Better to Create Than to Imitate.

 Influencer, what indeed is an influencer?  According to the Oxford Dictionary, in relation to marketing on social media, an influencer is, “a person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media.”  So, what does influence mean then? “The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.”  Let’s put that in simpler wording, “having the ability to make someone do, like, or change something just by talking about it, or leading by example.”  Well, that is my take on it.

When the internet first came into existence, better yet, when it first became available to everyone, everywhere, I lost count of how many times I heard, “It’s on the internet, so it must be true!”.  For some strange and unknown reasoning, people began to immediately “dumb down”, stop going beyond to find out “truth in advertising”, and just believe whatever it is they read, or saw.  With the 2000s, social media expanded with Instagram, Twitter, Tik-Tok and a myriad of social platforms.  Thousands of people became “influencers”, making recordings of themselves doing an activity or proselytizing a belief, to influence others to join in.  The minority being those who noticed that many of these influencers were just repeating what other influencers were saying or doing. 

So, when it comes to the internet, my advice is, “Take everything with a grain of salt, get out of the comfort zone, and do some actual research on the truth of it.”  (Gets off soap box before it breaks apart, they do not make them as sturdy as they used to.)

Now to relate influencing to cooking.  I happened upon this tasty looking photo/recipe for “Chocolate Covered Frozen Yogurt Bites”, only four ingredients, and easy to make.  Chocolate Covered?  Yes, that belongs up my alley.  I copied the recipe onto Word, to look at later on, and probably try out.  A few weeks later, I took a good, hard look at the recipe and was dumb founded.  The ingredient list had vague measurements, and the directions made very little sense.  Going back to the internet, I put the recipe name into the Search box, and up popped, at least, two dozen Instagram accounts with the exact same recipe; all with the poor ingredient list and directions.  Each account claimed the recipe was his/her own original recipe; not one linking to any other page as originator, or influenced by. 

Going to various food blogs, I did find similar recipes with definitive ingredient lists and directions.  So, with trial and error, I was able to take the Instagram debacle, and create my own recipe that worked out quite well.  The employees at the Monticello City Office were my guinea pigs, and they were very happy with my creation.

Oh, since I mentioned it, let me give you an accounting of what vague measurements are.  I grew up learning to cook with these measurements, and I am sure many of you did as well.  When it comes to measuring, your hands and eyes are major tools.  Then there is always that joke about, “How do you know how much spice or seasoning to put in?”  Answer: “When your ancestor tells you, “That is enough child.”

Vague Cooking Measurements

Large as a Fist = 1 cup

Cupped Hand = ½ cup

Palm of Hand = 3 ounces

 

Couple = 2

Few = 3 or 4

Several = 4 to 8

Dozen = 12

Baker’s Dozen = 13

 

Pinch = 1/16^th of a teaspoon

Dash = 1/8^th of a teaspoon

 

…and now for my creation.

 

Frozen Chocolate Covered Yogurt Treats

Ingredients:

1 and 1/3 cups plain or vanilla Greek yogurt*

2 bananas, diced

1 cup roasted peanuts (skins removed) **

1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate)

3 cups chocolate chips (additional), plus 3 Tbsps. coconut oil; melt together for dunking)

 

 

 

 

Preparation:

 

In medium sized bowl, mix together yogurt, bananas, peanuts, and 1-cup chocolate chips until everything is well coated. 

 Place parchment paper, or wax paper, on a jelly roll baking pan.  Spoon out one heaping tablespoon of the yogurt mixture, onto the paper.  Flatten down into half-inch thick discs. 

 

 

 

Place tray in freezer until discs are set (four hours, or overnight, dependent on when needed for completion).   

 

 

 

 

When ready for dunking, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together, in microwave safe bowl, for 30 second increments; stir after each session until fully melted and smooth.  Dunk each frozen disc into the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture, coating entire disc; place back on the paper, and set in freezer again for two hours. ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store remaining yogurt treats in a plastic freezer bag, or other freezer-safe container. Let them thaw slightly before enjoying.

 

Makes 15 treats.

*Option: if using plain yogurt, add 1 Tbsp. honey for more sweetness and flavor.

**Option: replace roasted peanuts with two tablespoons of a creamy nut butter.

***Option: sprinkle coarse or flaked sea salt, lightly over top of chocolate coating, before placing in freezer.

This recipe is not the gospel of frozen yogurt treats.  Try using a fruit yogurt instead of plain or vanilla.  Bananas not to your liking?  Try firmer fruits like strawberries, apples, or cut up fruits that have already been frozen, like peaches or another type of berry.  So long as they remain frozen when going into the yogurt mixture, they will not add extra liquid.

For example, strawberry Greek yogurt, diced strawberries and honey; after freezing, coat in a white chocolate/coconut oil mixture, freeze and enjoy!

So, when it comes to cooking, or even life in general, allow yourself to be slightly influenced, but not completely taken over.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Always a Good Reason to Eat Strawberries.

"Strawberries, strawberries, every year

These must be eaten, enjoying here

Even the best cakes allow it when

Made in kitchen, the cook will be then

Baked with love, served with pleasure"

 

Strawberry Strawberries Forever

Sung by: Anne Lemmen

Written by: Ingeborg Bauer

Available Only At: Amazon Music

 

Strawberries are a deliciously, unusual fruit; unusual due to their structure.  With the variety of fruits and vegetables grown throughout the world, the strawberry is the only fruit with seeds on its outside, approximately 200 of them.  Due to this feature, botanists call the strawberry a false fruit, aka pseudocarp, since they look at it as a “fruits within a fruit”, and not a simple berry at all.

Consumer wise, we tend to see strawberries make a huge appearance in supermarkets around April.  While they are available year-round, prices vary due to the quantity available, where they were shipped in from, and method of growth (fields or greenhouses).  Being a cool weather plant, home growers plant April to May, or mid-spring; first harvest is typically June, with a second harvest occurring in the early fall.  With the high heat of July and August, like humans and animals, these plants shy away from the scorching sunlight.

In a very detailed, scientific 2019 study done on the nutritional and health benefits of strawberries (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7202899/), “Strawberries, are a rich source of nutrients that helps reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The nutrients lower the post-meal spike in blood sugar and insulin in adults with obesity or excess weight who have insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.”  In a Medical News Today article (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271285), “Strawberries are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”  In layman’s terms, this fruit is really, really healthy for the human body!

That is if you eat them plain, no dipping in sugar, whipped cream or chocolate.  No adding into baked desserts loaded with high carb ingredients like flours and sugars; and if they are, moderation is the key word.

When it comes to purchasing fresh strawberries, I personally tend to wait for the sales, and buying, what others would say, is way too much.  Why?  To process them into manageable savings of course!  Removing the leafy top and center white part, place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid, at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a resealable freezer bag, and store for up to 3 months.  Baked goods, such as muffins and quick breads, should be individually wrapped in plastic, and can be frozen up to 2 months.

So, it came to pass that, once again, I had overripe bananas waiting to be, frozen, or baked into bread.  At the same time, there were enough strawberries remaining, just about to enter their “icky” phase of ripening, so what did I do?

 

Strawberry Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (add 3 Tbsp. for high altitude)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup (6 oz. container) vanilla yogurt (or sour cream and increase vanilla extract to 4 tsp.)

2 eggs beaten

3 overripe bananas, mashed well

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup thickly sliced, or large dice strawberries   

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9”x5“ loaf pan with baking spray.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar. Then whisk in the yogurt, eggs, bananas, and vanilla.

 

 

 

Gradually add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, folding them together until just combined; do not overmix.  Gently fold in the strawberries. The batter will be very thick, but loose.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick, inserted in center of the bread, comes out cleanly.  Remove pan from oven and let bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove bread and transfer to a cooling rack for an hour before slicing.

 

Store in plastic wrap; bread will last up to 3 days in refrigerator, or 2 months in freezer.

Makes one loaf.

Think of it this way, all these yummy bread recipes I have been sharing is increasing your recipe card file.  The holidays will be here sooner than later, and homemade baked goods make great gifts!  …and yes, you can substitute with blueberries, blackberries or raspberries; still a one cup ratio, or 1 and ½ cups, who keeping score, right?

Mary Cokenour 

Best Banana Bread Recipe Ever!

 Sometimes I play with a recipe.  Add more of something, take away a little of something; add something new, maybe two.  This time though I believe I have the ultimate banana bread recipe.  It makes three loaves, and to freeze them, just wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to three months.  That is if they'll even last that long.

Banana Bread 

Ingredients:

3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (+ 3 Tbsp. for high altitude)

1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 and 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. each cinnamon and nutmeg

2 cups sugar (or sugar substitute equal to 2 cups sugar)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs

2 cups mashed very ripe bananas

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Additions: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts, or ½ cup of both.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 -8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans generously with butter or nonstick butter flavored cooking spray.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined (will look exactly like a bread dough). Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla extract; beat until dry ingredients well combined, but not overmixed.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack, to cool completely.  To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, will last 3 months.

Makes 3 loaves.

Yes, this is a short, but sweet, blog post. I was just so excited on how deliciously awesome this banana bread came out, I wanted it written up immediately.

Mary Cokenour