with the other hand forming a dome over the dough, roll the dough between your palms until the top is round and firm and you can feel the tension increasing against your hand, about 10 seconds. This creates surface tension and prevents the rolls from deflating and becoming flat. Place the roll on the parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 20 minutes.Boil the pretzel rolls

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large pot wide enough to fit 2 rolls at once, bring the 4 1/4 cups cold water and the baking soda to a boil. Carefully watch the heat as the baking soda-water mixture will foam up and you don’t want it to spill over.

With a slotted ladle or spoon, gently slip 2 rolls into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Flip them and cook for another 30 seconds, being careful to not let them stick to the bottom of the pot. Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to dry and repeat with the remaining rolls.

Once dry, transfer them to the parchment-lined baking sheets.Bake the pretzel rolls

Use the tip of a sharp knife to score a cross on top of each roll and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake the pretzel rolls, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, about 16 minutes.

Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool slightly. Experience them while still warm, plain or with butter, although they’re also quite nice at room temperature. OrIginally published October 19, 2016.

I am not going to save this photo but I do want to remember this…

Did you make it to the bottom where it says “3 girls?”

https://www.occasionallyeggs.com/overnight-sourdough-spelt-waffles/

Yield: Around 8 waffles
Sourdough Waffles

Sourdough waffles with the option to use a true sourdough starter or yeast, for a more intense flavour and a nice chewy texture. Fluffy inside, crispy outside, and the batter is waiting for you when you wake up!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Resting Time
8 hours
Total Time
8 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients

340 grams / 2 1/4 cups spelt flour*
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
500 ml / 2 cups oat milk    
50 grams / 1/4 cup sourdough starter OR 1 teaspoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil**

Instructions

Add the flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Add the milk, starter, and oil. Whisk again until just combined and no streaks of flour remain in the bowl.
Cover with a a tea towel and board or plate and set aside to rise at room temperature overnight, from 8 to a maximum of 16 hours.
Once the batter has rested overnight, heat your waffle iron and bake the waffles as usual, filling the iron quite fully. Repeat until all of the batter has been used.
Serve hot with desired toppings. These are best eaten fresh and will lose the outer crispness if stored. If you do have leftovers, toast briefly before eating. 

Notes

• Light or whole grain spelt will work well, and all-purpose can be substituted for spelt. See above for more substitution guidelines.

** Any light tasting oil is fine – grape seed, avocado, sunflower, etc.

• How you bake the waffles will vary between irons; I fill mine 90% full or it doesn’t reach the edges. Baking time will depend on the kind of iron you have. They should be golden but not overly browned as they’ll lose the softness inside if overcooked.