King Arthur Silicon Rolling Mat

King Arthur Silicone Rolling Mat

I've had several cheap plastic pie crust and dough rolling mats in my life and the thing that moved the most when I was rolling was the mat itself.  I would literally hold onto the mat with one hand while trying to roll with the other.

Many of you know the feeling.

And storage?  They usually are sold rolled and that is how I like to store them, but after a few uses, the sides would never lay flat, but curled like an old piece of paper interfering even more with the task at hand.

I did some research and almost purchased a wooden rolling mat with a lip to keep it from moving across the counter top.  There are actually some pretty good ones available, but I preferred to not have to store another large item in our cabinets when not in use.

I found my solution when browsing the King Arthur catalogue -- their silicon rolling mat.  I made the purchase ($30) and patiently awaited its arrival somewhat unconvinced that it would work.

When it arrived, I was happy with how tightly it could be rolled, taking up very little space.  I was also very happy with its thinness and flexibility.

I unrolled the mat on our laminate counter top and began my first rolling.  The mat stuck to the counter and never moved!  The side ruler and pie crust sizes printed on the mat are helpful and the cleanup was a breeze.  Excess flour slides off and any extra is gone with a quick rinse.

I don't think there is a better rolling mat available.  Do know that you cannot use sharp objects (such as a knife or metal pizza cutter) on a mat like this.

Dump the cheap plastic mat and trade it in for this one.  You won't be disappointed.

"Graham's" Cracker

The graham cracker we have almost all eaten was developed in 1829 in a New Jersey town by Dr. Sylvester Graham, a Presbyterian minister.  The original cracker was named "Dr. Graham's Honey Biscuits".

Graham crackers were made with graham flour -- made with complete wheat kernels (bran, germ and endosperm) by first grinding the endosperm finely into white flour and then reincorporating the coarsely ground bran and germ.

Dr. Graham believed that eating a whole grain diet would lead people from carnal urges -- a position that was followed by John and Will Kellogg who would later create the cornflake cereal.

On today's grocery store shelves, less expensive "graham crackers" contain no graham.

To get real graham flour, purchase a higher quality graham cracker or make your own.  I found this recipe in the newer cookbook, "Farmstead Chef" by John Ivanko & Lisa Kivirist:

• 2 Cups Graham Flour (I purchased Bob's Red Mill at my health food store)
• 1/2 Cup of flour
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 Cup butter (1/2 a stick)
• 1/3 Cup honey
• 1/4 Cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

First Step:

• Mix flours in a food processor.
• Add butter and mix until crumbled.
• Add honey, milk and vanilla and process until dough becomes a ball.
• Cover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Second Step:

• Place unwrapped dough on floured surface and roll dough to 1/4" thickness.  Cut into desired shapes.

Final Step:

• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (I baked mine on parchment paper for easy removal) or until edges start to darken.  Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy!

Concerned About Double Dipping?

Double Dipping became famous in an episode of Seinfeld when George Costanza famously double-dipped his tortilla chip much to the dismay of a watcher.

Since then, people have been extra aware of double-dipping (triple dipping or more in the case of our kids).   We have family members who seem to be the self-designated double-dip police.

So as we approach Super Bowl weekend when snacks and corresponding dips reign supreme, how concerned should we really be if somebody double-dips?  Does it really matter?

I found a short video from the Wall Street Journal today that humorously answers those questions based on university research.

Take a look and enjoy the game...  but don't double-dip.

Bodum French Press Delivers

I love coffee and drink several cups daily.

The amount of coffee I enjoyed grew exponentially when I was in college and the number of coffee makers I used during those four years and a few years after was astounding.  I could never find quite the right machine and they all plugged after several months of use thanks to the hard water in the city where I then lived.

I discovered the simple beauty of french press coffee on a business trip to the Northwest when a couple invited me to their home for a cup of coffee.  I purchased my own shortly thereafter and gave up on the traditional coffee-maker.

I use my 34 oz. Bodum french press once or twice daily and enjoy it because:

• It wastes nothing.  (No filters or fancy single-serve plastic cups.)
• The grounds can be easily discarded or placed into a garden or flower bed for fertilizer.
• Coffee can be prepared quickly.  Throw in course grounds of your favorite coffee, hot water, wait a couple of minutes and press.
• The flavor profile can't be beat.  The french press is the preferred brewing method of professional taste-testers.
• It can last forever and doesn't rely on any electronics or water softeners.  My Bodum is about 10 years old.

I grind our favorite beans in our burr grinder and throw them in the bottom of the press.  We have an electric tea kettle that heats water to boiling within three minutes.  Pour the water in and press after a couple of minutes steeping time.

It couldn't be easier or much faster and the taste is amazing.  This $40 investment may last you a lifetime.  There are varying sizes of presses from one-cup to 12 and even presses that are insulated for family gatherings.

I know the various one-use cup machines are all the rage now, but the expense and waste is astounding when the simplicity of a press is more more efficient, environmentally sound and perhaps delivers better taste.

Give it a try.  Most good coffee shops (I know Starbucks does) will make your coffee using a french press if you ask.  Or make the leap and buy one -- or two.

When Cheese Isn't Cheese

 My wife's doctor told her to cut back on dairy products a couple of years ago.  It seemed like the end of the world.  After all, dairy is a part of a lot of the foods we eat every day.

In the end, it hasn't been that challenging and has even been rewarding discovery of new flavor and healthier options.

One of the things we replaced was traditional cheese in our house.  We did this with help from Galaxy Foods that prepare cheese-like products.

We replaced slices of cheddar block cheese with "Veggie Slices" cheddar flavor slices.  The other flavors include pepper-jack, American, Swiss, mozzarella, smoked provolone, and cheddar with jalapenos.

In every taste-test (grilled cheese or sandwich), nobody could tell the difference.  Our family and friends have had it on their sandwiches without notice.  The flavor and texture is great and it melts easily.

The base for this product is soy flour rather than milk.  It maintains a 3 grams of protein but without any cholesterol.

I recently purchased their "Vegan" version as it was on sale.  The protein is derived from peas rather than casein (a milk derived product) giving it a firmer texture and slight green color.  The first thing I noticed between the Veggie and Vegan options was the color and how much firmer the Vegan cheese slice was.

The Vegan cheese slice melts okay and the taste is similar, but using it cold will be a definite giveaway as it is not that flexible and has a different mouth texture.

If you are a first-time purchaser and can choose between the two options, try Veggie first.  I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to reduce their cholesterol intake or who is looking for a healthier option for cheese slices.

At health food stores, you can buy a package of veggie slices for $3.99, but our regular grocery store also carries them (by the bagged lettuce) for $2.99.  There 12 slices in a package for the Veggie slices and 10 for the Vegan version.

I have not tried Galaxy Foods other cheese-like products, but there are many.  Based on my experience,  I would think they would be really good.  The company also the Carbon Fund for carbon free shipping of their products.