CosmoCookie

Grapefruit Creamsicle

2012-01-24T22:48:00.001-07:00

abundance of winter citrus + hankering to eat a pint of vanilla ice cream = grapefruit creamsicle

I know, I know. Just the other day I was sad about the lack of winter, but you have to embrace the present (Especially when the present is telling you that it's okay to eat ice cream). This grapefruit sorbet and vanilla ice cream combo is both refreshing and comforting. Any fruit would work well for the sorbet, but I just love grapefruit this time of year. The two treats can be saddled in a large bread pan, or in little ramekins for individual portions.

This is not your traditional bowl of ice cream, but it could very well become a tradition.

*Note: You will need an ice cream maker for the sorbet, but I simply used store bought ice cream for the vanilla.

Grapefruit Creamsicle

Bon Appétit

yields two quarts

Ingredients:
1 quart store-bought vanilla ice cream, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest
1 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice (about 4 grapefruits)

Directions:
Scoop ice cream into an 8x4x2 1/2" loaf pan; pack ice cream along one long side to fill half of pan. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring sugar and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small pot, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in grapefruit juice. Cover and chill grapefruit mixture until cold, about 1 hour.

Process grapefruit mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Pour sorbet into empty side of pan alongside ice cream. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

To serve, spoon across ice cream and sorbet to form swirled scoops.

Enjoy.

Blackberry Pear Upside-Down Cake

2012-01-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

Apparently, there is a second blackberry season that nobody ever told me about, because they are practically giving away blackberries for free at the grocery stores around here. This is good news for you and me - more blackberry recipes!

My mom often makes this cake with raspberries, so I thought I'd give it a go with blackberries and pears. The result is winning. I left this pretty little thing out on the counter and my roommates ate almost all of it within 24 hours. This cake can be made with any fruit, but this combination won't let you (upside) down. Bon Appétit!

Blackberry Pear Upside-Down Cake

adapted from Gourmet

yields one 8 inch cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

3 pears, sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line bottom of a buttered 8- by 2-inch round cake pan with 2 rounds of parchment paper, then butter parchment. Dust pan with some flour, knocking out excess.

Arrange pears, and then blackberries in 1 layer in cake pan. Sprinkle berries with 11/2 tablespoons sugar.

Whisk together 1 cup flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 batches, mixing at low speed until just incorporated.

Spoon batter evenly over berries, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven until top is golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Run a thin knife around edge of pan, then invert a large plate over pan and, using pot holders to hold plate and pan together tightly, flip cake onto plate. Peel off parchment and serve cake.

Enjoy.

Lemon, Rosemary, and Sea Salt Focaccia (Tiddly Pom)

2012-01-20T11:39:00.002-07:00

Today it's sunny with a high of 72°F and a 20% chance (I'm a meteorologist now, look at that!) of a single cloud floating across the horizon. It's lovely. Yet... I can't help but feel a little empty inside. I miss winter.

When I was home in Maryland over Christmas it flurried. Once. I hurriedly rushed outside to capture this mythical and magical white stuff (Tucson legend has it that this is called "snow") falling from the sky with my camera. I was only wearing a t-shirt, but I didn't care. This moment was special, and becoming increasingly rare in my new life. Being away from something, someone, someplace can make us see just how beautiful the seemingly ordinary can be, and how we shouldn't take it for granted.

I also couldn't help but think of A.A. Milne's poem from The House at Pooh Corner:

(Tiddly Pom)

The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
On snowing.

And nobody knows
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
Are growing.

The more it snows
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
On snowing.

And nobody knows
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
Are growing.

We're not so unlike these flakes of snow: no two exactly alike; each our own shape and size, each our own unique journey from above -- Each step sounds a Tiddly Pom, each heart beats a Tiddly Pom.

This rustic, lemony, salty focaccia is perfect for a winter's day, even a pretend one. Fresh rosemary and good olive oil counter the burst of tart, citrus flavor, pleasing all of the tastes. I have a huge rosemary bush in my front yard, so every time I see a recipe with rosemary my eyes light up.

I made some focaccia with tomatoes, too, since my roommate can't eat lemons. So, feel free to use the bread recipe as your base and flavor to your preference. I made these in four mini cheesecake pans as they were the perfect individual serving size, but you could also use two 8-inch cake pans for a larger focaccia.

Lemon, Rosemary, and Sea Salt Focaccia
adapted from Canal House Cooking, Volume No. 3: Winter & Spring

yields two 8-inch rounds or multiple mini rounds

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for prepping pans and drizzling
1 3/4 cups break flour, plus more for kneading
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 lemon
2 branches fresh rosemary, removed from stem and lightly chopped
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
For the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Pulse the flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Add the yeast mixture and process until a rough ball of dough forms, 1 minute. Briefly knead dough on a floured surface until smooth. Shape dough into a ball. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large bowl. Roll dough around in bowl until coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Pour a thin film of oil into each of four 8-inch round cake pans. Divide the dough and put one piece into each pan. Using your fingertips, spread dough out in each pan. The dough is elastic and will resist stretching. Let it relax for 5 minutes or so after you've stretched it as far as it will go. Eventually, it will cooperate and fill the pan.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cover the pans with damp dishcloths and let the dough rest until it has swollen in the pans a bit, 30-60 minutes.

Uncover the pans. Sprinkle the dough with the rosemary. Using your fingertips, poke dimples into the dough in each pan, then liberally drizzle with oil so it pools in the hollows. Arrange just the thinnest rounds of lemon on top, drizzle with more oil, and sprinkle with remaining sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake the focaccia until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Drizzle with more oil when you pull the focaccia from the oven. Serve cut into wedges.

Enjoy.

Profiteroles with Blackberry Mascarpone, Chocolate, and Pistachio

2012-01-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! Let us hope 2012 brings happiness to us all. I rung in the new year with these little fellows: flaky profiteroles filled with blackberry mascarpone, dipped in chocolate, and sprinkled with pistachio. I love the colors and the flavors in this dessert. I hope that you'll give them a try sometime this year. Take care, and best wishes and blessings!

Profiteroles

adapted from La Fuji Mama

yields four dozen mini profiteroles

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the flour mixture all at once and stir vigorously. Cook and stir until the mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate. Remove from the heat and cool slightly (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one until the dough is smooth.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 2-inches apart onto a lined baking sheet. Or transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe circles about 2-inches in diameter and about 1-inch apart onto lined baking sheets. Bake the puffs for about 30 minutes until they are golden brown and puffy. If the puffs are medium-size, bake for about 25 minutes, and if the puffs are mini-size, bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the cream puffs from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.

Blackberry Mascarpone

Ingredients:

2 cups blackberries

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup sugar

16 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Place blackberries, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Mash blackberries as they cook down. Leave on low for 15 minutes.

Strain blackberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Let cool.

With an electric mixer on low speed, combine mascarpone, confectioners' sugar, and the blackberry mixture until combined.

Assembly

Melt 8 ounces of chocolate on a double broiler. Grind 1/4 cup shelled pistachios into a fine powder.

Pipe blackberry mascarpone into the profiteroles. Dip tops of profiteroles in melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle with pistachios. Let chocolate cool and harden. Can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baked Penne & Cheese and the Large Binocular Telescope

2011-12-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

This blog post has been a long time coming. Back in October (I know, I know. Grad school took over my life. I'm working on it...), my friend and officemate Cecilia and I went with a bunch of awesome grad students in the optics department to Mt. Graham in southeastern Arizona. What's on Mt. Graham? Oh, only the largest mirrored telescope in North America, the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT has TWO 8.4 meter mirrors and nightly looks into the cosmos, searching for galaxies, nebulas, and exoplanets in the optical and infrared. We were privileged enough to take a tour of the observatory. I thought I'd share some pictures with you! (Sorry... I totally just geeked out on you.)

(above photo taken by Wiphu Rujokaparn and Marc-Andre Bessel)

I learned so much, and it was great to escape Tucson for the weekend to a cool, fall mountain top. If you are in the area, I recommend camping up here. Beautiful views in every direction, amazing sunsets, and yellow aspens should be enough to tempt you. It got cold in the night, but that was nothing a little campfire and whiskey couldn't solve. Thanks again, optics kids!

This Baked Penne and Cheese is pure comfort food. After camping in the cold, I just wanted to make something that felt like home. You can of course use macaroni, but I like penne because the cheese sauce fills the long tubes for extra, gooey wonderfulness. The secret ingredient is freshly ground nutmeg. It adds a warm, nutty flavor making this dish all the more savory.

This casserole can be made ahead of time and reheated, and stores well in the fridge for leftovers. Any kind of milk can be substituted as well. I often make this with soy milk and it tastes just as rich and delicious. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite default dinners.

one year ago: Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Baked Penne & Cheese

yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound penne

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

2 teaspoons salt

Fresh black pepper to taste

shot of Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and bubbling. Stir in the milk. Over medium-high heat, stir frequently until bubbling.

Reduce to low heat. Stir in cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 9x9-inch casserole dish.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until bubbling and beginning to brown on the top. Remove from oven and rest for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy.

Orange Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-12-25T00:04:00.005-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!! I hope those of you celebrating this blessed day are with friends and family ...and eating a lot of food :) I am bringing cupcakes, as well as chocolate crackle cookies, snowball cookies, and gingerbread cookies, to my aunt and uncle's home today.

These cupcakes are great for any season, especially the winter holiday: moist vanilla cake with a splash of citrus, rich chocolate filling, and airy cream cheese frosting. And how adorable are these Christmas cupcake liners and toppers from Meri Meri?

I hope you have a beautiful holiday season, and get a chance to have a heart to heart with a family member or a friend ...perhaps over cupcakes. Peace and blessings.

Love,

Meghan

one year ago: Gingerbread Cupcakes

Orange Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 30 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest of 2 oranges

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. With an electric mixer combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, orange juice, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition. Beat until ingredients are incorporated.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Filling

yields 2 cups cream filling

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream (I used heavy cream for a richer cream filling but you could just use milk.)
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa powder in saucepan. Stir in milk and cream. Over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir 1/2 of hot mixture into egg yolks in separate bowl, add back to the saucepan, and boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

yields 4 cups frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
6 cups confectioners' sugar
8 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese for 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes.

Assembly

Scoop some cake out of the center of the cupcake with a melon baller or spoon. Fill with chocolate cream filling. Pipe cream cheese frosting on top of the cupcake. Add sprinkles.

Enjoy.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Walnut Rugelach

2011-12-24T11:30:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas Eve! How do you celebrate this eve? However you celebrate, here's a decadent dark chocolate raspberry walnut rugelach recipe sure to spread some cheer. Put these cookies out for Santa tonight. I'm guessing he'll eat them all...

one year ago: Winter Bark

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Walnut Rugelach

adapted from Annie's Eats

yields 32 cookies

Ingredients:
8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
3/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
To make the dough: Combine the cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to blend. Add in the vanilla extract and lemon zest, and pulse until incorporated. Add in the flour and pulse until the dough comes together in a soft ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Working with half of the dough at a time, transfer to a lightly floured work surface and flatten into a disc. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a thin round about 12-13 inches in diameter. Spread half of the raspberry jam in an even layer over the disc of dough.

Use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to slice the dough in half and in half again and again until you have 16 equal triangles. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate over the jam, and sprinkle the chopped nuts on top of that.

Working with one triangle at a time, roll up each piece of dough into a spiral form, starting from the wide end so that the tip is on the outside.

Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, seam side down. Repeat this process with the remaining disc of dough and the remaining fillings.

Once all the cookies are assembled and on the baking sheets, lightly brush the cookies with a bit of heavy cream. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk together to blend. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture lightly over the cookies. Bake until golden, about 22-24 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Enjoy.

Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf

2011-12-22T16:19:00.002-07:00

Cranberry Orange Bread is a favorite in my family. My mom always makes many mini loaves to give away to friends. She wraps then in little cellophane bags with holly on them and ties them with raffia ribbon. It's pure Christmas cheer.

My mom calls it "bread," but it's really the consistency of cake (Cake that you're allowed to eat for breakfast, so we'll roll with this "bread" bit... I've called it a "loaf" here to be politically correct :) ) The orange and cranberry are a refreshing punch to this moist and delicious comfort food. This can be eaten it by itself, or spread with some butter and jam on top.

My mom gives away most of the loaves, but there's always a few left for us. I know what I'll be having for breakfast this week... :)

one year ago: Ciambelle (Lemon Wreath Cookies)

Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf
from Martha Stewart

yields 1 large loaf or 3 mini loaves (mini loaf pictured above)

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
zest of 1 orange
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cranberries, diced
1/2 cup roasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir heavy cream, orange juice, and vanilla. In another small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl beat butter, orange zest, and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while continuing to beat. Alternate adding flour mixture and cream mixture until fully incorporated. Add cranberries and walnuts.

In a prepared loaf pan or cardboard loaf pan, fill with batter until 2/3 full. Bake about 30 minutes in the oven until gold brown or until a toothpick come out clean when put in the center of the loaf. Let cool completely on a rack. Loaves can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored on the counter for days or in the freezer for weeks.

Enjoy.

Iced Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies and the U.S. Botanical Gardens

2011-12-22T09:41:00.006-07:00

This week I went to the U.S. Botanical Gardens next to the U.S. Capitol to see the annual Christmas display. This year's "Who Lives Here?" exhibit features houses of critters, fairies, and presidents, as well as national monuments. The creative team from Applied Imagination, a Kentucky-based crew of artists, botanical architects and landscape designers, spent eight months creating this amazing display entirely out of natural material.

Fairies made of flowers and hot air balloons made of leaves hang from the ceiling while below are little abodes made of nuts, bark, fruits, and moss, cozily situated among the garden plants. Here is the 'Porcupine Place'.

The level of detail is absolutely phenomenal. You could look at this ten times and see something new every time. The fact that all of the media used to build these is all-natural makes them all the more inventive and creative. I just love the reed organ and acorn cap goblet!

All of the monuments are also constructed out of twigs and leaves and vines. Here's the Capitol.

If you are in the DC area over Christmas, I highly recommend going. Your inner child will be delighted!

These snowflake cookies were inspired by the earthy fairy houses: decorated with detail on a down-to-earth gingerbread cookie. The gingerbread cookies are the same recipe as the Molasses Gingerbread Cookies and Hogwarts Gingerbread Castle, and will make your house smell like clove and cinnamon. They are more spice than sweet. The royal icing was piped with only a #2 tip.

These cookies make a great holiday gift or addition to a holiday dessert table. I'd like to think that the fairies might eat a miniature version of these... :)

one year ago: Ciambelle (Lemon Wreath Cookies)

Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

from Martha Stewart

yields about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

Directions:

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Divide dough into 3 portions, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour. Slide dough and parchment onto baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

Cut out desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

Bake cookies for 6 minutes. Remove sheets from oven, and tap them firmly on counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven, rotating sheets, and bake until crisp but not darkened, 6 to 8 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Decorate to your heart's content with Royal Icing.

Royal Icing (Outline Consistency for Piping)

from Sugarbakers' Cookie Cutter Cookbook

yields 3 cups icing

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoon meringue powder

6 tablespoons warm water

Directions:

Combine in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.

Snowball Cookies

2011-12-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

I got home to Silver Spring from Tucson Saturday night. What did I do my first day home on Sunday? Start making Christmas cookies of course. This will continue for the next two weeks in my home. We'll play traditional choral Christmas carols on the speakers, and my mom and I will bake. They're not kidding: It's the most wonderful time of the year.

These Snowball Cookies are a childhood favorite. Our old neighbors and family friends the Sebastians would make these every year and serve them with peppermint ice cream. They are a spin off of Polvorones, or Mexican wedding cookies. I dare you to only eat one. These little guys just melt in your mouth while the nutty pecan flavor lingers on. Oh, and you'll be covered in powdered sugar.

If you can spare to share, these make a great little gift all packaged up in a cellophane bag.

The Christmas Cookie Season has begun! Stay tuned for more cookie recipes this week and next.

Snowball Cookies
adapted from Bon Appétit

yields about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, coarsely ground

Directions:

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half and form each half into ball. Wrap balls separately in plastic. Chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl or dish. Set aside.

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough.

Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Enjoy.

Green Gazpacho and Desert Colors

2011-12-17T23:34:00.001-07:00

It is no secret that the desert can often be an inimical and inhospitable place (see any and all posts between May and September where I'm probably complaining about the heat...). The desert takes some getting used to. The mountains are brown and the lawns are "zero-scaped" with stones. Grass is a luxury. Trees are a rarity. Plants attack. Yet, it would be a bold-faced lie to declare that the desert is devoid of life and color.

Green cacti are highlighted all the more by complimentary red sandstone.

Catch a hummingbird between wing flaps, and see the varied green, blue, and purple hues in its feathers.

Even if all that surrounds is drab, the sky never disappoints.

And on that rare occasion, the most precious treasure springs forth and dances in the endless sunshine.

Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook Plenty is just as vibrant as these desert gems. The recipes are simple, yet incorporate a multitude of vegetables and complex flavors. Do not let the number of ingredients in this gazpacho deter you! This soup takes a mere 10 minutes to make. It is the most refreshing, yet filling and satisfying vegetarian dish I have made to date. So much so that I wanted to eat it for every meal of the day (Yes you will find a way to incorporate this into breakfast - omelette... breakfast burrito... soup for breakfast... it's fine...).

Green Gazpacho

Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi

yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 celery stalks (including the leaves)
2 small green bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 1/4 pounds cucumbers, peeled and seeded
3 slices stale bread, crust removed (I used multigrain, and would also recommend white or wheat)
1 fresh green chile/jalapeno, seeded
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
6 cups baby spinach
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 cups water
9 ounces ice cubes
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:
Roughly chop the celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, bread, chile, and garlic. Place these in a large bowl along with the sugar, walnuts, spinach, basil, parsley, vinegar, oil, yogurt, 1 1/2 cups of the water, half the ice cubes, the salt and a pinch of pepper.

Working in batches, pulse the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, pouring each batch into a bowl and stirring to combine at the end. Add as much of the remaining 1/2 cup water, a little at a time, to get your preferred consistency.

Serve the green gazpacho immediately, ladling it into bowls and drizzling a little olive oil on top. Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Enjoy.

Baked New Potatoes with Sea Salt and Rosemary

2011-10-19T10:50:00.002-07:00

I've had a crush on Jamie Oliver ever since he was The Naked Chef. He helps little kids eat healthy, his recipes are simple yet flavorful and flawless, and he's cute as a button. Who doesn't have a crush on Jamie Oliver? My boyfriend has a crush on Jamie Oliver. He even made me Jamie's risotto for my birthday.

I just purchased Jamie's America: Easy Twists on Great American Classics, and More & Jamie's Great Britain on amazon. I probably only cook a proper dinner about three or four nights per week. I'm confident that Jamie and I can change this to almost every night.

This recipe is classic Jamie - five simple ingredients, great flavors, and easy to make. Crunchy seasoned skin and with an inside like butter, these little guys make a great winter side dish to compliment meat or a plate of vegetables. This recipe was also an excuse for me to use my fancy little bottle of Fleur de Sel from The Meadow.

Baked New Potatoes with Sea Salt and Rosemary
Jamie Oliver

yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds 3-ounce Yukon gold or other small potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and bashed

Directions:
Boil a pot of water. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Wash potatoes and parboil until almost tender.

When done, drain them, drizzle with jolive oil and roll in sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and rosemary.

Put the potatoes in a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 25 minutes until golden, or wrap them in aluminum foil and throw them on the grill for the same amount of time.

Enjoy.

Creamy Goat Cheese, Basil & Spinach Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

2011-10-18T20:23:00.001-07:00

Pesto pasta has become my default when I don't feel like cooking a complex meal. It's a step above pasta with sauce out of a jar? Maybe? At least I make the pesto myself, which is really arduous: put some ingredients in a food processor and press on... Whatever. It's delicious!

This pesto is a little lighter than your average pesto, with goat cheese instead of parmesan, spinach, and no nuts. I like to add some sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes (I admit that those come out of a jar) to add another layer of flavor. I hope you enjoy this simple yet satisfying dinner (makes a great leftover lunch, too!).

Creamy Goat Cheese, Basil & Spinach Pesto

yields about 1 cup pesto

Ingredients:
2 ounces goat cheese
1 1/2 cups basil leaves
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:
Place goat cheese, basil, spinach, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend and slowly add olive oil until desired consistency is reached.

Smother on anything. Here I tossed the pesto with some pasta and sun-dried tomatoes.

Pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Over time the pesto will brown. It's still okay to eat, but looks rather unappetizing.

Raspberry Pie

2011-10-10T13:47:00.001-07:00

Have any of you seen the movie Waitress? I just love it to pieces. This is my I Don't Understand Turbulent Convection in Stellar Interiors Raspberry Pie.

This pie is just some good, old-fashioned, home-cooked love. Flaky crust, tart and sweet filling, and a lot of heart(s). I do not have any pictures of pie wedges, because this dessert was devoured by grad students in about three minutes flat. That does suggest, however, that this pie recipe is a keeper.

Personally, I don't like to add too much cornstarch or flour to my filling. I like a slightly thickened filling, but I don't want to taste paste, so I just sprinkle some cornstarch on the top. Any kind of berry or cherry can be substituted for the raspberries. Nothing beats fresh raspberries, but frozen ones will work just as well (I would make sure to thaw the frozen raspberries and drain the excess water so that your pie isn't soupy.). The fruit will joyfully bubble and the crust will golden, letting you know that it's ready to come out of the oven.

The taste is perfect, but what will truly win you over is the aroma. This is the kind of pie that makes your whole house smell inviting and promises a comfortable haven. If there is one slice of advice I can give you, it's this: Take some time to smell the pie.

Raspberry Pie
adapted from Saveur

yields one 9" round pie

Ingredients:
Crust
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Filling
4 cups raspberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Assembly
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk or cream
1 tablespoon coarse sanding sugar

Directions:

For the crust: In a food processors, pulse the butter, flour, and salt until it resembles a coarse meal. With the processor on, slowly add the ice water until the dough begins to hold together. Press the dough into a rough ball, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times until smooth. Divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other, and flatten each slightly to make a flat disk. Wrap disks individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling: Toss raspberries with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

For the pie: Preheat oven to 375°. Roll the larger disk of dough out on a lightly floured surface into an 11" round, then fit it into a 9" glass pie plate. Transfer filling to pastry bottom. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and scatter the 3 tablespoons of butter over fruit. Roll the remaining disk of dough out on the lightly floured surface into a 10" round, then cut it into eight 1"-wide strips. Weave dough strips on top of filling to make a lattice-top crust, fold edges of dough under, and crimp edges. Brush lattice crust with 1 teaspoon of milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until pastry is deep golden (cover edges of crust with foil if browning too quickly), 60–70 minutes. Set pie aside to cool for several hours before serving.

Enjoy.

Hummus

2011-10-09T17:13:00.003-07:00

Hummus. You've seen it at about every potluck/dinner party these days. You've probably bought a giant tub of it before. You've probably never made it yourself though, and lucky for you, it's super simple! You just chuck a bunch of ingredients into a food processor, and voila! you have a dip that deceptively makes you feel better about your hips than ranch dressing does.

I like to garnish my hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and either paprika or some sun-dried tomatoes, and serve with some cut up pita bread (that's on the list of things to bake!). But hummus doesn't just have to be an appetizer. You can pretty much spread it on whatever you like. I like to put it in my sandwiches and wraps for lunch.

This hummus takes five minutes to make, so try it out the next time that you have a party or want to switch up the lunch routine. And most importantly, enjoy.

Hummus

yields 4 cups

Ingredients:
2 16 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained of liquid
3 tablespoons tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons olive oil
7 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly mixed and smooth (about 3 minutes).

Place in a serving bowl and top with olive oil and other garnishes (paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, pine nuts, cumin, etc.).

Roasted Green Chile & Tomatillo Salsa Verde

2011-10-05T23:11:00.002-07:00

I know that I've been missing from the blog lately. Grad school takes its toll after the first month. That, and last week I went on a planetary surface geology field trip and camping excursion to northeast Arizona. Canyon de Chelly and the Painted Desert are pretty spectacular. Check it out:

Yet another reason to love the Southwest: Green Chiles and Tomatillos. This salsa is hot, but that's the way I like it.

Roasted Green Chile & Tomatillo Salsa Verde

yields 2 cups

Ingredients:
8 tomatillos
3 green chile peppers, stemmed, cut in half, and seeded
1/2 onion, quartered
1 tablespoon lime juice
handful of cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 F. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and cut in half. Place cut side down on a lined baking tray. Place the halved green chiles on the baking tray as well. Put tray in the over for about 5 minutes or until the skins begin to blacken. Remove from oven and let cool
Place tomatillos, green chiles, onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Cool in refrigerator.

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

2011-09-18T20:10:00.002-07:00

I recently made some de-licious strawberry curd. I spread it on almost everything: bananas, toast, cookies, even strawberries for some flavor to the max. Then, out of the blue, I had an idea...

More on that idea in a bit. First, can we please pause to praise this completely unnecessary but necessarily awesome aqua ceramic farmer's market fruit carton pictured above from Anthropologie **moment of oo-ing and ahhh-ing**

Ok, moving on.

I had this idea to make Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes. Strawberries, cake, cream, curd, and last but not least rum all in one bite. You can thank me after you make this.

Here we go: A vanilla cupcake, soaked in rum, filled with strawberry buttercream, and topped off with strawberry curd and strawberries. Even presentation-wise, these are fun, and would be great for any adult gathering. The strawberry curd pops even more with bright cupcake liners and little paper umbrellas!

I will warn you: this is a project. There are many recipes and steps but I'm going to say that you could have these made and assembled in 3 hours. Don't kill the messenger! Especially the one who gives you the idea that such a dessert could exist...

How to Make Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes
Make Vanilla Cupcakes (recipe below).
Poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes with a fork.
Cut out center of cupcakes with a knife and fill with Strawberry Buttercream (recipe below).
Mix 1/2 cup simple syrup (recipe below) with 2 tablespoons of rum. Brush mixture over the cupcakes.
Spread Strawberry Curd (recipe below) on the cupcake tops. Garnish with a strawberry.
Enjoy.

RECIPES:

Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from My Baking Addiction

yields 2 dozen cupcakes or 6 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
4 large egg whites
8 tablespoon (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. Then add the last of the dry ingredients, beating until, yes, that's right, the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Using a large scoop/spoon, distribute the batter between the muffin trays, filling each muffin liner until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-24 minutes for cupcakes, and 16-18 minutes for mini cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. While cupcakes are cooling, make Strawberry Buttercream...

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Strawberry Buttercream
adapted from Confessions of a Tart

yields about 1 1/2 cups frosting

Ingredients:
1 sticks (8 tbsp) of butter, room temperature
1/2 cup strawberries, pureed (I measured out the strawberries first and then pureed them)
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Cream the butter in the mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. On slow speed, gradually add about 2 cups of powdered sugar and turn back up to high for a few minutes to really incorporate the sugar. Turn to slow speed again and fold in the strawberries. Add more sugar until desired consistency is achieved. Once all the sugar is incorporated, turn to medium-high for a few minutes to mix well.

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Simply Syrup

yields 1/2 cup simple syrup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.
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Strawberry Curd

yields about 1 1/2 cups curd

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
In a food processor or blender pulse strawberries until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer to remove seeds.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberry puree, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until very thick, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat. Gradually add butter, whisking until melted. Let cool. Place in a jar and store in refrigerator.

Double Rainbow Cakes

2011-09-13T19:56:00.001-07:00

Double Rainbow! WHAT DOES IT MEAN!? My friend Dave had his last day at work today. His enthusiasm, happy demeanor, candor, and larger(and louder)-than-life laugh will no longer roam the halls of LPL. He's off to new beginnings: new job, new home, and, most importantly, new daughter (the adorable Miss Hannah). So, this cake just means: all the best and we'll miss you!

Strawberry Curd

2011-09-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

Waste not, want not. I had some egg yolks and strawberries leftover from making those delicious Strawberry Lemonade Bars, so I decided to whip up some homemade strawberry curd.

This recipe is simple to make, and easily adaptable. So far every fruit that I've encountered would make a great flavor for curd. I've got some big plans for this creamy, pink deliciousness... so stay tuned!

Strawberry Curd

yields about 1 1/2 cups curd

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
In a food processor or blender pulse strawberries until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer to remove seeds.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberry puree, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until very thick, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat. Gradually add butter, whisking until melted. Let cool. Place in a jar and store in refrigerator.

Enjoy.

Goat Cheese Tart with Basil, Mushrooms, and Shallots

2011-09-12T17:47:00.001-07:00

Why does cheese have to taste so good? I would be a generous ten pounds skinnier if I gave up eating cheese, but, well, that's just not going to happen, so I made this tart full of goat cheese. Bon Appétit!

Basil and sauteed mushrooms & shallots are strewn through a creamy goat cheese filling inside of a classic Pâte Brisée crust. It's like a quiche, but with goat cheese instead of just eggs, and therefore more delicious. Cheeeeeeeeeeese...

This recipe works great for lunch or dinner, and can even be made into mini tarts as appetizers. I chose to flavor my tart with basil, mushrooms, and shallots, but feel free to play around with other herbs and veggies. I also imagine smearing a layer of jam or chutney on the tart crust before adding the filling could yield some interesting sweet/savory creations. Cherries and goat cheese is another great combo.

I can only vouch for this specific tart, which happens to be fantastic.

Goat Cheese Tart with Basil, Mushrooms, and Shallots

yields 1 8 in x 8 in tart, or 1 8 in round tart + a little extra (I made some mini tarts!)

Ingredients:
Tart:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1/4 cup ice water

Goat Cheese Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots
1/2 pound mushrooms
8 ounces goat cheese
3/4 cup milk (I used soy milk. You can use half-and-half or cream, too, for an even richer filling)
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the tart: Cut chilled butter into pieces. Place butter, flour, salt, sugar, and nutmeg (optional) in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal (about 10 seconds). Leave food processor on and add ice water in a steady stream until the mixture resembles dough. Remove dough from food processor, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour (Dough can be frozen and used at a later time as well). While the tart dough is chilling, make the filling.

For the filling: Heat butter and olive oil in a saute pan over medium low heat. Chop shallots and mushrooms and saute for about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat. In a food processor, pulse the goat cheese, milk, eggs, basil, and pepper until smooth. Transfer filling to a bowl and stir in the shallots and mushrooms.

Preheat oven to 350 F. On a floured surface, roll out tart dough. Transfer to tart pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add filling. Return to over and bake for 30-40 minutes (or until the filling is set). Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Enjoy.

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

2011-09-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

These little pink beauties are all that their name promises. Some how the proportions of this recipe are just so that the bars don't just taste like strawberry-flavored lemon bars, they taste like strawberry lemonade bars. Mmmmmmm...

The strawberry lemon filling will appear almost soupy when prepared but firms up quite nicely once baked. The original recipe actually called for raspberries, but I had a big supply of strawberries at the time (thanks Trader Joe!). I think blueberries and blackberries are a good compliment to lemon as well, and would make beautiful purple and fuschia colored bars...

I ended up splitting the recipe into two 8x8 pans. I took one into work, but am tempted to leave the second one at home... dangerous...

This recipe can be made at any time of the year if you use frozen berries instead of fresh-picked, but the flavors scream summer. Labor Day has come and gone, but it'll feel like summer here in Tucson until October... which means... I'll have to make these a few more times until then. Darn.

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

adapted from Annie's Eats

yields about 24-32 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2¼ sticks (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

For the strawberry lemon layer:

3 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. lemon zest

¼ tsp. salt

3 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, thawed

6 large egg whites

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with a reduced baking time of 25-30 minutes for the strawberry lemon layer.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour and salt just until incorporated. Add the dough to the prepared baking pan. Press into an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven, maintaining the temperature.

While the crust is baking, make the top layer. Combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Puree strawberries and press through a fine mesh sieve, mashing with a spatula, to extract as much juice and pulp as possible, straining out the seeds. Add the egg whites and eggs to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk well to blend. Whisk in the strawberry puree and lemon juice until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the crust and bake until the center is just set and not longer jiggles when gently shaken, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cover and chill well in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into bars. Dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Enjoy.

Rainbow Cupcakes

2011-09-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Bright and bold Rainbow Cupcakes are as easy as 1, 2, 3... 4, 5, 6! Watch and learn...

1. Make a vanilla cake mix, and preheat oven accordingly. I KNOW, I KNOW! I am usually religiously against cake mixes but you want a runny (not fluffy) batter. Plus these cupcakes look labor intensive, even though they aren't at all, so your friends will already be impressed. Stop over achieving.

2. Divide batter equally into bowls and add food dye/gel for each color. I used six colors.

3. Place liners in cupcake tray and spoon 1 teaspoon of each color in the center of the cup. The cake cups should be about 1/2 - 2/3 full.

4. Bake according to mix (I'm cringing, too. It's okay.) instructions.

5. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

6. Enjoy, and show off your colors!

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

2011-08-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

I cannot get enough basil this summer. I'll eat it with anything: pesto, caprese, pasta, frittata, and, yes, even ice cream. I was skeptical about herbal dessert, but basil ice cream is marvelously refreshing (here, basil plays a similar flavor role as mint does). Last summer I made a sweet basil ice cream topped with strawberries in balsamic syrup that went over really well with all who tried it, so when I came across this recipe that combined such great flavors, I couldn't turn away.

Strawberry Basil Ice cream is an ode to summer. The upcoming Labor Day weekend marks the official end of summer, though I have a feeling it will linger for a while longer here in Tucson. So cheers to warmer times, fresh berries, basil from the garden, and ice cream!

Note: I took these pictures outside when it was 104 F. The ice cream doesn't look this melt-y in real life, I promise :)

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream
adapted from Cherry Tea Cakes

yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar plus additional for strawberries
2 cups half and half, cream, or whole milk
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Directions:
Scald one cup of half and half along with ½ cup sugar and half of the basil over medium heat in a medium sauce pan. Remove from heat. Allow to sit for a few minutes before discarding the basil.

In a stand mixer whisk together the yolks and ¼ cup sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually pour the scalded half and half down the side of the bowl as the mixer is still going.

Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture has thickened and will coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat, and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Add in the remaining half and half and lemon extract. Chill the custard thoroughly. About two hours.

Place strawberries in a bowl and dust lightly with sugar. Allow to sit for one hour.

Puree the strawberries and push through a fine mesh sieve, and into the chilled custard. Puree the remaining basil and add into the chilled custard. Stir gently to combine.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Enjoy.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

2011-08-28T21:59:00.002-07:00

Warning: Mini cupcakes are dangerous. You think you can eat five in one sitting because they're only little... Please proceed at your own risk.

Simple, elegant, and flavorful, this two-bite dessert quickly charms its way into your stomach. Any lunch, party, or bridal shower would welcome the arrival of this pretty, petite palate-pleaser.

I cannot get over the stunning color of this frosting. All praise the blackberry! It reminds me of the blackberry cabernet gelato that Frost sells (probably because it's 105 F outside and I wish I had some ice cream right now... or because I always wish I had some ice cream right now regardless of the temperature...). If you can make this frosting before gobbling up all of the blackberries in the carton (power to you!), then you can make this recipe, and I highly recommend it.

Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from My Baking Addiction

yields 2 dozen cupcakes or 6 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
4 large egg whites
8 tablespoon (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. Then add the last of the dry ingredients, beating until, yes, that's right, the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Using a large scoop/spoon, distribute the batter between the muffin trays, filling each muffin liner until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-24 minutes for cupcakes, and 16-18 minutes for mini cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. While cupcakes are cooling, make Blackberry Frosting...

Blackberry Frosting

yields about 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter, softened
1 cup blackberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Beat the butter, blackberries, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add sugar, one cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Slather on cupcakes. Top with blackberries.

Enjoy.

Cherry Gelato

2011-08-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Light, airy, and eggless, this cherry gelato is a fantasy in foodie form. I still feel guilty for eating something so heavenly (and pink!).

If these picture don't make you want to try this, then I don't know what else I could say that would...

Cherry Gelato

yields 3 cups of gelato

2 cups half and half
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped cherries

Mix 1/2 cup half and half and cornstarch in a small bowl until thoroughly combined with no lumps.

Heat 1 1/2 cups half and half and sugar in a medium saucepan until almost boiling. Add cornstarch mixture and cherry preserves. Let simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer to a metal bowl and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

Remove from freezer. Add lemon juice. Freeze according to ice cream maker's instructions. At the last moment add chopped cherries. Remove gelato from ice cream maker, and store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Enjoy.

Lemon Hibiscus Sorbet

2011-08-14T12:26:00.001-07:00

I live around the corner from a wonderful Chinese tea shop, Seven Cups. Yesterday, I was looking for a gift to give a fellow tea-lover, when I came across these dried hibiscus flowers. Pictured is Chinese hibiscus, but you can also find hibiscus flowers in Latin specialty food stores (usually in a bag labeled "Flor de Jamaica").

Hibiscus tea has tart fruity and floral flavor, and contains Vitamin C. An added benefit is that hibiscus tea has been linked in studies to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure, so drink up!

There's only one problem: my air-conditioner is broken. It's a summer's midday in Tucson. I don't want to drink hot tea. Solution? Lemon Hibiscus Sorbet.

This sorbet is delightfully light and refreshing, and has more depth of flavor than your average glass of iced tea. I cut back the amount of sugar in the original recipe because I really wanted the lemon and the hibiscus to be the stars. I found myself going back for thirds, so I think this recipe is a keeper. Lemon Hibiscus Sorbet is my perfect temporary relief from the sizzling summer.

Lemon Hibiscus Sorbet
adapted from Gourmet

yields 1 pint of sorbet

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Directions:
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add hibiscus flowers, remove from heat, and let steep for 15 minutes. (You could stop here and drink tea, but the sorbet is so good! I promise it is worth the wait...).

Pour the hibiscus tea through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl and discard the hibiscus flowers (I find the flowers are good for another round, so NOW you can make some tea just to drink :) ). Return tea to saucepan and bring to a boil with sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl and place in freezer for 20 minutes.

Remove metal bowl from freezer, add lemon juice, and freeze in ice cream maker, adding the lemon zest at the last minute. Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and place in freezer to harden, for at least 3 hours.

Enjoy.

Seahorses & Sea Scallops (Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies)

2011-08-12T20:02:00.002-07:00

I miss the ocean. Don't get me wrong - the desert is full of beauty, and Tucson sure does know how to set a sun - but nothing quite beats a sea breeze rolling off from the seemingly-infinite, blue horizon...

I have one of those conch shells on my nightstand, and it teases me with the sounds of the ocean. So I was left no choice but to roll out my longing on a lightly floured surface, and squeeze out my wanderlust through a pastry bag. The result are these cute little seahorse and sea scallop cookies.

The base is a lemon poppy seed sugar cookie - a perfect flat canvas for whatever creation you have in mind. With plenty of lemon zest, this sand dollar packs a refreshing punch.

I've traded sand between the toes for poppy seeds between the teeth, but there are worse second-bests... I hope these cookies bring a smile to you, as they do to me :)

Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields about 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
In the bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. While the mixer is running, add the egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds, and mix until well combined. Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the flour, salt, and baking powder, and mix until just combined.

Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper;.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut twice more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes, but do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Decorate with royal icing, if you fancy. Enjoy.

Today's Photo: Lost Boy Beach, Again!

2011-08-10T23:52:00.001-07:00

Today's Photo is of Lost Boy Beach, the secret beach cove that our beautiful rental perched above, ensconced in a forest in Oceanside, OR. I wish I could have stayed there the entire summer! By taking a little trail (below) lined with wildflowers we could reach this peaceful haven. I've never experienced such breathtaking views of the ocean and jagged rocks before. Our planet is truly a marvel.

Being in a landlocked state for the next five months is not going to be easy, when all I can do is dream of seashells...

Honey Crepes with Black Plums, Mascarpone, and Pistachios

2011-08-07T18:13:00.001-07:00

I got plum crazy (punny!) at the market last week and bought a few too many plums, as if such a dilemma exists. I'd been waiting for the right plum recipe to come along, and once again, Smitten Kitchen never fails to provide just what I was in search of: Crepes filled with warm plums. Mmmmm...

As they cook, the plums go from pale yellow flesh with purple skin, to golden flesh with magenta skin swimming in a coral glaze. And the hint of nutmeg is priceless. This has to be the best way to eat plums. I was also happy that I found a recipe that makes no use of the oven, since today's high in dear old Tucson was a balmy 100 degrees.

The light and airy crepes take only minutes to make, and cooked crepes can be kept stacked and wrapped in the fridge for up to two days,. In addition, the sauteed plums can be cooked ahead of time, and gently rewarmed when the time is ripe.

I still cannot get over the beautiful colors in this crepe (I admit that I added the pistachios just for the touch of green), and it is as pleasing to the taste buds as it is to the eyes (I devoured two of these in under 5 minutes. You can judge me, but you're really just jealous). This crepe will be a repeat recipe to be sure, maybe next time with peaches!

Honey Crepes with Black Plums and Mascarpone
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

yields 8 small crepes

Ingredients:
Crepes
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup milk (I used soy milk)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Two pinches of salt
Few gratings fresh nutmeg
2 tablespoons honey

Plums
1 pound sugar or other plums, pitted, quartered, and cut into slices
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Juice of half a lemon

Assembly
1/2 cup Mascarpone
chopped pistachios
honey, if desired

Directions:
Make crepes: In a bowl, combine crepe ingredients by whisking vigorously. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to two days.

Preheat a medium skillet or crepe pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, brush pan lightly with melted butter or oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, swirling it until it evenly coats the bottom and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom is golden and the top is set, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook on other side for 5 to 10 seconds. Transfer wrapper to paper towel covered plate. Continue with remaining batter.

Prepare filling: Melt the butter in heavy, large skillet (or, the one you just used for crepes, because I’m on day 9 of a broken dishwasher and will not create additional work for myself) over moderately high heat. Add the plums and cook them for 2 minutes, tossing them about until they’re warmed through. Add the honey and cinnamon and cook them for 1 minute more. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them and transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl with foil if you’re looking to keep them warm for a while.

Assemble: Lay a crepe on a plate. Spread about a tablespoon of mascarpone down middle of crepe. Add a spoonful or two of warm plums. Sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with extra honey, if desired. Fold crepe sides over each other, so that they slightly overlap. Enjoy.

Today's Photo: Strawberry Tart

2011-08-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Today's Photo is of the Strawberry Tart I made while in Vancouver, BC. The market down the street had beautiful strawberries that were a match for the gorgeous backyard and deck of my boyfriend's roommate (She does landscaping and indoor plant arrangements). Look at all the flowers and greenery!

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Oregano-Hazelnut Pesto

2011-08-06T10:54:00.001-07:00

At home, I generally cook vegetarian. Food, Inc. made me weary of buying generic superstore meat ever again, and I think I'm all the more healthier for it. So when I saw this recipe in Saveur, I knew I had to try it.

Oregano and hazelnuts are the stars of this creation, giving much more depth of flavor than your average basil pesto. The pesto can be spread on pasta, bread, and meats, but I recommend trying it on these easy to make sweet potato ravioli.

With simply wonton wrappers, egg wash, and filling of your choice, homemade ravioli can be made in minutes and only take two minutes in boiling water to cook. What looks like an impressive task is really just a shortcut. Thank you wonton wrappers (though I really do want to attempt making ravioli dough someday...).

This is the lightest, while still being filling, pasta dish I have made to date, and is great for any time of year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Bon appétit!

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Oregano-Hazelnut Pesto
adapted from Saveur

serves 6-8

Ingredients:
Oregano-Hazelnut Pesto
1 1/2 cups packed oregano
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed basil
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sweet Potato Ravioli
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for serving
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, browned
1 tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp. minced sage
2 tsp. minced oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
80 square wonton wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra sage leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:
First, make the pesto. Process oregano, oil, basil, parmesan, hazelnuts, and garlic, in a food processor until finely ground. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Next, make the ravioli. Heat oven to 450 F. Cut sweet potatoes into thirds. Rub garlic and sweet potato with olive oil, and place, cut sides down, on a baking sheet, and bake until tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool briefly, and then remove potato skins and pass the potatoes and garlic through a potato ricer or food mill into a large bowl; mix in parmesan, browned butter, nutmeg, 2 tsp. finely chopped sage, oregano, and salt and pepper. Set filling aside.

Place 1 wonton wrapper on a work surface and place 1 tbsp. filling in center; brush edge of wrapper with egg and top with another wrapper; seal edges. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Working in batches, add ravioli, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with pesto until evenly coated. Arrange on a large serving platter or plates and top with sage leaves.

Today's Photo: Sand Ripples

2011-08-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Today's Photo is of sand ripples at Cape Lookout State Park in Oregon! And what a Lookout it was:

We were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day to enjoy the coast. More Oregon pictures are soon to follow...

Poppy-Seed Danishes with Cherry-Neufchâtel Filling

2011-08-04T01:48:00.001-07:00

I just got back from the Northwest in all of its beauty, and cherries. Bing and Rainier cherries were everywhere by the cheap, so I snagged some lovely cherry preserves at a fruit stand near Mt. Hood. On my multi-stop plane ride back from Seattle to Tucson I did a dangerous thing: I read five cooking magazines full of recipes (many, many more posts are on the way!). This recipe, which makes use of my cherry preserves, was featured in Martha Stewart Living.

I'm a sucker for breakfast pastries... and all pastries... but especially danishes, sticky buns, and cinnamon rolls. They are sweet, savory, fruity, and filling all in one bite. With this recipe, it was clear that my cherry preserves would be used for a greater good.

The danish dough is fool proof and could easily be used for all sorts of breakfast pastries. However, this specific combination of cheese, cherry, and poppy-seed is well worth simply sticking to the recipe, and the danishes resemble beautiful poppy flowers (of the buttery variety...).

And in case you're wondering what the heck Neufchâtel cheese is, it's that cheese that looks and tastes exactly like cream cheese, located right next to the cream cheese in your grocery store. The only advantage is that is has less fast without losing flavor, so any kind of cream cheese will do, but maybe you might like something new, too!

This recipe came through for me and my cherry preserves, making breakfast all the more delicious. I hope Martha's creation can do the same for you.

Poppy-Seed Danishes with Cherry-Neufchâtel Filling
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 9 danishes

Ingredients:
Danish Dough
1 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus more for bowl
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (one 1/4-ounce envelope) active dry yeast
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and hands
Salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash

Filling
8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/3 cup cherry preserves

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream

Directions:
First, make the danish dough. Warm milk, butter, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat until mixture reaches 120 degrees on a candy thermometer. (Butter will not melt completely.) Pour warm milk mixture over yeast in the bowl of a mixer; whisk to combine. Cover with 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes.

Using the dough-hook attachment (I don't have a stand mixer - donations welcome :) - so I did the following all by hand), mix dough on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until a sticky dough forms. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low, and mix in 1 1/2 cups flour. (If dough is too sticky, mix in an additional 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Continue to mix until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes more.

Using floured hands, turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a ball, and transfer to a large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until dough is doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Return dough to lightly floured surface, and punch down. Reshape into a ball. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Beat Neufchâtel cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk. Add poppy seeds, and beat until evenly distributed.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 16-inch square. Trim edges using a sharp paring knife to form a 15-inch square. (If dough seems too warm or too elastic, refrigerate or freeze for 10 minutes.) Cut dough into nine 5-inch squares, and divide between 2 baking sheets.

Cut a 2-inch line from the 4 corners of each square into the center. Spread a heaping tablespoon filling onto each. Dollop centers with a heaping teaspoon preserves. Fold the 2 top corners into the center of each square. Repeat with remaining corners to form petals. Brush petals with egg wash. Bake until deep golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use. (If glaze gets stiff, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.)

Drizzle Danishes with glaze, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Today's Photo: Voodoo Doughnut

2011-08-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Today's Photo is of the classic Voodoo Doughnut from Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, OR. Usually, there is a 1-hour + wait for this eclectic sugary fare, but my friend Kristin and I managed to arrive at a break in the day and only waited for 20 minutes. Complete with voodoo stake and raspberry-filling innards, this original is one of over 30 doughnuts, many covered with cereal and candy pieces. If you venture to Voodoo, your doughnut purchase will come in a giant Barbie-pink box (brilliant advertising) and don't be surprised if you are asked on the street to sell a doughnut or two to locals (they're too smart to wait in the around-the-block line). We went to a neighboring park by the riverside and relaxed as the doughnut scent wafted out of the box flap.

And yes, that IS bacon on that maple doughnut...

Today's Photo: Onion Ring Tower

2011-07-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Today's Photo is of the golden onion ring tower from the Pelican Pub & Brewery on Cape Kiwanda Beach in Pacific City, OR, that was devoured by four friends in less than four minutes. Those onion rings were as delicious as they look, too. As you can see, Tom looks very happy about the whole situation. He was not as happy when a seagull decided to leave him a little present on his shoulder moments later...

The oceanview from our seats was spectacular, but clearly can be risky... Nevertheless, we enjoyed a tasty lunch, and I highly recommend the Kiwanda Cream Ale :)

Today's Photo: Lost Boy Beach

2011-07-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Today's Photo is of my friend Kristin, over at The Pastry Affair, soaking in the rays at Lost Boy Beach. A few friends and myself are staying in Oceanside, Oregon for the week. Our house is beautiful and overlooks a beach cove. Climbing down a little trail for 10 minutes leads us to our own private beach. We are surrounded by green-covered walls, blue-grey water, and mystical sea spray. So forgive me for not posting for a few days, but the sunshine has been calling...

Today's Photo: Flower in VanDusen Botanical Garden

2011-07-23T06:01:00.003-07:00

Today's Photo is of a flower in VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC. I went to this beautiful 55-acre garden last week while visiting my boyfriend. Today, I can't just show you one photo. You need a taste of the rest of this place:

Today's Photo: Meatball Sandwich from Salumi

2011-07-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: Today's Photo is for mature audiences only. Sumptuous, tantalizing, seductively messy, Today's Food Porn, I mean Photo, is the meatball sandwich from Salumi that I made love to, I mean ate, in Seattle. My friend Chau introduced me to this beauty the moment I arrived in the Emerald City, and oh, what a moment it was... The meatballs are the best that I've ever had, and it came with fresh mozzarella! Salumi is best known for its cured meats, especially its salami. I also had a taste of the Muffo sandwich with the famous salami... If you love food and find yourself in Seattle, this is your place. Salumi is located at 309 3rd Ave S. and is only open Tuesday - Friday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Today's Photo: Sea Otter at the Vancouver Aquarium

2011-07-21T00:01:00.007-07:00

Today's Photo is of Milo, a sea otter at the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park. During my visit, I saw not only Milo, but also dolphins, jellyfish, and beluga whales (impressive!). The sea otters, though, were by far the cutest of the bunch. Here are a few sea otter facts that I learned:

Sea otters' fur is the thickest in the animal kingdom, so thick that their skin never actually gets wet.
Sea otters eat about a third of their body weight every day (They have a high metabolic rate)!
Sea otters were extinct in British Columbia due to the fur traders in the 1800s but some Alaskan sea otters were relocated to the Vancouver area and now there are about ~3000 in the area today.

Today's Photo: Snoqualmie Falls

2011-07-20T11:34:00.002-07:00

I'm going to try something new today (and almost everyday if I can stay on top of life/blogging this year): I'm going to post a recent photograph that I've taken, and a brief description of the subject matter, in an effort to improve my photography and let us get to know each other a little better...

My first "Today's Photo" is of Snoqualmie Falls, outside of Seattle, Washington. My friend Chau and her friend Matt took me here yesterday after hiking the Little Si trail in Snoqualmie Valley. Yes, it rains quite a lot in Seattle, but it's completely worth it for the beautiful greenery, dramatic skies and rainbows when the sun does decide to make an appearance!

(click to enlarge)

Stay tuned for tomorrow's photo from the Vancouver Aquarium...

Cold Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

2011-07-11T11:56:00.001-07:00

With the 4th of July just past, there is no question that summer is here to stay, and summer means corn. What would summer be without corn on the cob? Answer: sad, very sad.

I was invited to a potluck over the weekend and needed to bring a side dish. My roommate had left me behind corn and peppers in the fridge before leaving to go home for a couple weeks, so I needed to get creative with these main mediums sitting on the second shelf, and hence this salad was born.

This cold corn and roasted pepper salad is a perfect pairing for grill fare or tacos. It's refreshing, due to the cider vinegar and lime combo, and crisp, due to the cold crunch of the corn. I love me some freshly cracked pepper so feel free to add less, or add a shot of tabasco for some heat.

All of the health experts are always saying to "eat your colors", so you've got your reds, yellows, and greens covered with a helping of this dish. You don't have to make this salad, but please promise me that you will at the very least have some corn this summer!

Cold Corn and Roasted Pepper Salad
yields 8 side servings

Ingredients:
3 ears of corn, shucked
1 large red pepper (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow since that's what I had on hand)
1/2 cup diced green onion
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice from 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook corn with the lid covered for ~ 5 minutes. Meanwhile, roast the pepper (You can do this on the grill, but I cheated, since it was over 100 degrees outside, and just put the pepper on my stovetop gas burner, on low, rotating every few minutes). Let the pepper and corn cool.

Slice the corn kernels from the cob and dice the pepper and green onion. Toss the corn, roasted pepper, green onion, cider vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, sea salt, and pepper all together in a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Tart with Nutella, Raspberry Curd & Berries

2011-02-18T23:12:00.019-07:00

Chocolate and Raspberry. Need I say more, ladies? I think not. However, this tart says plenty more by taking chocolate and raspberry to another dimension: chocolate crust with Nutella and raspberry curd with fresh berries.

Can you believe that I kept this in my fridge for a whole 24 hours just to bring into school to share? 24 hours. 24 long, long hours. I even gave the mini tarts to my roommates. I never had a taste for 24 hours! Ok, fine, that's a boldfaced lie. I had spoonfuls of curd and Nutella, and maybe a berry or thirteen while assembling this tart. I'm only human.

This recipe for Chocolate Tart Dough is adaptable to all your chocolate tart needs (Make this tart and you will discover that you have chocolate tart needs.). This combo is satisfying, to say the least, but pick your own favorite fillings - pastry cream, custard, curd, ganache, fruit, etc. Let me know what you come up with!

Chocolate Tart Dough

Martha Stewart

yields 4 2x4-inch rectangular tarts; or 1 9-inch round tart + some extra for mini tarts

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolks, cream, and vanilla and process until mixture comes together.

Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a disk, and wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Now it's time to make the tart! Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove dough from fridge and let sit on a floured work surface for 5 minutes. Roll dough about 1/4-inch thick. Press dough evenly into tart pan. Bake for about 20 minutes (You're whole house will smell like chocolate - this is the best part!). Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for an hour.

Fill tart with delicious things. Enjoy.

Pecan Linzer Heart Cookies with Black Cherry Filling

2011-02-14T00:38:00.017-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! ♥ This year I finally got around to making Valentine's Day cards, except I mailed them really late. But that's ok, right? That makes them extra-special, because when Valentine's Day is over, and you think you're done getting trinkets of love in the mail, BAM - there's my Valentine (late...). Well, here you go. You can at least look at them on Valentine's Day... :)

I've always wanted to make Linzer cookies, but never tried. They looked so complicated and time consuming with their double layers and filling (this coming from a girl who will spend hours decorating cookies...). "And in short, I was afraid." (The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is the best poem, ever. Just don't read it on Valentine's Day...)

But fear not! These cookies are hardly time consuming, especially if you have Linzer cookie cutters, and you can fill them with whatever kind of tasty jam you like.

These cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day because they look like little doilies with hearts in the middle. I even baked the heart cut outs and made little heart cookie sandwiches...

And you feel healthy, because... uh... there's fruit in the jam... never mind the excessive powdered sugar mustache you now have... um... it's Valentine's Day, so it's alright...

Pass the box of chocolates, please! ...and another cookie.

Pecan Linzer Cookies

Martha Stewart

yields 32 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup red jam (I used black cherry, but any kind of red/purple fruit will do.)

Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. Pulse pecans, confectioners' sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet). Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours (I suggest overnight).

Preheat oven to 375 F. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes. Strain and let cool.

Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares and top with cutout ones. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Enjoy.

Leave of Absence, Deviled Eggs, and a Baby

2011-02-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

Dear Readers (if there are any of you left...),

I'm not well versed in the art of deception, but I can see how it would appear that way. I started this new blog on New Year's. I started cranking out recipes on a regular basis. I started to make you believe that I would keep on posting suchlike recipes. And then nothing. Nothing. Nothing for a month...

You might have blown me off. You might have cursed me. You might have thought "Oh, she can't handle keeping up a little blog." Well, now you're going to feel bad about that for two reasons: 1) I had a sinus infection, pink eye, bronchitis, laryngitis, and a urinary infection that spread into a pelvic infection landing me in the hospital for 8 days (you can't hate on the sick...) and 2) I have new recipes all ready for posting (you can't hate on those giving you tasty ideas...).

I'm back! and I hope you will take me back. Also, we're not allowed to get sick for all of 2011. I took one for the team, so we're all going to stay healthy now.

In happier news, my friends Chiara and Emanuele are the parents of a new baby girl, Caterina! We luckily threw a shower for Chiara a mere 36 hours before Caterina decided to show up. There was fun, games, food, and loads of presents and laughs.

Before I got sick, I had so been looking forward to making adorable baby shower desserts, namely a pink, girl version of Bake at 350's cute as a button cookies and i am baker's animal baby shower cookies. So. Cute. Sadly, I wasn't up to the task (Maybe for their next shower... Emanuele still wants a boy :o] )

I was able, however, to whip up some delicious deviled eggs, which were well received, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you, even though no baking was involved. My roommate Erin has this nifty crystal deviled egg serving platter. I never knew these existed. It's now on my list of "Things I don't need, but have to have" (don't judge! you know you have one, too...).

I'm sorry for deserting you, but I'll never be sorry for dessert-ing you, so stay tuned for Valentine's Day treats and other sugary goodness!

Love,
Meghan

Deviled Eggs
yields 12 servings (if you can stop eating at 2 halves... good luck!)

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dijon mustards
1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to garnish

Place eggs in a large pot. Fill pot with water such that the water level is about one inch above the eggs and add vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat and cover for 30 minutes. Remove eggs and put in an ice water bath. Once eggs are no longer hot, roll eggs on surface to gently crack. Remove the shell and skin. Cut eggs lengthwise down the middle. Remove the yolks and place the yolks in a bowl.

Mash the yolks with a fork and combine with mayonnaise, mustard, chives/green onions, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle the tops with paprika. Enjoy.

Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

2011-01-08T23:05:00.002-07:00

The Christmas season has come and gone, but this doesn't mean that gingerbread season is over. Oh no, it's just begun. This gingerbread recipe, the same one used to make the gingerbread Hogwarts castle, is perfect for making iced cookies. The cookies are smooth and sturdy but are still chewy, the perfect canvas for whatever creation you have in mind. Thank you once again, Martha Stewart.

I got a bit carried away with the royal icing, dragées, and sanding sugars on this batch, but the cookie cutouts were begging me to bring these little treats to technicolor life.

And the googly-eyed reindeer can't help but make you smile :)

These cookies pair perfectly with a warm cup of tea or hot cocoa. When your own roof is snow-covered, you can snuggle up inside and enjoy a winter wonderland with out the wind chill.

Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

from Martha Stewart

yields about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

Cut out desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

Decorate to your heart's content.

Harry Potter Birthday Cake {Part 2}

2011-01-05T22:05:00.002-07:00

Emily's Harry Potter Birthday Cake: a gingerbread Hogwarts with royal icing decor and candy glass windows, on a chocolate sheet cake (see recipe below), with marzipan characters. It stands solid and lights up!

When I last left off in the previous post (Harry Potter Birthday Cake {Part 1}), Jenny and I had completed making the gingerbread parts with candy windows and the marzipan characters. The time to assemble had arrived. Jenny mapped out on cardboard cake boards where the building would sit and cut holes in the center with an exacto knife where the lights would sit.

We stuck lights through the holes and taped the rest to the back.

We taped another board over the bottom so that the lights weren't lying in cake and flipped it. Voila!

Then came laying the foundations. A common problem with gingerbread houses is collapse. If you use enough royal icing and make sure the sides are standing, set, and dry before you add the rooftops, all should be well, in theory... luckily in this case, also in practice.

So we waited about 45 minutes for the sides to set, and did a light check while waiting - CHECK!

Then we piped icing along the sides and added the roofs and ice cream cone towers.

Finally, it was time for the castle to come to life! The cakeboard was moved on top of the chocolate sheet cake (recipe below). We watered down some of the royal icing and brushed it on the cake board. While wet, we dusted cocoa and sugar on for the ground. Using an Ateco pastry tip #133, I piped green royal icing into grass and shrubs. The landscape was complete with marzipan trees.

Our heros arrived...

Professor Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat were there to greet Ron, Harry and Hermione...

Hedwig was standing by to deliver birthday cards...

We even made a hut for Hagrid!

Another birthday cake was made with scraps from the Hogwarts cake (just in case the dog got to it)...

Emily, who had been in the dark until this point, was in for a surprise... I think she liked the end result :)

Thanks for sharing in this journey. It took Jenny and I the better part of two days to complete, so this cake was definitely a labor of love, but I was glad I could share it with Jenny and her family. It was a bold project to take on and I don't think we expected it to work. We were surprised that nothing catastrophic happened along the way. We were expecting to burn gingerbread, burn ourselves with sugar, collapse roofs, knock down buildings, or drop the cake, but somehow, every step went smoothly. So, bring on the next challenge. I smell a Lord of the Rings cake in my future... Hey, anything is possible. Just ask Ginny Weasley.

"You sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."
- Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Texas Brownies or Texas Sheetcake

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa
1/2 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 17 x 11 inch jelly roll pan (or baking tray with sides). Combine four, sugar, and soda in large bowl. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, coffee, cocoa, and chocolate. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture over dry ingredients in bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well, using a spoon or electric mixer. Pour into jelly roll pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until brownies test done in center (toothpick inserted in center comes out dry). Cool completely before serving.

Harry Potter Birthday Cake {Part 1}

2011-01-03T20:27:00.002-07:00

Back in August, my good friend Jenny asked if I would help her make "an awesome cake" for her sister Emily's 16th birthday in December, and six months later, create an awesome cake we did: specifically, a chocolate cake with a gingerbread Hogwarts castle on top, as Emily is an avid Harry Potter fan. Emily was kept distracted by siblings during the process. She knew we were making a cake, but was slightly confused as to why it was taking so long to complete. It took us the better part of two days to finish, so forgive me for breaking this into a two-part post, but I think the end result is worth the wait, as I hope it was for Emily.

For the castle, we doubled a recipe for molasses gingerbread cookies (recipe below). While the cookie dough was chilling in the refrigerator, we drew and cut out templates for the sides and roofs of the castle, and the characters of Harry Potter leaped to life with a can of marzipan and food gels.

Once chilled, the dough was rolled out on a heavily floured surface and the templates were traced with knives to cut out the castle parts. It was easier to cut out the windows on a baking tray lined with parchment paper (that way the windows don't get distorted when transferring the dough to the baking tray).

The pieces were baked and then placed on a wire rack to cool.

After the pieces cooled, we made hard sugar windows (recipe and instructions below),

cocoa-sugar dusted roofs (We brushed a simple syrup on gingerbread pieces and ice cream cones and then sprinkled them with a cocoa and sugar mixture. The cocoa-sugar sparkles in the light and gives a nice weathered texture.),

and royal icing decor (recipe below).

Stay tuned to see the completed Hogwarts cake, that LIGHTS UP...

In the meanwhile, you can test your HP knowledge with this quiz.

Molasses Gingerbread Cookies
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Divide dough into 3 portions, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a generously floured surface roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour. Cut out desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake cookies for 6 minutes. Remove sheets from oven, and tap them firmly on counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven, rotating sheets, and bake until crisp but not darkened, 6 to 8 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

Hard Candy Windows

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated cane sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup light com syrup

Combine sugar, hot water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Place on high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until all sugar crystals are dissolved. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in hot water. Clip on thermometer. Continue cooking, without stirring, to 290F, then remove from heat. Entire cooking process takes about ten minutes.

Place windowed molasses gingerbread cookies, face down, on a surface lined with aluminum foil. Transfer (carefully - VERY HOT) sugar to a heat proof container with a spout and pour into the windows. The candy cools almost instantly, in about a minute.

Note: We used a pyrex measuring cup to pour in the hot sugar. It then proceeded to harden on the cup and didn't want to come off. Jenny has written this handy how-to for cleaning:

Cleaning Hard Candy out of a Pyrex:
Be VERY VERY VERY careful. Molten sugar can cause serious burns.

As soon as you are done making the candy windows, use a spatula to get as much of the hard candy out of the Pyrex as you possibly can. I recommend pouring it into a stack of three disposable coffee cups. When stacked they can (or did for me) contain the very hot liquid. You can stick a popsicle stick in there to make a very large lollipop; otherwise just let it cool and harden for a few hours and throw it away. Fill the pyrex with hot water and stick it in the microwave until the water boils. Remove from microwave and pour down the drain. Repeat until all the hard candy has dissolved.

Royal Icing

yields 4 cups

Ingredients:
1 pound confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
5 tablespoons water

Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients for 3-5 minutes.

Glitter Ball Cookies with Creamy Ginger Filling

2011-01-02T17:59:00.002-07:00

Welcome to 2011! How did you ring in the New Year? I was blessed to ring in another year with close friends at a lovely celebration, Champagne & Candles, a New Years and Birthday Bash Extravaganza. The Joly sisters hosted a ball complete with a murder mystery and a scrumptious spread of treats.

My contribution was the following recipe. These Glitter Ball Cookies add a fun sparkle to any celebration, so you don't have to wait until 2012 for the next glitter ball to drop - just whip up this recipe.

The beautiful colors of the sanding sugars make them stand out. I used India Tree sparkling sugars, which are great because they are made of natural dies (fruit/vegetable juices) and glimmer wonderfully in the light.

The cookie is a basic butter cookie and the ginger cream adds an unexpected flavor, preventing the cookies from being overly sweet with all that sugar.

The cookies were a big hit, as Erica can attest to (big thumb up!).

Cheers to friends and sparkles!

Glitter Ball Cookies
from Martha Stewart

yields about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoones salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Sanding sugar, in assorted colors

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour, and mix just until combined. Shape into 3/4-inch balls (chill dough if too sticky). Place sanding sugar in shallow bowls. Roll each ball in sanding sugar, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are lightly golden, 15 to 18 minutes. let cookies cool completely on a wire rack. While cooling, make filling!

Creamy Ginger Filling

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

Beat all ingredients by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Spread 2 cookies with just enough filling to allow them to stick together.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!!!

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

2010-12-29T12:18:00.004-07:00

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies. You've got to eat them while you can before the wave of New Year's guilt, so here's an easy and plentiful recipe to get your end-of-the-year fix.

These cookies are a personal favorite - they look pretty and are made of chocolate. How can you lose?

This dough keeps well in the fridge for a few days so you don't have to bake them all at once. You can divide the dough into balls, freeze them in a ziploc bag and then sugar and bake them at the ready any day. Fresh cookies in an instant!

If you haven't gotten the picture, these are probably not diabetic-friendly snacks, so I apologize, but I don't feel guilty, because it's only Dec 29...

Chocolate Crackle Cookies
from Martha Stewart

yields 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.

On a clean countertop, roll each portion of dough into a log approximately 16 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, using confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, toss in granulated sugar and then toss in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. Using your hands, roll the pieces into a ball shape. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits, 12 to15 minutes.

Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

2010-12-25T22:36:00.002-07:00

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

Ok, I'm just going to skip to the end so I can wish you all a good Christmas and good night!

These gingerbread cupcakes were at hit a my family's Christmas celebration. They are moist, but not dense, and you can smell the wonderful gingerbread spices the moment you come near them.

The gingerbread men toppers with holly and candy canes and gingerbread mice turned out so cute, too!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Gingerbread Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup unsulphered molasses
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
yields 4 cups

Ingredients:
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

With an electric mixer, beat butter for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add vanilla.

Winter Bark

2010-12-23T23:38:00.003-07:00

Tis the season for bark, and thank goodness for that, because bark is one of the simplest holiday treats to concoct!

After making cookies, pies, tarts, meringues, cakes, trifles, and truffles, this will almost feel like cheating but the taste is not cheated, not one bit. It's as easy as this: 1) Melt some chocolates. 2) Add some nuts, berries, or candies. 3) Stick in the fridge for an hour and Voila! 4) Marvel at the magic.

And best of all you can be an artist in your very own kitchen. That's right - it's time to break out your inner Matisse...

or Jackson Pollock...

Just have fun with it! You can't mess up the presentation of this, I promise. And even if you do, you can eat it all and no one will ever know ;-)

For this bark I stuck with the simplicity and used only white chocolate, dark chocolate, and peanuts, but feel free to let your imagination run wild.

Winter Bark
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 1 1/4 pounds

Ingredients:
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
7 ounces (1 1/2 cups) salted cocktail peanuts

Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and set aside. Place bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt the same way as the white chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the peanuts.

Spread on a lined, rimmed baking sheet, spreading peanuts in a single layer, and drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top.

Swirl chocolates with a skewer. Refrigerate until bark is set, about 1 hour. Break bark into large pieces. Bark will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks! Enjoy.

Ciambelle (Lemon Wreath Cookies)

2010-12-21T17:34:00.003-07:00

Christmas time is here! The ground is covered in snow, A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio is spinning in the CD player, and the tree is decorated.

In my family, "Christmas" is also synonymous with "Baking" specifically Cookies. The house is covered with flour and frosting the days leading up to this beautiful holiday. So I invite you to join my family to live these cookie-filled moments with us. The first treat of the season is Ciambelle.

"Ciambelle" in Italian can refer to any ring-shaped cookie, cake, or donut. In this case Ciambelle is a lemon wreath cookie, a buttery cookie base, covered in a lemon glaze, and decorated with nonpareils.

These flakey and flavorful cookies pair excellently with a warm cup of tea and are sure to become a Christmas classic, just like lights on the tree.

Ciambelle (Lemon Wreath Cookies)
adapted from Martha Stewart's Holiday Cookies 2010 Issue

yields 6 dozen lemon wreath cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 - 4 lemons depending on their size)
1 cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
white nonpareils, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Zest and juice lemons.

In a separate bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture until combined.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 4-inch rope. Bring ends together, overlapping slightly, and press together to form a ring.

Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer rings to a parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 9 minutes. Then rotate the sheet and bake for another 9 minutes or until pale golden on bottoms and around edges. Let cool completely on wire racks.

Whisk confectioners' sugar and remaining lemon juice until smooth. Dip top of each cookie into the glaze, letting the excess drip off.

Return cookies to wire racks, glazed side up, and sprinkle with nonpareils. Let dry completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Carrot Cake Basket Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-11-11T19:35:00.002-07:00

We're so removed from our food as a society that I actually find it to be a novelty when they sell carrots with leafy tops in the grocery store (Don't carrots grow in the ground in groups of twelve in plastic bags!?). Call me crazy, but they just look happier. Happy little carrots...

You know what would make you happier? A cupcake.

These cute carrot cake basket cupcakes can't help but make you smile. They are moist and comforting, with a hint of fall spice, and you can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting.

So go buy some happy carrots and get happy in your kitchen.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
adapted from Paula Deen

yields two dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 cups shredded carrots

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl. Beat in eggs and oil until incorporated.

Stir in shredded carrots with a spatula. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Fill with batter 2/3 full.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for an hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Beat ingredients for one minute. Spread a thin layer of frosting onto cupcakes. Pipe basket as shown below using Ateco tip #47.

Royal Icing Carrots

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Beat ingredients for three minutes. Separate batch in half. Use food coloring gel to color green and orange.

Line a baking tray with waxed paper. Pipe carrots onto waxed paper. Let dry (this process can be expediated by placing in the freezer for one hour). Place on top of cupcakes.

Nutella Rum Sherbet

2010-10-21T18:27:00.001-07:00

For about the past three weeks, every night, roughly around 9:30 p.m., I complain to my friend Kristin on gchat that I desperately want to eat ice cream, even though there isn't any to be found in the house. I don't want to make any because it would take 4-6 hours to freeze. I don't want to bike alone to the store in the dark. I don't want to leave my bed (Ah, the real reason emerges: laziness!). I was forced to put an end to my slothful ways and to satisfy my nocturnal cravings when Tiffany sent me this amazing recipe for Nutella Ice Cream.

If you have never tried Nutella, then you haven't fully lived. If you are allergic to chocolate and/or hazelnuts, then I'm sorry, but you will never fully live.

Tiffany, my faithful taste-tester, knowing what's good, wished to pay her respects to the Italian, chocolate-spread gods, but is a little lactose intolerant, so I substituted the dairy for almond milk. I also swapped the vodka for rum.

So to recap: Nutella. Rum. Nutella Rum Sherbet. Go. Go get out you ice cream maker. Go make it now, and live (with a happy stomach).

Nutella Rum Sherbet

Yields 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups almond milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup nutella
1 tablespoon extra dry white rum

Directions:
Beat all ingredients together until evenly incorporated and bubbles form.

Churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions and freeze for at least 5 hours before serving.

Enjoy.

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

2010-10-04T00:18:00.001-07:00

I have found the no-muss, no-fuss bite for you and another no-bake recipe for Kathleen. In less than half an hour, these chewy granola bars will be ready to satisfy both your sweet and salty cravings with plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.

This is the simplest granola bar recipe I've come across and it's versatile that you can use whatever is hanging out in your cupboard. On this occasion I chose to add chocolate chips and peanut butter chips to the mix, but dried fruits, pretzels, cereal, candy, and marshmallows are all welcome here.

Granola bars are indispensable when it comes down to a snack on the run or breakfast on the fly. You get your grains, fruit, and a little sweet treat all in one. What more could you want?

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars
adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups granola
1 cup rice/puffed cereal (Rice Krispies, Kashi Go-Lean Honey Puff, etc.)
1/4 cup chocolate chips*
1/4 cup peanut butter chips*

*You can substitute anything you like here or add more.

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the granola and rice cereal (and pretzels if using them) to the saucepan and fold the ingredients to evenly coat with the sauce.

Transfer the granola mixture to a 9 x 13 inch ungreased baking pan. Press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill the tray. Gently press the chips onto the top.

Place the pan in the refrigerator until the mixture is firm (about 15 minutes). Cut into 2 1/4 x 3 inch bars.

Store in an airtight container or wrap in waxed paper.

Best Chocolate Pudding for Kathleen

2010-09-30T00:39:00.001-07:00

My good friend Kathleen just moved to Istanbul. I admire her for a great many reasons, but in this case particularly for going to an entirely different place with nothing but courage and enthusiasm. She just began teaching, an unexpected fork in the road, but one that will allow her to share her gifts and knowledge while learning in turn from her experiences about this new culture. I am so proud to be friends with someone who can take up a challenge like that.

Kathleen's between her old life and her new one, and unfortunately this transition does not involve a kitchen with an oven. She asked me if I could post some no-bake dessert recipes. She was tired of only eating fruit and whipped cream, which is a pretty good problem to have as far as problems go, but some days you just want something rich and filling. I have those "some days" every day that ends in the letter y.

Luckily, chocolate is always a solution.

This is my favorite chocolate pudding recipe. It's like being a kid again, but with higher quality chocolate than Jello. The rewards are reaped in under an hour with this pudding, made on the stovetop for 20 minutes and then set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

So I send my chocolate-covered wishes of happiness, hope, and good dessert half way around the globe and into your kitchen. Fruit with whipped cream can be the addition here, not the main focus, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Best Chocolate Pudding

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
6 ounces chocolate (I used 71% cacao Swiss dark. Use your favorite!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*

*You could add any number of flavorings to this: peppermint extract, orange juice, Baileys, Kahlua, fruit liquors...

Bring 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan to a simmer on medium-low heat. Combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a bowl heatproof bowl (not plastic). Place bowl over the saucepan (double broiler) and slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients.

Stir contents of the bowl occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate (chopped, if not using baking chips).

Whisk for about 3 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the extract.

Pour into serving bowls. If you like pudding skin, pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dishes before refrigerating. If you dislike pudding skin, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding itself and smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Almond Cream Cheese Tartelettes

2010-09-26T10:38:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I'm lying. These aren't really tartelettes... this a recipe for bars, but I didn't have enough confectioners' sugar for the whole recipe, so I halved it, and tartelette pans are adorable, so here we are. By all means double this recipe and make bars, an unexpected alternative to brownies or lemon squares (Three desserts mentioned in one sentence. Oh, I'm hungry now.). This recipe is beautiful, no matter the shape or size.

Almond Cream Cheese Tartelettes
adapted from Cooking.com

yields 4 tartlettes or 8 mini tartelettes (tartelettettes?)
(if the recipe is doubled, you get a 9 x 13 pan of about 24 bars)

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup flour

Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract if desired

Frosting:
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons almond milk
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Crust: Cut butter into dry ingredients (you can use a pastry cutter or a food processor). Pat into pans. Bake 15-20 minutes until just starting to become golden around the edges. Remove from oven.

Filling: Cream sugar and cream cheese until blended. Beat in egg and extract until fluffy.

Pour over warm crusts and return to oven to bake for about another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Frosting: Cream sugar and butter, add almond milk and beat for 2 minutes.

Spread evenly on cooled tartelettes. Sprinkle with almonds.

Sweet Basil Ice Cream with Strawberries in Balsamic Syrup

2010-09-18T10:20:00.002-07:00

A massive basil plant resides in my backyard, growing faster than its leaves can be consumed. I wanted to take advantage of this abundant fresh herb as much as possible so I began searching for recipes - capreses, pestos, sauces, herb spreads galore - but then, then I stumbled across basil ice cream. Studying physics all these years must have made me gravitate towards the most nonintuitive recipe. I took a quantum leap of faith and set out to make an herb dessert.

I'm glad I did. This ice cream is sweet with a kick of flavor. I can't say that if you don't like basil, you will like this recipe, but the basil is not the only dominant flavor. Spoon after spoon of creamy, sweet ice cream, you are ever so much happier that you dropped the pasta sauce seasoning into your ice cream maker.

To make matters even more untraditional, I concocted a sweet balsamic reduction and marinated strawberries in it. We all know ice cream and strawberries go together like basil and balsamic, but the two couples are a double date made in heaven. So treat yourself, and your stomach, to this delicious treat.

Sweet Basil Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
the zest of one lemon

Directions:
Grind the basil leaves, sugar, and 1 cup of the cream in a blender until the leaves are as fine as possible.

Pour half of the mixture into a large bowl and add the other cup of cream. Place the bowl in an ice bath and place a strainer above the bowl.

Warm the rest of the mixture in a saucepan with the milk and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Slowly pour the warmed basil mixture into the egg yolks a little at a time while continuously whisking. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and constantly stir over medium heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool. Pour the custard into a quart-sized container and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Freeze according to your ice cream manufacturer's instructions.
Serve (with strawberries in balsamic syrup, perhaps - recipe follows!).

Balsamic Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pint strawberries, cut to your fancy
squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:
Reduce the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and lemon juice over low heat for about 10 minutes. Let cool.
Transfer to a bowl with cut strawberries, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Pour over ice cream. Enjoy.

Flaked Coconut Jujube Balls

2010-09-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

Until this past Sunday, the only Jujubes I'd ever heard of were the ones in the glass counter at the movie theater. Apparently they are a fruit, most common in Persian, Indian, and east Asian cuisine. For some reason they showed up at the local farmers' market in Tucson for 15/$1. I was intrigued and paid the dollar to satisfy my curiosity.

To a simple jujube-newbie (say that five times fast!) like myself, a jujube is basically a mini apple. I decided to add some complementary flavors from my cupboard and came up with this delightful and easy to make snack.

If you don't run into a jujube, apples would be an appropriate substitute, and a great way to trick your friends and family into eating fruit. I think they make a cute bite-sized gift as well.

Flaked Coconut Jujube Balls

yields about one dozen 1-inch balls

15 jujubes, cored and chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds (whole or slivered)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 flaked coconut

Pulse jujubes, almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor until a paste forms. Transfer paste to a cool surface and roll into 1-inch balls.

Roll balls in flaked coconut. Can be stored in refrigerator up to two days.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Lemon

2010-09-11T11:52:00.002-07:00

It's the weekend, and you know what that means: pancakes. I'm not going to lie - I'm the kind of girl who likes to drench her pancakes in syrup and butter. However once I realized that the butter is a solid hunk in the freezer and the cabinets are bare of real maple syrup (once you've tasted the good stuff it becomes difficult to keep up strong friendships with Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima), I set out to make a different kind of pancake - one that didn't have to hide behind all that butter and syrup.

This cottage cheese (I know, I know... but it's delicious. If I hadn't told you, you wouldn't have known it was in there) pancake with lemon is perfection: airy, moist, and filling. It's a good thing I have roommates because I definitely would have eaten the entire batch. Going out on a limb and trying something new can yield good (and tasty) results. Lesson learned.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Lemon
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields one dozen pancakes

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 lemons (1 zested, 1 cut into wedges)
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:
Separate the eggs. Lightly beat the yolks.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs whites until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Stir together the yolks, cottage cheese, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in one third of the egg whites.

With a spatula, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Grease the griddle/skillet with cooking spray or butter; heat until a drop of batter sizzles upon contact. Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle/skillet.

Cook until the surface of the pancake bubbles and the edges are slightly dry (this takes only about 1 minute). Flip pancakes. Cook until undersides are golden brown (about 3 more minutes). Serve sprinkled with lemon zest and confectioners' sugar with lemon wedges on the side (they tastes SO GOOD if you squeeze lemon juice onto them). Start your day happy.

Ricotta Chocolate Tart with Strawberries

2010-09-09T18:37:00.002-07:00

So, the original recipe for this called for kumquats, but I just couldn't handle that. The word "kumquat" is inherently hilarious. I can't say kumquat with a straight face. Go ahead. Say kumquat without giggling. There's a reason Patrick Henry didn't say, "Give me kumquats, or give me death!" No one would have taken our country seriously for as long as they did.

In order to save myself from cramping of the abdomen and a permanent fracture to the funny bone, I decided to substitute in strawberries. Any fruit would fill your need here (even, dare I say it... the k-word). How can something chocolatey, creamy, and fruity not hit the spot?

It's a simple tart that can be made on the fly, leaving you time to lay on the floor, crippled with amusement after reading the words "discombobulate", "turdiform", and "weenis"* in your dictionary.
*discombobulate (v) - to throw into a state of confusion
turdiform (adj) - shaped like a thrush
weenis (n) - slang for the extra skin on your elbow

Ricotta Chocolate Tart with Strawberries
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 8 servings

Ingredients:
Crust
5 ounces (~24 cookies) chocolate wafers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt

Filling
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 strawberries, thinly sliced crosswise

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Pulse wafers in a food processor (or smash if on a low-budget, low-tech life) until crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining crust ingredients (melted butter, sugar, salt). Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

To make the filling, beat together ricotta, cream, sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy.

Fold in half of the strawberries. Pour into cooled crust. Top with the remaining strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (preferably overnight) before serving.