Triple B...Boston Brown Bread

Hidy ho, crafty peeps!

I've given up dusting off this place. I have been gone so long from my blog that the dust bunnies in here all moved to the country. I guess they decided that Left Field was not the type of "field" they were looking for.

So, I have put the redesign of my blog on hold. It's taking longer than I had planned. Turns out, I have TOO MANY ideas for what the new look will be. I keep vacillating between 3 ideas. We'll see which one finally wins out. But, for now, the "old" design will remain.

Now, for the matter at hand, BOSTON BROWN BREAD.

How many of you know what this is?

I grew up on this stuff. It was always a treat around this time of year to see the cans of this delicacy show up on the grocery store shelves again.

Brown bread is a New England tradition. It's an early-American classic that dates back to Colonial times. It's a moist, dense, dark brown quick bread that is steamed in cylindrical cans. Though, you can find recipes that call for baking it in the oven in a loaf pan. It MIGHT taste similar, but I guarantee the texture (and experience) wouldn't be the same.

Historically, it's served with baked beans. And maybe hot dogs.

Being that it's a steamed bread, its texture is...well...rubbery. It's SO unique. I've decided it must be akin to the steamed puddings they serve in the U.K. (like Figgy pudding). It's VERY moist. The flavor is like rich dark caramel, almost smoky, and not that sweet. It's flavor comes from all that molasses and raisins. It's very low fat (if you use fat-free buttermilk), high in fiber, has no refined sugar, and is packed full of B vitamins and minerals (thanks to the molasses).

My mom told me how much she'd love to have some, so I made it my mission to find it. I started out at the local big grocery stores. None to be found. I even asked the managers if they could order it.

Nope.

So then I traveled to the gourmet grocery stores.

Nada.

I finally found it online...but GEEZ...it's like $6- $10 a can (plush S&H).

That's when I decided I'd teach myself how to make it.

How hard can it be?

Turns out...not hard at all. In fact, it's super easy.

The only difficult thing was finding fine-ground cornmeal and rye flour. But, I finally did at our local gourmet grocery store.

Oh! and for the cans I used, I just saved some empty veggie/chili cans, washed 'em out, removed their labels. BUT...I did use a special "smooth edge" can opener to completely cut off the tops of the can. I think I found mine on Amazon. Here is a link to the one I have
smooth edge can opener 

it looks like this

So...here is my recipe! I compiled it (Frankensteined it) from several recipes. I took what made sense from several and came up with my own version. And, truth be told, my homemade brown bread tastes BETTER than the commercial canned variety.

WAY BETTER.

Torrey's Better Boston Brown Bread

Ingredients: for 4 "loaves"

• 1 cup molasses
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk 
• 3/4 cup (rounded) fine-ground cornmeal/corn flour- do NOT use regular cornmeal.
• 3/4 cup (rounded) rye flour
• 3/4  cup (rounded) whole wheat flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)

 You will also need:

• Softened butter for greasing cans
• 4 (14 oz) cans (I use empty veggie cans) 
• parchment paper
• aluminum foil
• rubber bands (or kitchen string)

Directions:

1. Grease four 14-ounce cans, WELL, with butter and place a round piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each can.
2. Whisk all ingredients dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
4. Add raisins (if desired). Stir them in well.
5. Divide batter between the cans. Batter will NOT fill cans completely. Leave about 1-1/2 inches head space to allow bread to rise.
6. Place a piece of foil tightly over the top of each can and secure with a string or rubber band. Set cans in a pot on a steamer rack (I just use my big pasta pot with lift out strainer liner inside)… and fill with hot water to halfway up sides of cans. 
   
7. Set lid on pot and bring to simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until breads are set and gently pulling away from sides of can, about 1 hour. A skewer inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs.
8. Remove cans from pot, set cans on cooling rack, and remove foil. Let bread cool in can for 1 hour. 
   
9. If necessary, run knife along inside of can to loosen (mine just come right out on their own)… then remove bread by turning can upside down and knocking it gently onto work surface. 
   
10. Serve with cream cheese, or sliced into ½ inch slices and browned in skillet with butter (the way I like it). 
    
11. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap (ok if it’s still a bit warm), and store in refrigerator.

 

Birthday-O-Rama!

Hidy ho, crafty peeps!

Firstly, YES...my blog is still "officially" closed for remodeling. So I guess that makes this an "unofficial" post.

My birthday was yesterday. It came and went, unceremoniously, save the HORRIBLE singing bestowed upon me by my family (that's you--Mom, Richard, Jonathan, Eric and Autumn). In all honesty and fairness, my mother and father-in-law sang beautifully in full harmony, my sister sang a light and bright version of Happy Birthday, Jodi sang a snappy version, and my dad sang Happy Birthday to me in Klingon (yes, you read that right. He sang to me in Klingon)...so I guess that sort of counts as "ceremonius".

I got a wonderful new die from Lawn Fawn from my hubby (I dropped HUGE hints). It's their new shadowbox die. I can't wait to use it! I did make a card for my sister's birthday (hers is 3 days before mine). I used another Lawn Fawn set I have that I love--"Upon a Star".

I tried the "galaxy background" technique that is so popular these days. It was my first attempt at a galaxy. They're really fun! Half way through the process, however, it looked like a HOT MESS. I had my doubts that it would turn out...but whatayaknow. It TOTALLY turned out. There are many different media one can use to create a galaxy background. I used Distress Inks and a dauber for my galaxy. Next time I make one, I think I'll try watercolors. I got a little heavy-handed with the shimmer spray...so it looks almost golden. Next time, I'm gonna leave it off altogether.

So, here is my sister's birthday card. The photo does not do that galaxy justice.

Wanna know the BEST part about this card? It glows in the dark....I know what you're thinking...."SHUT UP!!!" Yep, it totally does. Anyone who knows me, knows about my fascination/obsession with glow-in-the-dark stuff.

Although the sentiment on the outside does NOT glow...the one on the inside does. To make it glow, I used a combo of glow-in-the-dark embossing powder (yeah, there really is such a thing) and glow-in-the-dark paint.

I also decided to forego my usual "Angel Food cake with pink frosting" as a birthday cake (you're shocked, aren't you?). Instead, I made my own birthday cake. I didn't want someone to get me a store-bought cake.

Yuck.

I used a new-to-me recipe (which I totally tweaked out). Let me tell you right now, it was DELICIOUS. The cake is super moist and has such a nice fine crumb. It's velvety smooth. And, my addition of toasted pecans to the frosting was inspired. I snagged the original recipe from my Aunt Susie's FB page (thank you for posting it Susie!)

It looked so yummy, I knew I had to try it. I know my version is better than the original...because...it's MY version. And anyone who has tasted my cooking knows that my version is ALWAYS better (unless it's a recipe from my bestee, Jodi).

(and I'm modest)

Anywho, here is my cake! And yes, the recipe follows.

Pumpkin Dream Cake a la Torrey

Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼  teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk

 Frosting:

• 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup toasted pecan pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 3, 8-inch (or 9-inch) round cake pans and place parchment paper in bottom of each (optional). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, dry spices, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, pumpkin, and vegetable oil. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
4. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and completely cool on rack.
6. To toast pecans: Spread on cookie sheet and place under broiler in oven (only takes a minute or less). Toast until fragrant and browned. Watch them like a hawk, they burn easily.
7. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Mix in nuts.
8. Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer.  Frost the outside and top with remaining frosting. Store in the fridge.

Thanks for stopping by Left Field! I promise I'll have the redesign finished someday. LOL. Until then,

Stay creative, y'all!