Lisa has inspired me.In recent days she has been scrambling to complete her 30-While-30 list. With less than a week to go, I think she’s going to make it! Just yesterday, I was treated to two of her lovely creations!

Now, as I mentioned last month, I am nowhere near completing my list. And I’ve been 31 for nearly a month. I really enjoyed the things that I made or at least attempted. Scones are now my go-to tea time snack and I’ve found that I far prefer homemade tomato sauce to the store-bought variety.

I truly want to complete my list, as it contains a wish-list of things I want to try out. I need to get back in the kitchen and this list will serve as a good inspiration. Even though I am no longer 30, I’m going to finish this list by the end of 2011. I was 30 during this year, and well, I keep forgetting my new age.

If you’re interested in what I’ve done so far, there are updates below.

30 Things to Make While I’m 30

1. English muffins
2. Focaccia bread – Tried. I blame my yeast. This was a failure.
3. Pita bread
4. Whole wheat bread
5. Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
6. Berry pie/cobbler
7. Cheesecake
8. Chocolate Mint Fudge – Tried at Christmas using an Alton Brown recipe. Candy thermometer and all, this resulted in a miserable failure.
9. Chocolate mousse – Made multiple times. Need to blog.
10. Gelato
11. Gingerbread
12. Homemade fondant
13. Lemon meringue pie
14. Scones
15. Shortbread – Need to blog.
16. Sugar cookies with royal icing – Tried at Christmas. I’m not cut out for this level of decorating!
17. Pumpkin Ice Cream
18. Pad thai
19. Homemade ravioli
20. Homemade pasta
21. Tomato sauce (from scratch) – Made multiple times. Need to blog.
22. Crepes
23. Carnitas
24. Fish
25. Meatballs – Made multiple times. Need to blog.
26. Barbacoa
27. Pork loin
28. Limoncello
29. Vanilla extract
30. Hummus

My 31st birthday is less than a week away and I haven’t made too much of a dent in my 30-While-30 list.  While there are a few things that I’ve made, but not photographed, the vast majority of items have remained untouched.  So, I haven’t tried my hand at homemade fondant or whipped up English muffins just for the heck of it, but I did leave my corporate job, take a handful of classes and start a company.  That has to count for something, right?  I still want to finish my list, but there’s no way it’s happening with less than a week to go.  I’ll come up with something.

But in the meantime, I want to share this recipe with my readers.  I added scones and shortbread (coming soon!) to my list because they pair beautifully with tea.  While I certainly enjoy a cup of tea on the go, selecting a tea from my growing collection, brewing a pot  and savoring it slowly with tasty treats has become a favorite past time.  I first made these scones for an afternoon tea party Lisa’s (my fellow blogger!) house.  We whiled away the afternoon in her dining room chatting, sipping icewine tea and nibbling on scones, shortbread, lemon bars, raspberry kuchen and tiny sandwiches.

Thanks to the dark chocolate, orange zest and heavy cream, these scones are soft and rich with warm orange undertones.  They’re delicious warm out of the oven or room temperature the next day.  Pair with a piping hot cup of tea for a sublime breakfast or afternoon snack.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

Yields 8 scones

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 – 3/4 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F andline a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl and add the orange zest and.  Using your fingers, rub the orange zest and the granulated sugar together until the sugar is uniformly moistened.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Pour in the cream and, using your fingers or a fork, stir together until combined.
5. Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead to bring dough together. Pat into an 8-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles.
6. Place triangles on prepared baking sheet, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones are just lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

I’m a little more than half way between 30 and 31, which means I should be half way through my 30 While 30 list.  Not quite.  Documenting this recipe gives me a 25% completion rate.  While I haven’t gotten very far, I’ve enjoyed trying new things… who knew that homemade hummus and pita would be so easy and delicious?

Of course, there have been some misses that haven’t been documented on Domestic Pursuits.  I made fudge two days before Christmas, following a very precise recipe by Alton Brown.  Something went wrong and I ended up with a grainy mess that didn’t set properly.  Oh well.  I’ll get there some day… besides, who says fudge is just for the holidays?  I also fully intended to decorate some of my Christmas sugar cookies with royal icing – I even bought the supplies.  With visions of snowmen, decorated trees and sparkling stars dancing in my head, I made the same sugar cookies that I’ve made my whole life…and left out the SUGAR.  Yum.  That was a bit of a setback that cut into my already tight timeline.  Look for some hearts or Easter eggs in the coming months.  Finally, there was the herbed asiago foccaccia that didn’t rise, but it sure made for some tasty breadsticks.  Take two will be attempted soon.

Getting back to the recipe at hand: this pita came together quickly and easily with very little attended preparation.  For the longest time, I was intimidated by yeast.  I can’t articulate why, but it just seemed so complicated.   I’m so glad I overcame my issues, because homemade bread products, including this pita, have a much fresher and more pronounced flavor then their store-bought counterparts.  Paired with homemade hummus, this pita is a fabulous snack.

Pita Bread

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl
1 cup water, plus more as needed

1. Add flour, salt and yeast to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process for 5 seconds.
2. Add the tablespoon of oil and water through the feed tube while the processor is running. Process for about 30 seconds, then turn off and remove the cover. At this point, the dough should be a well-defined ball that’s easy to handle and barely sticky. If it’s too dry, add more later 1 tablespoon at a time, processing for 5-10 seconds after each addition. If it’s too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour, processing briefly after each addition.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover, letting it rise until it has doubled in bulk (about 2 hours).
5. Deflate the dough ball and divide into 6-12 even pieces. Make sure you keep all pieces lightly floured and covered.
6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place a baking stone in the oven as it preheats. If you do not have a stone, use a cookie sheet.
7. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each piece of dough into a disk and roll out into a 6-8 inch circle. Keep each completed circle lightly floured (on both sides) and covered. Do not stack the disks.
8. When the oven is preheated, place a few pitas on the stone (I could fit 4 on my pizza stone). In 2-3 minutes the dough will puff up. Remove from the oven and repeat the process until all of the dough has been baked.

New Englanders tend to swarm the grocery store anytime there’s snow in the forecast, clearing the shelves of bread, milk and other staples.  I guess memories of the Blizzard of ’78 die hard.  If there’s an approaching storm, I typically try to avoid the grocery store at all costs.  As a recent storm approached, I decided I wanted to take advantage of being snowed in the following day and make salsa, hummus and pita for our snacking enjoyment.   I was the crazy lady combing the aisles in search of tahini (found it with the olives!) and packing my basket with cilantro, jalapeños, garbanzo beans, canned tomato and a bag of flour…not exactly your typical snowstorm fare.

Alas, I was unable to carry out my culinary plans, as two downed telephone poles in the vicinity caused us to lose power for the better part of the day.   No internet or kitchen appliances…how unfortunate!  Tragic, even.

A few days later, I put my food processor through it’s paces and made all of the things that I had planned to enjoy on my snow day.  A dear friend described his wife’s stand mixer as something that “you put things in and food comes out.”  I have to say, this pretty much describes my sturdy 9-cup food processor too!  In mere minutes, I was able to throw together a tasty, custom batch of  hummus .  I used this recipe as a general basis for ingredients and quantities, but adjusted things quite a bit.

This really is the wonderful thing about making your own hummus – you can tweak the ingredients to your heart’s content.  Love garlic?  Throw in several cloves!  Prefer a tangier flavor?  Add some more lemon.   The options are endless.    Grab a can of garbanzo beans and tahini (try to avoid the snow storm crowds!) and get pureeing!

Hummus

1 14.5 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 tbsp tahini
1.5 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, olive oil and cumin in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Add small amounts of water or liquid from the canned beans to the hummus, blending well to achieve desired consistency.

It may be the end of January, but that doesn’t mean that I’m giving up on all of the fun flavors associated with Christmas.  Sure, the holidays have come and gone, but it’s still winter.  It’s still cold, and who doesn’t need some cheer in the form of a delectable dessert at the end of a frigid January day?

I added gingerbread to my 30 While 30 list fully expecting to make it during the Christmas season.  Life (and 28 dozen cookies) got in the way, but an impromptu dinner with my mother-in-law presented the perfect opportunity to give this recipe a whirl.

This cake is just perfect.  The crumb is moist and dense – leaning more towards the consistency of a quick bread than a standard cake.   It has all of the hallmark gingerbread flavors – rich molasses, warm cinnamon and spicy ginger and cloves.  Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon alongside your favorite hot beverage for the perfect winter day finale.

Gingerbread

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup light molasses
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/2 tsp ground ginger
heaping 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
scant 2/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour one 8 inch square baking pan. (I prefer to line a pan with foil and use cooking spray…easier clean-up!)
2. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and molasses, beating until well-combined.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and ground cloves.
5. Once water has come to a boil, alternately add the water and flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Beat well after each addition.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.

I love making ice cream!  While others may consider these crisp fall days as a sign to put the freezer bowl away for the season, I just shift gears and start considering seasonal flavors that can be incorporated into frozen concoctions.

When I first tried pumpkin ice cream, I was hesitant.  One would think that the warm flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger would be at odds with cool, refreshing ice cream.  Strangely enough, it works very well.  The ice cream is rich and creamy and tastes an awful lot like frozen pumpkin pie!

The addition of pumpkin puree to the milk and cream base makes for a much thicker base.  Because the base was so heavy to begin with, it churned for less time.  This resulted in a denser, richer ice cream with less air incorporated into the final product.  A little goes a long way!

Pumpkin Ice Cream

adapted from Williams Sonoma

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 egg yolks
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

1.  In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.
3.  Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.
4.  Pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the temperature reached 170-180.  It will be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it.  Do not allow the custard to boil.
5. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.   Add pumpkin and vanilla, whisking well to combine.
6.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
7.  Refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight.  Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  The base will be quite thick, so you may want to whisk it before churning.

I’ve been dying to take my pasta maker out for its inaugural spin since my husband gave it to me for my birthday in July!  Last week, I finally gave homemade pasta-making a whirl.   If you haven’t made your own pasta before, I would recommend doing so when you have ample time to spare.  Don’t follow my lead and start making the dough at 7:30 on Monday evening when you’re already exhausted and hungry!

Amateur issues aside, the whole process was pretty straightforward and yielded fantastic results.  I selected a basic pasta dough recipe from Mark Bittman’s  to How To Cook Everything.  Following his detailed dough-making and pasta-rolling instructions, I made 1 pound of fresh, beautiful fettuccine.

This was an enjoyable exercise that yielded a delicious, simple dinner.  I look forward to making pasta again and leveraging the lessons learned during my first attempt.

Traditional Egg Pasta Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
A few drops of water, if needed

1. Combine flour and salt in food processor work bowl and pulse a few times to combine.
2. Add eggs all at once and turn processor on, Process just until a ball begins to form, about 30 seconds. (Mine never formed a ball. Once the dough was uniform, I proceeded to the next step.)
3. If the dough is dry and grainy, add a few drops of water. If the dough sticks to the side of the work bowl, add a tablespoon of flour.
4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth – about 1-2 minutes. Add a small amount of water if the dough is dry or flour if the dough is sticky.
5. Cut dough into 6 pieces and wrap in plastic.
6. Working one piece at a time, proceed with your method of pasta rolling. Lisa has an excellent tutorial here.

One down, 29 to go!

It’s been quite a while since I last shared a recipe with my readers.  I’ve been busy, but my food choices haven’t been very inspiring.  August passed by in a flurry of activity – painting rooms, staining our deck, sewing up a storm and attending gatherings with family and friends.  In the midst of all this activity, dinner has been simple:  burgers or chicken with fresh produce from our favorite local farm, sandwiches or pizza.

I haven’t stepped beyond the ordinary much lately, but I did manage to make this barbacoa not once, but twice!   This recipe, adapted slightly from Tasty Kitchen, was a fabulous find!  With very little attended prep-time, you can make mouth-watering barbacoa for tacos, enchiladas, burritos or any other favorite Mexican dish.  The flavors meld beautifully, but it’s the chilis in adobo sauce the really make the marinade.  They impart a wonderfully smoky heat that builds gradually, but consider yourself warned that they can pack quite a punch!

Barbacoa

3 pounds Top or Bottom Round Roast
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 – 1 small can of chipotles in adobo sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tbsp white or rice vinegar

1. Place all ingredients except the roast in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Spoon some sauce into the slow-cooker so it covers the bottom.  Add the roast and pour the rest of the sauce over meat.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Remove beef from slow-cooker and drain sauce from slow-cooker (set aside – don’t throw it away).
5. Shred the beef using forks or tongs and return to the slow-cooker. Gradually add sauce to shredded beef, stirring as you go. You want to coat the meat with the seasoning, but not leave standing liquid in the slow-cooker.
6. Let beef sit on low or warm for 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to season the beef.

At 12:13 this morning, I started the third decade of my life.  Yes, today I turned the big 3-0.

A handful of bloggers that I follow have compiled lists of cooking tasks that they want to complete during or before their 30th year.  With my birthday fast approaching, I assembled a list 30 things that I want to make in the coming  year.

It seems like a fun way to set some goals and finally work on some dishes I’ve been meaning to make for ages.  I’ll get to stretch myself and work outside my comfort zone, trying new techniques and working with new foods (see 24 – I’m an avowed fish-hater).  Along the way, I’ll document my progress on this blog and share my victories and defeats… although hopefully there will be far more of the former.

If any of my readers have tried and true recipe suggestions for any of the items on my list, please feel free to send them my way – my contact information is listed in the left side bar.

Wish me luck!

30 Things to Make While I’m 30

1. English muffins
2. Focaccia bread
3. Pita bread
4. Whole wheat bread
5. Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
6. Berry pie/cobbler
7. Cheesecake
8. Chocolate Mint Fudge
9. Chocolate mousse
10. Gelato
11. Gingerbread
12. Homemade fondant
13. Lemon meringue pie
14. Scones
15. Shortbread
16. Sugar cookies with royal icing
17. Pumpkin Ice Cream
18. Pad thai
19. Homemade ravioli
20. Homemade pasta
21. Tomato sauce (from scratch)
22. Crepes
23. Carnitas
24. Fish
25. Meatballs
26. Barbacoa
27. Pork loin
28. Limoncello
29. Vanilla extract
30. Hummus