Spring Foodventures

Hello Friends. It's been a while (grad school happens). It's finals week, so what better way to procrastinate papers, projects, and studying than to share pictures of my spring food adventures, or foodventures as I like to call them.

We begin with Valentine's Day, where we rang in this holiday of commercial love with an Anti-Valentine's Day party and booze. Here we have some watermelon and raspberry heart-shaped jello shooters and bittersweet cookies (inspired by BitterSweets candies, the anti-SweeTart sugar fix).

We move on to Presidents' Day Weekend. In honor of George Washington, I made cherry sugar cookies. I cannot tell a lie...

Continuing with holidays, Easter happened. Easter is a season of renewal and redemption, but I did something unforgivable. I deca-peep-tated a beloved, American treat. Peeps are quite possibly the grossest candy, despite their adorable nature. They were sacrificed to a higher cause: s'mores bars.

I whipped up some deviled easter eggs for an Easter supper hosted by my gracious friends Rob and Kristen. We had quite the dinner spread: Honey Baked Ham, Hawaiian Rolls, Bacon Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Cilantro Jicama Pineapple Spinach Salad, Green Beans with Walnuts and Cranberries, and Quinoa and Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Mini Peppers. Oh and cake.

The following week Rob and Kristen got married! Cecilia hosted a hot-pot-style dinner for Kristen and the ladies before Kristen flew off to Florida. While the boys were off enjoying less clandestine entertainment, the ladies oogled Gene Kelly's bum in An American in Paris with no shortage of wine.

          

Then came the wedding! and my first stay in sunny Florida - dancing, macarons, cake, beaches, sunsets, drum circles, and seafood galore! A more fantastic trip could not have been had.

          

Once we got back to Tucson, it was time for the 1st Annual Taco Festival and Annual Tucson Pie Party (ALL IN ONE DAY!). That was the best smelling day of my life.

My favorite taco was the Chicken Prickly Pear Taco. MMMmmmMmm. I have dreams about this guy.

          

          

My favorite pie ended up being a savory Apple and Kale Pie with onions. Who knew?

It's been a challenging spring, but food has been kind to me (and my hips).
Pin It

Pecan Linzer Heart Cookies with Black Cherry Filling

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.
Pin It