During a recent cornbread jag I requested a sample of Scratch & Grain’s organic and gluten free Honey Cornbread Kit, in order to broaden my horizons and see if there was anything I was missing about the corn arts.

Little did I know I was about to enter a realm of flavor and texture that was heretofore undiscovered within my experience.

Scratch & Grain specializes in baking kits—conventional and gluten-free mixes for cookies, cornbread, cupcakes and more—which allow the user to compose, mix and bake their own treats from pre-portioned, labeled and numbered ingredients. This system accomplishes a few things:

 
But all of this convenience and efficiency would be pointless if the goods themselves were not ravishingly delicious.

The gluten-free Cornbread, Snicker Doodle* and Cheesecake Brownie Kits that I tested produced tender, delicious results that I am confident will apply across the whole line.
 
 
HONEY CORNBREAD KIT

Unpacking the Honey Cornbread Kit was in itself a bit of fun. All of the ingredients are neatly packaged in clear sachets, with handy numbers on each one indicating the order in which they should be added. Helpful tips on the back of the box provide for variations and suggest add-ins.

The Cornbread Kit contains a not-unreasonable level of sugar per serving (13g), but I am ever-wary of sugar and a bit of a purist. Following a tip on the box, I happily left out most of the cane sugar but used all of the honey granules and brown sugar.

The results were quick to come, making me look like a domestic goddess. They were so deliciously tender, with a buttery, toasty flavor, that my spouse (normally a bit austere in his diet) ate giant pieces of it warm and then stealthily battled me for the last wedges.

I did not use all the cane sugar provided in the kit, but I believe that would have yielded the sweeter, moister experience that is pleasing to many.

The beauty of this cornbread is that it is appropriate for breakfast, as a mid-afternoon snack, or with a bowl of greens for dinner. This is a recipe I recommend trying, whether you are a cornbread aficionado or someone who is cornbread-curious.

EDITOR’S NOTE: You can also add some minced jalapeño to a cornbread mix. It’s our favorite way to enjoy it: less sugar and a bit of heat.
 
 
SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE KIT

I will admit I have never been a huge fan of the cinnamon-sugar cookies known as snickerdoodles, though I acknowledge their place in the cookie pantheon.

But Scratch & Grain’s organic, gluten-free Snicker Doodle Kit* won me over. The robust aromatics of the cinnamon and the addition of flax seeds into the dough delivered a rich, spicy and substantial cookie that would please children and adults.

The dough again had a buttery, caramelly flavor that made a good vehicle for the cinnamon sugar coating. The baked cookies had an ever-so-delicate frill of crunchy caramelization around the edges, adding a new dimension to the snickerdoodle formula.

Snickerdoodles tend to be fall cookies, perfect for a with apple cider or warm mulled cider, or with tea—plain black or spiced.

This is the cookie to offer company for an old-fashioned welcome. It will remind guests of their favorite granny—even if she didn’t bake—it’s that cozy and comforting.

I also found this kit to be a great base for other add-ins. For me it was ground black sesame seeds, but chocolate chips would create a nice fusion, too.

See the history of snickerdoodle cookies below.

[2] Snicker Doodle Cookie Kit, one of three gluten-free cookie varieties.

[3] Chocolate Truffle Cookies, the gluten-free line’s best seller (photos #1, #2, and #3 courtesy Scratch & Grain).

[4] There’s also Cheesecake Brownies Kit. This photo is from The Cozy Cook, who offers her own recipe.

While the other kits struck a somewhat virtuous note, the Cheesecake Brownie kit was, in a word, decadent. The quality of the chocolate was elevated and not too cloyingly sweet. Even with my omission of half of the bag of chips, it delivered a rich, luxurious wave of chocolate flavor.

The cream cheese streaks made a nice counterbalance to the intensity of the chocolate and coaxed me into enjoying a combination that I wouldn’t normally try.

I do think you could leave the egg yolk out of the cream cheese streak and not miss it. The whole concoction stayed moist into the next day, but they may not last that long in your household!
 
If I had one reservation about Scratch & Grain it would be the moment that I had to toss the adorable little plastic bags, now emptied of their ingredients, into the trash. I would be quite content to see the company use paper for certain ingredients, or something more recyclable.

Scratch & Grain’s gluten-free line will keep me happy for quite some time, and I have no hesitation recommending any of their products for superior, wholesome flavor and ease of use.

Products are available from ScratchandGrain.com and in certain Whole Foods markets. Check the the store locator.

—Georgi Page-Smith
 
 
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can buy a sampler of all four gluten-free mixes, for yourself or as a gift for a GF loved one.

recipe for a conventional cookie (not gluten-free) from Cookies And Cups.

THE HISTORY OF SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

A snickerdoodle is a drop cookie made with butter, sugar, flour, baking soda and cream of tartar†, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. The classic recipe creates a chewy cookie with grooved lines on the surface.

“Though some prefer to omit the cream of tartar in snickerdoodles,” says the Huffington Post, “purists will contest that it’s not the classic cookie without it—more like a plain cinnamon sugar cookie.”

And without leavening, it’s as flat as a gingersnap—which may be what some people are looking for (we prefer the puffiness from the cream of tartar).

Some recipes use eggs for a richer, moister cookie; some use oil instead of butter. Recipes can produce soft or crisp cookies.

According to an extensive article on Bakemore | WordPress, the earliest known print reference dates 1889. The cookies became very popular in New England and Pennsylvania during this time.

What about the name?

 
 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COOKIES IN OUR COOKIE GLOSSARY.
 
________________

*Scratch & Grain uses two words: snicker doodle. The conventional spelling is one word, snickerdoodle.

†The purpose of cream of tartar, a mild acid, is to react with the baking soda to leaven the cookie (cause the dough to rise).

‡ are a cultural group formed by early German-speaking immigrants to Pennsylvania and their descendants. Most emigrated to the U.S. from Germany or Switzerland in the 17th and 18th centuries.
  

Celebrate National taco Day, October 4th, with this recipe from Melissa’s The Great Pepper Cookbook.

Prep time is 30 minutes, total time is 3 hours, 50 minutes.

The recipe is made in a Dutch oven, but you can easily make it in a slow cooker.

RECIPE: SLOW-COOKED PORK TACOS

Ingredients For 12 One-Cup Servings

 
Basic Garnishes

 
More Garnishes
 

 
Preparation

[2] Pork butt, also called Boston butt (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

[3] Pork shoulder, also called picnic shoulder (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

2. HEAT the oil in a large straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

3. COMBINE the chiles and their water in a large bowl with the onion mixture, broth and next 5 ingredients (through cumin). Place half of chile mixture in a blender, taking special care: The hot food expands rapidly, causing a risk of scalding.

To be safe, before blending remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow the steam to escape, secure the lid on the blender, and place a towel over opening in the lid to avoid splatters. Process until smooth. Repeat the procedure with the remaining chile mixture.

4. HEAT a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the pork, fat side down; cook until browned, turning several times, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chile mixture, and bring just to boiling. Reduce the heat and partially cover. Simmer until the pork easily pulls apart with a fork, about 3 to 4 hours.

5. REMOVE the pork from the heat and let it cool until it can be handled, about 30 minutes. Shred the pork and serve with the fixings with warm tortillas.
 
 
Here’s the history of tacos.
 
 
WHAT IS PORK BUTT?

Pork butt has nothing to do with the butt—the rear end or behind—of the pig. The rear of the pig becomes ham (including prosciutto and serrano hams).

Instead, pork butt is a cut from the shoulder of the pig. But it isn’t the same as pork shoulder.

On October 4th, National Taco Day, you can:

 
In Lorena Garcia’s New Taco Classics, the Latin American chef covers approaches to tacos and other street foods of her native region: arepa, empanadas, tamales.

“While I take inspiration from classic renditions of favorite Latin American dishes,” says Chef Garcia, “I make them my own by experimenting with savory and sweet notes, with contrasting elements, with flavors that brazenly cross culinary and geographical borders.”

She inspires you to think outside the taco shell—and inside, too.

You can see a partial galley of the book here.

Here’s the history of the taco—invented by silver miners in the 18th century—plus THE NIBBLE’s own suggestions for thinking outside the shell.

Got rolls? Here’s the recipe for these typical soft, white dinner rolls from King Arthur Flour.

For harvest season, add these slightly sweet, light-gold rolls from King Arthur Flour to your bread basket for a tasty change of pace

And why just dinner? Enjoy them at breakfast and lunch, too.

WHAT’S A DINNER ROLL?

There are many different types of rolls, based on regional, national and other preferences–from the crisp French roll with a crisp crust like a baguette, to the hero roll, long and relatively soft for sandwiches.

The textbook dinner roll is a yeast roll with a soft, pull-apart interior and browned and a crisped exterior. The soft crumb enables sauces and gravies to be sopped up readily. Others enjoy them with butter.

Here’s an explanation of the differences, and recipes for nine types of dinner rolls, from King Arthur Flour.

RECIPE: PUMPKIN DINNER ROLLS

Prep time is 15 minutes to 25 minutes. Bake time is 24-26 minutes.

Ingredients For 24 Rolls

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all dough ingredients in a large bowl, mix and knead into a soft, smooth dough. You can use your hands, a stand mixer or a bread machine set on the dough cycle.

2. PLACE the dough in a lightly greased bowl and allow it to rise for 60 to 75 minutes, until it’s puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk). Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

3. DIVIDE the dough into 24 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

4. LIGHTLY GREASE two 9-inch round cake pans. Space 12 rolls in each pan. Alternatively, you can place all 24 rolls on a 9″ x 13″ sheet or baking pan.

5. COVER the pans and allow the rolls to rise until they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

6. UNCOVER the rolls and bake them for about 20 minutes. Tent lightly with aluminum foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or so, until the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. A digital thermometer inserted into the middle of a center roll should register at least 190°F.

7. REMOVE the rolls from the oven; brush with melted butter if desired. After a couple of minutes, turn the rolls out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

8. SERVE warm. Store completely cooled rolls, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

[2] Classic dinner rolls. Do you know the 9 different types of dinner rolls? (photo courtesy King Arthur Flour).

[3] Stock up on pumpkin purée: We have a month’s worth of non-pie recipes for it. Here’s more about pumpkin purée from The Kitchn.

[2] Buy Tex-Mex or taco seasoning, or make your own (recipe below—photo courtesy Pampered Chef.

October 4th is National Taco Day, but here’s some added fun for any Taco Tuesday: a taco ring, developed by Pampered Chef. You can save time with store-bought salsa fresca or pico de gallo.

For those who will miss a crispy corn taco shell: Serve a few tortilla chips with the salsa.
 
 
RECIPE #1: TURKEY TACO RING

Ingredients For 8 Servings (2 Rolls Per Person)

 
For The Salsa & Toppings

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the onion in half and chop half of it (Pampered Chef used its Food Chopper). Set aside the remaining onion for the salsa.

2. COOK the onion, turkey and spice rub in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, for 10-12 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. Break the turkey into crumbles. Drain, if necessary, and transfer the turkey mixture to a bowl. Meanwhile…

3. GRATE cheese. Stir 1 cup of the cheese into the turkey mixture.

4. UNROLL the crescent dough and separate it into 16 triangles. Arrange the triangles, slightly overlapping, in a circle in a round baking pan (Pampered Chef used its White Large Round Stone with Handles. The wide ends of the crescents should be 4 inches from the edge of the stone or pan; the points will extend off of the edge of the stone/pan. Roll the wide ends of the dough toward the center to create a 5-inch opening. To create the opening, place the storage container for the Biscuit Cutters in the center of the stone.

5. SCOOP the filling evenly over the dough. Bring the points of the triangles up over the filling and tuck them under the dough at the center, to form a ring. Brush the dough with the egg white. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

6. MAKE the salsa while the ring cooks. Cut the onion and jalapeño into chunks. Chop the remaining onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and salt until coarsely chopped (Pampered Chef used its Manual Food Processor; we used a wooden bowl and a mezzaluna). Add the tomatoes; process until the mixture reaches the consistency of salsa.

7. PREPARE the bell pepper if using it as a container. Otherwise, leave it whole as a decorative element, and use it in a subsequent meal. To prepare: Slice off the top, remove the seeds and white ribs and, if you like, use a paring knife to create the V-shaped rim.

8. REMOVE the stone/pan from the oven when the ring is golden brown. Serve with salsa, shredded lettuce, and optional sour cream.

Serve salsa in a bell pepper cup! Cut the top off of the pepper with V-Shape Cutter; scoop out seeds and veins with Scoop Loop™. Fill with salsa. Place in the center of Taco Ring and surround with lettuce
 
 
RECIPE #2: TEX-MEX RUB & SEASONING

Pampered Chef and other brands sell pre-mixed rubs and taco seasonings, but you can make your own by combining:

 
Any extra will keep in a tightly-closed jar for a few weeks.
 
 

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