Current Projects #1 Etching Metal

 Friday -
I am currently gearing up for Silver Hammer (an SCA Event ) at the end of October.  I am getting inducted into the Order of the Pelican, (this is an award given for outstanding service and dedication to the SCA.)  In preparation for this I decided to make myself a circlet with nifty designs on it.  I’ve taken a metal etching class … and I thought cool this would be a great chance to try out a new project. 

Preparation - I drew up a design I liked.  I then scanned it and darkend the colors to true black and white.  Then I cleaned up the edges.  I then printed it out onto Circutboard paper using a laser printer. (Make sure that the printing is on the dull powdery side not the shiny side). I bought the brass plate at Jerry’s Art O’Rama.  Betty got the Silver from the Rio Grand Catalog. 

Saturday -
Step 1 Clean the Brass – I cleaned the brass with a soap/baking soda mix to get it really, really clean so that water was sheeting.

Step 2 Design transfer – I then took the circutboard paper with the design on it and cut it to fit the brass plate.  I taped the paper (dull side to brass, shinny side up) to the clean side of the brass plate using scotch tape. I then took my craft iron (it’s important to NOT use your good iron for craft projects or you will end up going to iron your favorite white shirt and discover that a bit of tape or goo has gotten in your iron and is now all over your favorite shirt.)  I used an oven thermometer to measure the iron temp and the dry silk setting got it to ~220 which was a little cool but it worked.  Once the iron was at temp I wedged the iron in a shallow drawer so that it had the hot surface up and flat.  I the put the brass plate flat on the hot surface.  (I would highly recommend getting a vice to hold your iron, I didn’t have one so I didn’t use one, but it would make this step soooo much safer.)  I used paper towels to hold the hot brass like a pot holder.  I used another couple of paper towels to rub the blue paper.  This can take up to 5 min.  It’s kind of like watching a photo develop because the black design becomes much clearer as the paper heats. The ink “melts” and is transferred to the brass.   When I thought that the design had transferred I pulled up a corner and checked.  (It’s easier to check a small corner than to pull of the entire sheet only to discover it’s not quite done yet and try to realign everything.)  It had in fact finished transferring to the brass so I took it off the iron and put it on a rack to cool. 

Step 3 – prepping Plate for Etching.
Once the plate had cooled I peeled off the blue circutboard paper.  The black ink stayed in place on the brass.  I then took nail polish and went around the edges of the plate.  I took a paint pen and filled any spots in the design that looked thin.  I took duck tape and covered the back of the brass plate.  I took some foam blocks and hot glued them to the back of the plate. (To act as a handle and float for the plate during the etching.)

Step 4 – I took a big disposable plastic tub (like gladware)  and poured in Ferric chloride.  (This was the left overs from my previous etching class.)  I had probably an inch in the tub.  I then put in the brass plate with the float and it floated with the plate submerged.  I then let it sit outside for 5 hours.  I went out and rinsed the plate with clean water every 30 minutes to get the crud out of the nooks and crannies.   Normally this only take 3 hours but I was using ferric chloride that had already etched 2 smaller plates and I was trying to remove a lot of brass.

Step 5 – Neutralization
I took the plate inside and covered it and the float with baking soda.  Baking soda neutralizes the Ferric chloride. I then took the left overs in the pan and poured them back into their original container. I marked it as having been used and noted that it probably was good for ~ 2 more plates.   I then washed out the container with a baking soda solution.  (I marked it Crafts Only with a sharpe so that no one would put food in it by accident.)

Step 6 – Clean up
Once the ferric chloride had been neutralized I used more baking soda and dish soap to clean the plate.  I removed the nail polish and ducktape. 

I think that the plate came out really well. I’m looking forward to roll pressing it with the sliver.

Review – Lentils

Before you go BLECK I hate Lentils you should try this recipe, it came out really good.   I would serve this to my family and friends as a good Lentil introduction.  I left out the saffron.

Cooked Dish of Lentils
al-Andalusi p. C-5 (no. 377)

(Medieval Bits)
Wash lentils and put them to cook in a pot with sweet water, oil, pepper, coriander and cut onion. When they are cooked throw in salt, a little saffron and vinegar; break three eggs, leave for a while on the flame and later retire the pot. Other times cook without onion. If you wish cook it with Egyptian beans pricked into which have been given a boil. Or better with dissolved yeast over a gentle fire. When the lentils begin to thicken add good butter or sweet oil, bit by bit, alike until it gets absorbed, until they are sufficiently cooked and have enough oil. Then retire it from the flame and sprinkle with pepper.

(Modern Bits)
1 1/2 c dried lentils = 10 oz
2 1/4 c water
1 1/2 T oil
3/8 t pepper
1 1/2 t coriander
2 medium onions = 1/2 lb
3/4 t salt
12 threads saffron
2 T vinegar
4 T butter (or oil)
more pepper

Slice onions. Put lentils, water, oil, pepper, coriander and onion in a pot, bring to a boil, and turn down to a bare simmer. Cook covered 50 minutes, stirring periodically. Add butter in lumps and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes. Add salt, saffron (crushed into 1 t water) and vinegar, and bring back to a boil. sprinkle with a little more pepper and serve. Makes 5 1/4 c.

Review of Gingerbrede Recipe

I made this Medieval recipe for Black Gryphon last year.  It comes out sticky and wonderful.  I made a simple brown bread to make the breadcrumbs for the recipe.  I used Long pepper instead of regular pepper.  You can order it online.   It added a floral note to the ginger bread that I really liked.  The whole wheat brown bread added a deeper flavor than using white bread french bread.  Saunders is also known as red sandalwood, make sure it is food grade.  I kneaded the spices into the mix and then rolled it into little balls.  They are extremely sticky until you roll them into the sugar mix. They were great finger food.  I also thought it would be neat to gold leaf some of them instead of rolling them in sugar.  It would make an interesting contrast for a desert for high table or for the holidays.

 English  - Gingerbrede (Good)
Curye on Inglysch p. 154 (Goud Kokery no. 18)
To make gingerbrede. Take goode honey & clarifie it on + e fere, & take fayre paynemayn or wastel brede & grate it, & caste it into + e boylenge hony, & stere it well togyder faste with a sklyse + at it bren not to + e vessell. & + anne take it doun and put + erin ginger, longe pepper & saundres, & tempere it vp with + in handes; & than put hem to a flatt boyste & strawe + eron suger, & pick + erin clowes rounde aboute by + e egge and in + e mydes, yf it plece you, &c.
1 c honey
1 c breadcrumbs
1 t ginger, ground
1/4 t pepper 
1/4 t saunders, ground
1 T sugar
30-40 whole cloves (~ 1 t)
(or 5 t sugar, pinch powdered cloves)
Bring honey to a boil, simmer two or three minute, stir in breadcrumbs with a spatula until uniformly mixed. Remove from heat, stir in ginger, pepper, and saunders. When it is cool enough to handle, knead it to get spices thoroughly mixed. Put it in a box (I used a square corning-ware container with a lid), squish it flat and thin, sprinkle with sugar and put cloves ornamentally around the edge. Leave it to let the clove flavor sink in; do not eat the cloves. An alternative way of doing it is to roll into small balls, roll in sugar mixed with a pinch of cloves, then flatten them a little to avoid confusion with hais. This is suitable if you are making them today and eating them tomorrow.

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

I made this for a friend of mine for his Birthday last year. (Yo Bryan!)  It was such a great success that my good friend Gia requested one for a surprise for her Mother’s Birthday.   It seems like a lot of steps but it is very nummy. It really needs to have ice cream or be served with milk or coffee it is extremely rich.  Oh and  I also used the Caramel sauce recipe from the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe rather than the one that is listed with this recipe it is a better Caramel sauce. – Liz

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
A Daring Baker’s Recipe from Shuna Fish Lydon’sEgg Beater, published on Bay Area Bites

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup caramel syrup*
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter/grease one round 9×2 cake pan (I used an 8×3 round).
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. (only had a hand mixer so I used that.)
3. Add the sugar and salt and cream together until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly pour the room temperature caramel syrup into the bowl.
5. Scrape down the bowl and increase the speed on the mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Scrape down bowl again and beat the mixture until light and uniform.
6. Sift flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
7. Turn the mixer to its lowest speed and add one third of the flour mixture.
8. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time.
9. Add another third of the flour mixture, then the other half of the milk and finish with the flour (this is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making; it is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter).
10. Use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure the batter is uniform.
11. Place the cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set your first timer for 30 minutes, rotate the pan, and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it. Cake will keep for three days unrefrigerated.

(I used the Caramel sauce recipe from the Flourless Chocolate Cake  recipe rather than the one that is listed with this recipe. I thought it had a better flavor.)

Caramel Syrup
2 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup water for “stopping” the caramelization process

1. In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand.
2. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush.
3. Turn on heat to highest flame.
4. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.
5. When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is VERY dangerous, so have long sleeves on (SERIOUSLY!) and prepared to step back. (I started by pouring a few drops of water in at a time until the temperature reduced enough for me to pour the rest of the water in)
6. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. (Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it)
**For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

Caramelized Butter Frosting
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 oz. powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup, room temperature
kosher or sea salt to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, maybe a pinch more)

1. Cook the butter until browned slightly.
2. Pour it through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl and set it aside to cool.
3. Pour the cooled brown butter into a mixer bowl.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner’s sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more (I used the full 16 oz), add a bit of the cream/milk and caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner’s sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste. Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.
**To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with a spoon/fork until smoothed.

Mushroom Cheese Pies

This is a medieval recipe that I got from Mistress Maysun.  I found that I liked the pie better without the spiced topping.   You will probably want to make two of these.  I also found that it was much easier to shred the brie once it’s frozen. 

Mushroom Cheese Pie
1 lb Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/4 lb Brie – shredded
1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese – shredded
1/8 lb Parmesan cheese – grated
1 pie crust

Topping (Optional)
1/4 tsp allspice (ground)
1/8 tsp cloves (ground)
1 oz sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil mushrooms and drain. Place drained mushrooms in pie shell. Sprinkle grated brie on top of mushrooms. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of brie. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top of mozzarella. Mix together the cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Sprinkle the above spice mixture on to pie. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes.  (Until the center is set/melted)

Simple Roast Chicken

1 package of Bone in/skin on chicken pieces (Breasts and legs are usually what I get)
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Pepper
1 Tbs Thyme – fresh
1 Tbs Rosemary – fresh and chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
Preheat oven to 350.
Rinse and dry the chicken pieces.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 
Put them in a baking dish skin side up and drizzle with olive oil. 
Bake for ~30 min per pound of chicken.   Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is done.

Twice baked potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes.  I think that this is an easy recipe but it is not for the feint of heart calorie wise. 
1 - 2 lbs golden potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 – larger size Mayfield’s French Onion dip
1 – cup sharp cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, ~30min.  Drain the potatoes and with a potato masher smash them with skins on.  Add the butter and let it melt, add the milk and the Onion dip.  Mash and mix it together.  Put the mix into a baking dish.  Top with the cheddar cheese.  Put in the oven at 350 and bake until the cheese melts ~10 min.

Apple Tart Review

Ok so I was watching Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics and she did this apple tart that I thought looked fantastic. It was really simple to make and it also harkens back to some of the medieval apple tart recipes I’ve read.  Miki and I were invited to a Birthday Pot Luck Dinner for Tristram.  (Happy Birthday Tristram!!!)  I thought well that would be a terrific opportunity to try this out.  I however get off work at 5pm and I knew I wouldn’t have time to make the dough for the crust and let it rest for an hour before rolling it out, etc. soooo I dropped by my trusty Krogers and picked up a Pillsbury pie crust package from the refrigerator section (it’s with the canned biscuits and breads, etc.)  Other substitutions that I made:
I had Gala apples so I used those instead of Granny Smiths. 
I had apple jelly, so I used that instead of apricot jelly and apple liquor. 
I also added a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice powder just because I really love those flavors with apples.  

I rolled out the pre-made pie crust.  I peeled and sliced up the apples.  I layered them on the dough. I sprinkled them with cinnamon, allspice and clove powders. (A really light dusting, ~1/8 tsp)  I sprinkled over the whole thing the 1/2 cup sugar.  I baked it for 25 min at 400.  I then turned it once and continued baking it for 20 min.  I put the apple jelly in a bowl and nuked it for a min to melt it.  I then brushed the melted jelly over the apples when they came out of the oven.  (it made them very shinny and it looked really good).  The edges browned up and the dish was still hot when I got to the party.  The crust came out nice and flaky.  It tasted wonderful. So I highly recommend this recipe for anyone needing a recipe that looks like you slaved tastes fantastic but is really simple to make.   Apple Tart

Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes

4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
4-6  Sundried Tomatoe slices, chopped (I used the ones stored in oil) 
4 – Roasted Red Bell Peppers, chopped
1 – Onion, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
Pinenuts (toasted)
1 lemon zested and juiced
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 C white wine (optional)
1 loaf of sourdough bread or baguette. (We get the you finish baking this bread at home, loaves from Krogers and bake it while the chicken is cooking.
1/2 C feta cheese (optional topping)

In a dry skillet toast the pine nuts over med/high heat till they are starting to brown and are very fragrant.  Remove once toasted put them in a bowl to the side.  Take the oil from the tomatoes and put it into the skillet, you may need to add some olive oil to it in order to have enough oil to saute the onions.  Cook the onions until they are starting to caramelize then add the chicken. Cook the chicken until it is brown on both sides. (~4 – 5 min per side).  Then add the tomatoes, garlic, peppers, lemon juice and zest. I sometimes add an additional 1/2 cup white wine if the mixture seems a little dry. Cook the mixture until the chicken is cooked through. ~15-20 min.  Add the pine nuts at the very end just so that they get mixed in and are warmed through.  I take the bread and cut it into thick slices.  Put two of the slices together on a plate, top it with a chicken breast, heap the pepper/onion/tomato mix on top of the chicken and then sprinkle feta cheese crumbles over the whole thing.   We like to have fruit salad as a side dish with this.   I will try and post the pictures I took of this dish the last time I made it. 

Chicken Dish

This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes.  I got it from a Gourmet Magazine years ago.  It really comes out rich and tastes wonderful.

4 Chicken breasts
1 onion chopped
1/2 package bacon
2 cloves garlic (whole)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Place on paper towels to drain.    Place the onion in the skillet used to cook the bacon so that the onions cook in the bacon fat.  Take the chicken and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.  Once the onions are translucent and starting to brown add in the chicken breasts and brown on each side for 2 – 3 min each side ( just till they start to brown). Add in the water and the garlic cloves. Cover and cook for 30 min.  Uncover, remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.  Add the balsamic vinegar to the onions and garlic.  Mash up the garlic cloves and then simmer the sauce till it reduces the sauce by half and then pour the sauce over the chicken and then top with the crumbled bacon.