Spache The Spatula

Vanilla-Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream with Bourbon Hot Fudge

2011-07-26T00:11:00.000-07:00

My Blog Has Moved!

2011-07-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

I have some very exciting news to share:

My blog has moved to its own custom URL!
Head on over to spachethespatula.com to see the new design along with a new post with the recipe for a Cherry-Mint Julep!

Orange Sherbet

2011-07-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked me if I had any good sherbet recipes that stayed creamy even after freezing, instead of turning into a big, icy block. This is a common problem with sherbets as their fat content is so low (1%).
This orange sherbet recipe is my personal favorite, and even Mikey, a self-proclaimed orange sherbet connoisseur thinks it's the bees' knees!
Of course true sherbet will never be as creamy as an ice cream---especially one with a custard base---simply due to the lack of cream, eggs, etc., but I think that this recipe is far creamier than others I have tried (especially as it starts to melt in the summer sun!).

I particularly love this recipe because it actually tastes like real oranges as opposed to that pretend, artificial orange flavoring that a lot of standard orange sherbets have. You see, I normally hate orange sherbet! Actually, I normally hate all orange-flavored things because they are so fake-tasting. But, this, this is so zingy and delicious!
But, while you get the fresh, citrusy, bright notes of true orange flavor, it is ever-so-perfectly matched with a creamy, vanilla base that together boast the best darn creamsicle flavor you have ever tried!

I should note that in my recipe I used raw milk. Of course you are welcome to use homogenized, pasteurized milk, but I find raw milk more enjoyable and creamy, personally.

(In regards to the reader's question about replicating Trader Joe's Pomegranate Blueberry Sherbet, I haven't tried this yet, but I would omit the orange zest, and replace the orange juice with Pom Wonderful's Blueberry-Pomegranate juice and see how that works out!)

Orange Sherbet

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

7 ounces granulated sugar
zest from 1 large orange
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 cups freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very cold whole, raw milk

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is fully dissolved (about a minute or two).
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and whisk in the milk.
Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your manufacturer's directions. (Mine took about 35-40 minutes, much longer than other ice creams I have made which are usually done in about 15-20 minutes.)
Transfer the sherbet to a container and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Bacon and Leek Risotto with White-Wine Poached Duck Eggs

2011-07-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

I made this dish as a part of a meal for an online cooking competition (fingers crossed that I place!), so there are more pictures than usual of the actual process... something I'm sure you won't mind when you lay eyes on this dish :)

In my opinion, there is nothing more appetizing than an oozing egg yolk. How can you make this better? Use a bigger egg! Bigger egg= bigger yolk. In this case, I used duck eggs on top of a sumptuous risotto.
I have to be honest, I LOVE this dish... far more than most other dishes. What can I say? I'm a sucker for comfort food, and this dish takes all of my favorite comfort foods and combines them: runny yolks, risotto, and bacon. What's not to love?
There are so many glorious textures and flavors that play off of one another here: rich, velvety egg yolk, crisp, peppery bacon, soft, sweet leeks, chewy, creamy rice... basically one of the best things you will ever lock your jaws around.

(By the way, I have a redesign for my blog being worked on and I CANNOT wait for it to be done because I am so sick of Blogger! It never works right for me. For instance, I have ZERO clue why my font is much smaller than normal here.)

Bacon and Leek Risotto with White-Wine Poached Duck Eggs

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

2-3 duck eggs
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
splash of vinegar (not pictured)
3-ish cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 slices thick bacon, somewhat diced (I used a peppered bacon)
1 leek, thinly sliced (white and pale green only, please)
¾ cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine + more for poaching eggs (I used a Pinot Grigio)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
½-1 tbsp. butter
1-ish tbsp. grated parmigiana reggiano + more for garnish

First we need to poach the eggs:

Get a sauce pan and fill it with a couple inches of white wine. Bring it to simmer with the bay leaf, garlic clove, salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar.
Crack an egg into a ramekin and carefully drop it into the liquid. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook the eggs for about a minutes, spooning hot wine over the tops.
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place in a cold water bath. Turn the wine off but leave it on the stove (we're going to reheat the eggs in the wine when the risotto is done).

Now for the risotto:

Make sure that your broth is simmering in a pot on the stove. Get a nice big dutch oven or saute pan and heat the olive oil over medium or medium-high heat. Add in the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place onto some paper towels, but leave the drippings in the pan.
Add the leeks to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Take two tablespoons full of the leeks and set aside in a small bowl to garnish the dish later.
Add the rice to the pan and toast the grains up for a couple of minutes. Add in the wine and stir until it is absorbed.
Now start adding in the broth, one or two ladle-fulls at a time, and stirring after each addition until the broth is absorbed. Do this until the rice is done (the grains should have a slight bite to them), about 25 minutes.
Stir in the bacon (be sure to leave some out if you want it for garnish), butter, and parmigiana reggiano. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Reheat the poached eggs in the wine for a minute or so until heated through.
Top each bowl of risotto with a poached egg (remember to season with salt and pepper), your reserved leeks and bacon, and extra parmigiana reggiano.

Strawberry-Pistachio Rolls

2011-06-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'll start by saying sorry for the pictures as they were taken with my iPhone. But, the exciting part of that is that I FINALLY HAVE AN iPHONE! Yayyy! I made these rolls in Florida where I didn't have my amazing photographer there to help me out.

I love experimenting with different sweet rolls (like these Meyer Lemon Sweet Rolls), so when I saw these on Kaitlin's blog, Whisk Kid, I knew I had to give them a try. If you're wondering, they are just as good as they look. The sweet strawberry and pistachio fillings play off each other, creating an amazing harmony of salty/sweet-fresh/rich flavors that make it quite easy to down an entire roll (which are about the size of your entire hand) all by yourself (not to mention the fact that the red and green look beautiful together).

While these are still amazing cooled, I find them to be at their peak enjoyment state when they are nice and warm out of the oven. I mean a) who doesn't love warm bread in any situation? and b) the fillings are all gooey and oozing about in the most delicious way.

I think it would be a wonderful idea to add a whole vanilla bean in there somewhere, perhaps in the strawberry filling, just to really put these babies over the top. Someone try it and report back?

pre-bake obviously:

Strawberry-Pistachio Rolls

recipe slightly adapted from here

Dough:

ingredients:

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
66g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 milk, warmed
78g (1/3 cup) butter, unsalted, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 tsp salt
more or less 500g (4 cups) flour
extra sugar for sprinkling

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, water, and sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is activated (the top should be foamy).
Add in the milk, butter, egg, and salt, and mix to combine. Add in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Switch to the bread hook attachment and mix, on high, for 15 minutes.
Dump the dough into a buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm area for about an hour, until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10 x 24 inch rectangle. Spread with the two fillings (recipes below), leaving a 1 inch border on each side. Tightly roll the rectangle up, and slice into 10+ rolls.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie dish (or individual ramekins, etc.) and place the rolls in, leaving a bit of space between each (DO NOT stuff your pan as the rolls will rise again and overflow the pan.... I'm speaking from experience here people).
Allow to rise again for about an hour. Sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden-brown and baked through. (You can drizzle the tops with a simple glaze made from confectioners' sugar and milk if you desire, which you should, because it looks nice :).)

Strawberry Filling:

ingredients:

1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the berries have slightly broken down and the mixture is thickened.
Cool and set aside.

Pistachio Filling:

ingredients:

128g (1 cup) pistachios, roasted and salted
50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
1/2-1 tsp pure vanilla extract
28g (2 tbsp) butter, unsalted, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is a thick paste.
Set aside.

Orange Poppy-Seed Cake with Berries and Crème Fraîche

2011-06-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful visit to Florida to see my family and friends and had a ton of fun :). I got to spend time sunning myself at the beach AND I finally made it to Harry Potter World in Universal Islands of Adventure-- something I've been wanting to do forever. You see, I am a Harry Potter freak and so my friends and I went to the park on the opening day. After waiting in line for 8 hours, me passing out with heat exhaustion and having to go to the medic room, and a long argument to get our refunds, we saw NOTHING. It was one of the most disappointing experiences of my life. But, I finally got to go and it was really quite fun! However, I do not recommend the Butter Beer. It's ultra weird and has a strange foamy, creamy layer on the top that I was told is a "non-dairy butterscotch flavoring." Ew.

Tomorrow I start my last quarter of college, EVER and I can't freakin' wait to get it over with :P!

So, about this cake... It's pretty amazing. It's fresh and unique and a perfect alternative to a rich, chocolate dessert. The orange syrup that is poured on the cake straight out of the oven gives it an extremely moist texture that can be described as almost pudding-like. The orange-Cointreau macerated berries are a nice counterpoint, and the creamy crème fraîche is a rich, zingy contrast.

Orange Poppy-Seed Cake with Berries and Crème Fraîche

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

for the cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp orange zest
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cups sour cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

for the berries/syrup:

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Cointreau
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cups strips of orange zest
3 cups mixed raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries (strawberries should be halved or quartered)
confectioners' sugar, for dusting
crème fraîche, to serve

for the syrup:

In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, Cointreau, 3 tbsp sugar, and strips of orange zest over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5-10 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat.
Fish out the zest strips with a fork and discard. Pour 1/3 cup of the syrup into a bowl and reserve the rest for the cake.
Add the berries to the bowl with the 1/3 cup syrup and place in the fridge, covered, to macerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24.

for the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch springform pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and poppy seeds. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sour cream, and vanilla. Set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and orange zest for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Alternately add in the flour mixture and yolk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
In another bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks. Add in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat until stiff peaks.
Stir 1/3 of the meringue into the cake batter and then gently fold in the remainder.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, poke the top all over and brush the top with 1/2 of the reserved syrup. Let stand for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the side of the pan and remove the cake. Invert it on a rack and poke the bottom all over. Brush the remaining syrup over it, re-invert the cake on another rack or plate, and let stand until entirely cool. (You can keep the cake like this wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for a day before serving.)
Before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over the top and serve with the macerated berries and crème fraîche.

Fennel Slaw with Pistachio-Parsley-Thyme Pesto, Prosciutto di Parama, and Parmigiana Reggiano

2011-06-05T02:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis, who happens to be one of only about three Food Network chefs that I trust anymore. I mean really, the channel seems to be less and less about good food, and more and more about over-the-top personalities (I'm looking at you Guy Fieri).

This slaw/salad is the perfect addition to any summer cook-out or picnic. It couldn't be easier to make, and yet, it tastes seriously incredible! Also, it's really pretty to look at :)

The pesto brings a very bold flavor to the table that it balanced by the buttery prosciutto and sharp parmigiana reggiano. The crunchy, anise-flavored fennel makes the entire salad refreshing and light and will have you going back for thirds!

Fennel Slaw

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

4-5 fennel bulbs (about 3 1/2 lbs), thinly sliced
Pistachio-Parsley-Thyme Pesto (recipe below)
4 ounces prosciutto di parma
2 ounces (or to taste) shaved parmigiana reggiano

Toss the fennel with the pesto and transfer to a serving platter.
Slice the prosciutto into 1/2 inch strips.
Top the fennel with the shaved cheese and prosciutto.

Pistachio-Parsley-Thyme Pesto

ingredients:

2 cups lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
3 garlic cloves
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a food processor, combine the parsley, thyme, pistachios, and garlic. Process until very finely chopped.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until well blended.
Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.

Asparagus with Hazelnut Vinaigrette and Chopped Egg

2011-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

*Phew*! I got my first of three papers finished this morning! The next is due on Monday, and my final paper (the longest at 10-12 pages) is due on Tuesday. I. CAN'T. WAIT. for this quarter to be over! It's totally been throwing a wrench in my cooking/baking time.

Anyways, on to the food! Last weekend, Mikey and I went to Pike's Place Market to shop for Memorial Day ingredients. Produce stands were completely stocked with gorgeous Spring veggies and the very first produce of Summer. I wanted to take everything home with me but I settled on a few select items--including a bunch a beautiful, local asparagus.

This dish turned out better than great! The asparagus keeps a nice, crisp bite thanks to only being cooked for a couple of minutes, and the creamy, thick, tart vinaigrette and chopped egg are nice counterpoints.

Asparagus with Hazelnut Vinaigrette and Chopped Egg

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

2 lbs asparagus, washed and trimmed
1 large hard-boiled egg, chopped
1 large shallot
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

In a food processor, combine the shallot, vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Process until the shallot is minced and everything is combined. Slowly, with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl and stir in the hazelnuts.
Bring a large saute pan filled with 2 1/2 inches of salted water to a boil. Add in the asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving dish.
Top the asparagus with the hazelnut vinaigrette, chopped egg, and more salt and pepper. Serve!

Crab, Chile, and Mint Crostinis

2011-05-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while! I sincerely apologize! I know I'm always full of excuses, but I truly have been a busy bee. Not only am I finishing up my second to last quarter of my college life (!!!!), but my best friend flew out to Seattle to surprise me last weekend which led to an impromptu trip to Vancouver. Then of course I was busy celebrating Memorial Day by cooking up a storm.

Anyways, I hope you can forgive me. I come bearing gifts. Check out these delicious looking crostinis! These were the perfect start to a Memorial Day cook-out meal. They are fresh, creamy, and slightly spicy, with a delicious crunch- basically everything good ever in one thing.

Crab is probably one of my favorite foods, and definitely my favorite shellfish, and this dish truly lets it shine. The tart lime juice and fresh mint gives the crab a wonderful clean flavor that is amazing paired with the moderately spicy chiles. It's truly incredibly how much flavor only a few ingredients can pack!

As you can see, our party of four pretty much devoured these crostinis :)

Crab, Chile, and Mint Crostinis

recipe from June 2011 Bon Appetit

serves 4-6

ingredients:

8 ounces cooked lump crab meat
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
1/2 Fresno chile, deseeded and minced
1 red jalapeno, deseeded, minced, and divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sliced sourdough bread, as much as you would like
Extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle each slice of bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 3 minutes, flip over, salt and pepper the other side, and broil for another 3 minutes; set aside.
In a medium bowl, gently combine the crabmeat, mayo, lime juice, mint, fresno chile, and 1/2 the jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with extra mint and the other 1/2 of the jalapeno. Serve with toasted bread.

Maui

2011-05-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

Sorry for not being around for a bit. Mikey and I just got back from Maui (SO FUN) and I'm trying to get school stuff done (had a paper due today, mid-term tomorrow, paper next week, etc.).

I'll be back to blogging probably next week.

In the meantime, please enjoy these pictures from our vacation!

We had a blast :) We went SCUBA diving, snorkeling, to a luau, on a helicopter ride, and lounged about:

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2011-04-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I thought that I hated both cupcakes and cake. It was not until about 5 years ago that I discovered that what I really hate is boxed cake, packaged frosting, and the cupcakes sold at your local supermarket deli. In fact, it turns out, I LOVE real cake and cupcakes!

My absolute favorite cupcakes in the universe are the cupcakes sold at Trophy Cupcakes. They are seriously to-die-for! Seattle has more than its fair share of cupcakeries, and as a self-proclaimed cupcake connoisseur, I have tried nearly all of them and am here to tell you, Trophy's are the best of the best. That's why, my cake base in this recipe is based off of one of Trophy's chocolate cupcakes!

The cupcakes are unbelievably moist and chocolatey, but not overly rich. The frosting is creamy and buttery, yet still light thanks to the whipped egg whites. In fact, the buttercream is more than a little addictive and I think you'll find that the fact that the frosting recipe makes more than you need won't be at all an issue :).

I garnished my cupcakes with pink sparkling sugar and candied rose petals.

Chocolate Cupcakes

base recipe from here

makes 2 dozen cupcakes

ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder (no Dutch-processed)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and add in the boiling water and stir to combine.
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool 10 minutes in the tin before removing and allowing to cool completely.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

1 1/3 cups caster sugar
7 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 1/4 lbs (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In the (heatproof) bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, salt, and egg whites. Set over a pot of simmering water (making a double boiler) and whisk constantly for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture reaches 160 degrees.
Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and beat (on medium-high) the heated mixture for 10 minutes until mixture is lukewarm and stiff, glossy peaks form.
Switch to the paddle attachment and, with the mixer set to medium speed, mix in the vanilla bean and extract. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Coconut Double-Chocolate Cookies (Vegan)

2011-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Cookies, specifically chocolate chip cookies, are my first, true baking love. They are the first treats I ever learned to bake myself, and they hold a special place near and dear to my heart.

These particular cookies are by no means a traditional chocolate chip cookie (that recipe can be found HERE), but man are they addictively tasty! These cookies come together really quickly, and their chewy texture and rich flavor will leave you and your taste-testers questioning how on Earth these are vegan (seriously).

The coconut oil adds a coconut flavor that is subtle enough not to overpower the cookie, but deepens the overall taste of it in an intriguing manner. Make sure you have a glass on milk on hand (be it cow, soy, almond, etc.), because these babies are ULTRA chocolatey, in the best possible way.

Coconut Double-Chocolate Cookies (Vegan)

recipe from here

ingredients:

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, not in liquid form
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
8 ounces semi-sweet (vegan) chocolate, chips or chopped
3 tbsp ground flax
6 tbsp warm water
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and coconut oil and beat well.
Combine the water and flax and set aside to gel.
Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second-intervals until melted; allow to cool for a minute.
Add the gelled flax and melted chocolate to the coconut oil/sugar and beat until incorporated.
Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the chocolate.
Scoop 1-2 tablespoon-sized mounts onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a bit before transferring to a wire baking rack to cool further.

Maple, Vanilla Bean, Flax-Almond Butter

2011-04-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I was one of very few children who despised peanut butter (what the heck, right?). When I hit middle school, I went from hating the stuff, to being full-blown obsessed. And I seriously mean obsessed. To the point that my best friend, Alana, and I would have competitions to see who could build the largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich, using as little jelly as possible, and as much peanut butter as possible. I'll say that things got a bit out of hand with quadruple deckers and the such with just a minute smear of jam and probably about 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Good thing we were growing kids or I could have easily weighed 800lbs!

Years later, I discovered that peanut butter wasn't the only nut butter out there, and almond butter was introduced to my life. Since then I have tried all of the nut butters that I can find, and have recently been trying my hand at making my own!

You won't believe how easy making your own nut butters is (and, most of the time, cheaper), and it allows for worlds more customization! This almond butter comes from Ashley at Edible Perspective, and my oh my, of the dozens of nut butters I have tried, I think this one holds top spot. It is positively AMAZING! It's ultra creamy, slightly sweet, and satisfyingly salty.
It is hard to get away from eating it by the finger-full, but if you can manage, it makes KILLER PB&Js (technically AB&Js) :). I cannot recommend this recipe any higher; really guys, try this one ASAP!

Maple, Vanilla Bean, Flax-Almond Butter

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds
1/3 cup whole flax seeds
3 tbsp maple syrup, divided
1/2 whole vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss together the almonds, flax, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Spread out on the sheet tray and bake for 30 minutes, stirring after 15.
Pour the baked nuts into your food processor and process for around 10 minutes, until nice and creamy, scraping the sides about a dozen times.
Add in the salt, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and remaining maple syrup. Process for about 5 minutes longer, drizzling in the oil at the end.
Store in an airtight jar.

Dark Chocolate Granola

2011-03-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

If it isn't obvious yet (see these posts: 1 2 3), let me just tell you that I am a complete and utter granola fiend. At any and all times I have about 4 boxes of store-bought, and two types of homemade granola on hand. A little excessive, no? I can't help it. Any time I spot a new flavor, I simple *have* to try it!

This particular granola is positively scrumptious and comes from La Tartine Gourmande (so you know it's good!). Not only is it healthy, but it makes it completely acceptable for you to eat chocolate for breakfast, and really, how can there be anything wrong with that?

I love the contrasting textures at play here. You get the nutty almonds and pumpkin seeds, the light puffed rice and millet, and the ultra crunchy oats. While this granola is wonderful served in some cold milk or on top of yogurt, my favorite way to enjoy it is by the handful :).

Dark Chocolate Granola

recipe from here

ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup millet puffs
1/2 cup rice puffs
1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80g) dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
In a small pot, combine the water, honey, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except for the chocolate. Stir the warm liquid into the dry ingredients.
Pour the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Cool completely.
Stir in the chocolate and store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

2011-03-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

So, apparently I have a thing for vanilla lately (please see: vanilla bean ice cream and vanilla bean macaroons)? I don't know what the deal-io is with that but all I can say is that I super love cooking/baking with whole vanilla beans :).

I think that homemade marshmallows are possibly one of the tastiest culinary novelties. No one expects you to actually make your very own, and I'm fairly certain that when most people think of marshmallows they just think of the jet-puffed cylinders in the clear plastic on the baking aisle. Let me just tell you right now, you have not truly enjoyed a s'more if you have been using marshmallows of the store-bought variety. S'mores with homemade marshmallows are on a whole different level (side note: I was about to write "whole nother level," which is something I often say but never thought about. What the heck is a "nother"? Is it short for another? In that case is it "whole another level"? How completely peculiar!!).

While these marshmallows are positively scrumptious in their un-s'more-ified state (and far better than any store-bought mallow), they are shockingly good when toasted and smashed between two graham crackers. The chocolate component in my s'mores is homemade chocolate ganache. I tried two different methods: 1) I just poured it on the melted mallow and smashed it all between two graham crackers, 2) I dipped half of the graham cracker in the ganache and let it dry. Why the latter version may appear neater, nothing beats a deliciously gooey marshmallow and chocolate mess :P!

Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
nonstick spray
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups (298g) granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine the confectioners' sugar in corn starch in a small bowl and set aside.
Spray a 9'' X 13" pan with nonstick spray. Pour in the sugar/cornstarch mixture and tip the pan to coat all sides. Reserve the excess in a small bowl.
Place the gelatin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in 1/2 cup of the water and let stand.
In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Do not stir the mixture! Simply swirl the saucepan to distribute. Uncover after the sugar has dissolved and place a candy thermometer into the saucepan. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees (F), 7-8 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.
Turn the mixture on low and slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatin. Once it is all added, increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture is lukewarm and very thick, about 12-15 minutes. Add in the vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in the last couple of minutes of mixing.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula to spread. Dust the top with enough of the reserved sugar/cornstarch mixture to lightly cover the top. Reserve the remainder. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours.
Turn the marshmallows onto a cutting board and cut into desired shapes with either a knife or cookie cutter. Dust all of the sides with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Store in tupperware.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2011-03-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been MIA for a bit but I was struggling through finals! I am SO happy to be done and to be on Spring Break. This past quarter was by far the most stressful out of the entirety of my education. At times I didn't think I was going to make it, but I pulled through!

I have been craving ice cream and ice-cream related treats (i.e. milkshakes) practically nonstop for the past week. I completely attribute it to my body attempting to de-stress in the best way it knows how--filling it with delicious delights!

There is nothing out-of-the-ordinary about this recipe. After all, it's just vanilla ice cream. But, it is the creamiest, dreamiest vanilla ice cream that I have ever tried. And besides, in the scope of things, vanilla ice cream is quite possibly the most important and necessary dessert component. What goes better with a warm apple pie, a chocolatey brownie, homemade caramel, or a berry crumble quite like a scoop of vanilla? Nothing, that's what!

This ice cream is actually a custard because it calls for egg yolks which make it unimaginably smooth and luxurious. It is also quite rich in the most delicious way. This recipe comes from David Lebovitz who is the absolute master of ice cream!

Here's a tip for what to do with your empty vanilla bean pods: toss them in your granulated sugar. It will infuse your sugar with a vanilla flavor that will amp up the flavor in all of your baked goods! As you can see I have about a dozen beans sticking out of and buried within mine:

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

recipe from here

ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, salt and sugar and bring to a simmer. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the mixture and toss in the empty pod. Cover and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to infuse for an hour.
Set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart bowl inside of a larger bowl that is filled with ice water. Set a mesh strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour in the cream.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk mixture and remove the vanilla bean. Temper the yolks by whisking small amounts of the warm milk mixture into the yolks. Add the warmed yolks into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. When you run your finger down the back of the spoon, the trail left by your finger should stay put.
Strain the custard into the small bowl in your ice bath. Stir in the vanilla extract and stir over the ice until cool and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to your manufacturer's instructions.

Vanilla Bean Macaroons (Vegan)

2011-03-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

Coconut is one of my very favorite foods, and I am entirely boggled as to how some people so detest it. Not only is it delicious, but it is rich in fiber and healthy fats!

I am a huge fan of macaroons, and when I saw these over at Oh She Glows, I was immediately drawn to them. While I knew I would like them since I absolutely LOVE all things coconut, I did not expect them to completely blow me away as they have done.

These macaroons are AMAZING! They are dense and chewy and absolutely addictive. The outside is perfectly crisp, and even after cooling, the inside is gooey and rich. The whole vanilla bean really pumps up the flavor and raises them above any macaroons you have tasted before. As Mikey bit into one, I heard an "Oh WOW!" Seconds later he was grabbing another :).

Also, these babies are completely vegan and relatively healthy when eaten in moderation- something that is almost entirely impossible ;).

Vanilla Bean Macaroons

recipe slightly adapted from here

makes 20-24 macaroons

ingredients:

2 2/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (to make the coconut butter OR 1 cup store-bought coconut butter)
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (I used reduced fat here and regular in the coconut butter)
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside.
To make the coconut butter: Add the 2 2/3 cups shredded coconut to the bowl of a food processor and process for 8-12 minutes until creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Combine all of the ingredients (including coconut butter) in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat to combine.
Scoop 1-2 tablespoon-sized mounds onto the baking sheet (they won't spread so you can place them fairly close to one another).
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden. Let cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a plate or rack to cool further.

Thomas Keller's Lemon Sabayon Tarts with Rosemary and Honey-Mascarpone Whipped Cream

2011-02-25T03:24:00.000-08:00

So remember when I said a few weeks ago that I was going to share the dessert that I made for Mikey's parents' dinner party? Well here it finally is! The reason it took so long is that last time I had no time to photograph the tarts before I handed them over to Amy, Mikey's mom, for her party. So, on Monday, while I had no class due to President's Day, I went over to his parents' home and Amy and I made them again!

These tarts are tasty and unique, and a wonderful finish to any meal. The best part is that the tartness and freshness from the lemons make them a lot lighter than a chocolate or ice cream dessert. The filling is creamy and smooth, and the pine nuts and rosemary in the crust add a nice earthiness. The honey-mascarpone whipped cream cuts the sourness from the citrus and ties the entire dessert together, leaving you with a dessert that looks and tastes far more sophisticated than it really is ;).

This dessert is fairly easy to make, but, you need to be ready for a workout because you will have to whisk continuously for a good 10-15 minutes. Having to do this twice in one day left my arm feeling like I just lifted weights at the gym! However, the whisking is the only truly difficult part of the recipe, and even that doesn't take any special skill.

I think that it would be fun to experiment with different nuts and herbs in the crust and different citrus in the filling. For instance, a brazil nut and maybe mint crust with a blood orange filling, or keep the pine nut crust and add in grapefruit as the filling! Adding cocoa powder into the crust might even be an interesting alteration.

If you have any extra sabayon, it is positively delectable served over fresh berries!

Thomas Keller's Lemon Sabayon Tart with Rosemary

recipe slightly adapted from here

the crust recipe will make enough for 3 large tarts or an array of smaller ones (also, I wouldn't recommend trying to third the crust recipe as it would be difficult to measure 1/3 of an egg)

the filling is for 1/3 of the crust recipe (I find it's easiest to make the filling in smaller batches)

crust:

10 ounces (2 cups) toasted pine nuts (you simply must toast them; it makes all the difference)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 lb (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place the pine nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add in the sugar, rosemary leaves, salt, and flour and continue to pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the butter, egg, and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
Divide the dough into three equal parts. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before using. (You can freeze any extra dough for up to a month.)

sabayon & assembly:

2 large eggs, cold
2 large egg yolks, cold
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into 6 pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (I only buttered and it worked great) a 9-inch fluted tart pan (or rectangular equivalent- or many smaller tart pans) and refrigerate it while the oven preheats.
Remove the tart pan from the fridge. Using your fingers, press the chilled dough into the tart pan(s), and up the sides.
Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate it and bake for 10-15 minutes more until evenly golden-brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool while you make the sabayon filling.
Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a oil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be making your sabayon in.
In a large metal or glass bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about a minute until the mixture is smooth. In a measuring cup, combine the lemon juice and zest; set aside.
Set the bowl over the pot, creating a double boiler, and whisk the mixture vigorously. After about 2 1/2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add 1/3 of the lemon juice. Continue to whisk vigorously, and after another 2 1/2 minutes when the mixture has thickened again add another 1/3 of the lemon juice. Again whisk for another 2 1/2 minutes and then add the final 1/3 of lemon juice. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has thickened and is light in color. You can judge if it's thick enough by placing a wooden spoon in the mixture, taking it out, and running your finger down the back of it. If the trail left by your finger stays, it is thick enough.
Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter, a piece at a time.
Pour the warm sabayon into the tart crust and place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler. Leaving the door of the oven open, brown the top of the sabayon, rotating if necessary to get an even color. (This won't take very long, so DON'T walk away!)
Let the tart sit for at least an hour before serving. (I served mine at room tempeature but you could, alternatively, serve it chilled.) Serve with Whipped Honey-Mascarpone Cream recipe below).

Honey-Mascarpone Whipped Cream

ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
6 tbsp mascarpone
2-3 tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip until stiff peaks.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tarts

2011-02-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

These tarts are the final component to the Valentine's dinner that I made for Mikey and myself this year, and I think they were both of our favorite parts!

These tarts are even more amazing that they look. The luxuriously creamy chocolate ganache, the ooey-gooey caramel, and the crisp, buttery, golden crust all come together to create one of the best desserts I have ever had!

We ended up eating these little tarts as if they were cookies- just picking them up and biting them! It seemed to work best, and certainly aided in hastening the plate to mouth exchange. While these tarts are amazingly tasty, they are also amazingly rich, and I highly recommend that you have an ice-cold glass of milk on hand to wash it down.

Mikey brought some extras in to work and gave one to his parents and all were met with rave reviews!

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tarts

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

crust:

10 tbsp (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt

caramel:

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
5 tbsp water
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of sea salt

chocolate ganache:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
small pinch of sea salt + more for garnish
2 cups heavy cream

for the crust:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add in the flour and salt on low speed and mic until just incorporated.
Scrape the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Flour work surface and roll out your dough to 1/4'' thick. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" tart pan (I used seven 4" tart pans). Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or in the fridge for an hour.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line your crust-filled tart shell(s) with tin foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 30 minutes if you are using a large tart pan, or 20 minutes if you are using smaller. Turn the tarts halfway through.
Remove the foil and weights from the tarts and bake for about 10 minutes more or until the tart shells are golden. Let cool on a wire rack before filling.

for the caramel:

Place the cream in a small sauce pan and heat it over medium heat. Stir it occasionally while you cook the sugar and if it starts to boil up, then turn it off.
In a medium saucepan heat the water and sugar over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook without stirring until the mixture turns a dark amber. Swirl the pan to ensure even cooking. (This will take between 5 and 10 minutes.)
Take the sugar mixture off of the stove and SLOWLY pour the cream into the sugar, a little at a time because it will boil up. Stir until combined and smooth. Stir in the salt.
Pour the caramel into the bottom of the cooled tart crust(s), covering the bottom(s) evenly. Allow is to cool until it firms and is no longer shiny.

for the ganache:

Place the chocolate and salt in a large heatproof bowl.
Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes. Whisk slowly to gently combine (whisking to fast will incorporate air making the ganache less smooth).
Ladle an even amount of ganache into each of the tarts over the caramel. While the ganache is still warm, sprinkle the tops of the tart(s) with some sea salt. (I used a combination of pink Himalayan salt and black lava salt that is colored with charcoal.)
Allow the tart(s) to sit at room temperature for 3-12 hours to cool and harden

Basil Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

2011-02-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Mikey's favorite type of salad is Caesar salad, and since I have always wanted to try making my own Caesar dressing (with the raw egg and all!), I felt it was the perfect accompaniment to our Valentine's dinner!

This salad was surprising simple to make. The dressing comes together in flash because all you really do is whir all the ingredients in a food processor.

I loved the addition of the herbs in the dressing because it made the salad quite fresh and not as "heavy" as a lot of typical Caesar salads can be. It was SUCH a nice contrast to the rich, juicy, steaks.

I think the salads exceeded Mikey's expectations, and certainly my own! Also, the croutons were sooooo yummy! There is just nothing like homemade croutons; the stuff in the box you get from the grocery store just doesn't even come close.

I think that this salad would also make a delicious main course with the addition of some grilled shrimp or chicken!

Basil Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

10-inch piece of baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder, depending on your taste
sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper
1 garlic clove
1 large egg
juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp anchovy paste
1 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 lb romaine heart, washed and cut into fourths
1 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Spread the seasoned cubes out on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, tossing every 4 or 5 minutes.
With the motor running, drop garlic clove into food processor and finely chop. Add in the egg, lemon juice, anchovy paste, and 1/2 tsp pepper and pulse until combined. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil and blend until emulsified. Add in the herbs and blend until the herbs are finely chopped and the dressing is a beautiful green.
Toss the romaine with the dressing, croutons, and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and serve!

Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon Marsala Sauce

2011-02-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

I have been insanely busy. I feel like all I do anymore is write papers! I had four papers due last week, and a huge one due yesterday that caused Mikey and me to have to postpone our Valentine's Day dinner to last night.

Every year for Valentine's Day I like to make Mikey and myself a gourmet dinner because I think that it's more special than going out to a restaurant and having someone else do the cooking. The meal always has to include: red meat, potatoes, and a chocolate dessert.
Last year I made:

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brandy Sauce

with

Mashed Potatoes with Pancetta and Leeks

and

Dark Chocolate Souffles with Cardamom Creme Anglaise

It was a brilliant success if I do say so myself. HOWEVER, this year just may have topped it!

Today I'll be sharing with you the main course: Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon-Marsala Sauce.

In the next few days I will be posting the scrumptiously fresh salad I made, and the INCREDIBLE tarts I baked for dessert!

These steaks were some of the best I have ever had, and that is truly saying something because Mikey and I tend to treat ourselves to the multitude of Prime steakhouses in the Seattle area that charge nearly $100 per steak whenever we deserve a pat-on-the-back.

I'm not saying I'm the best filet cooker in Seattle by any means (though I think I did a pretty excellent job :P). I attribute the amazing flavor to the sauce. It was earthy and rich and absolutely to-die-for! I especially loved the spongy-ness of the morels; they absorbed the sauce beautifully.

I served the steaks with a very simple mashed potato: yukon gold potatoes, butter, cream, salt, and pepper. I think that a good steak sauce always needs a nice starch because I am someone who like to eat everything together. The perfect bite, for me, would be a scoop of sauce-soaked potatoes with a bite of steak on top!

Clearly this meal was not at all low-cal or healthy, but are holiday meals ever supposed to be? Don't answer that, haha. *I* think they shouldn't be!

Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon Marsala Sauce

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces dried morels
2 6-to-8-ounce filets
sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp truffle butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon + more for garnish
1 tbsp dry Marsala

Place the dried morels in a 2-cup measuring cup and fill it with warm water to the 1 1/2 cup mark. Let the morels soak for about 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Cut the morels in half.
Pat the steaks dry and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Melt 1tablespoon of the truffle butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add in the steaks and cook to desired doneness (obviously medium-rare is the only doneness), about 4 minutes per side. It is VERY important that you don't move the steaks around while they cook or you won't get a nice sear.
Transfer the steak to a plate and tent with tinfoil to rest while you make the sauce.
Add the other tablespoon of truffle butter to the skillet. Add in the morels and green onions and saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the cream, tarragon, marsala, and reserved soaking liquid from the morels. Simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened (it will be quite runny still but that is what you want), about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the sauce over the steaks, sprinkled with extra chopped tarragon for garnish.

Meyer Lemon Sweet Rolls

2011-02-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'll start off by stating the obvious- these are NOT low-calorie rolls. However, they ARE the kind of treat to make on a lazy weekend morning with a couple of friends or, perhaps your kids. Additionally, they are so amazingly scrumptious that you will take one bite and no longer trouble yourself with trifling matters such as: Will I need to spend an extra hour working out? Do I care if I gain weight just looking at these? No, none of this matters anymore when the warm, gooey, tart, and sweet morsel hits your mouth- everything is now right in the world.

These rolls, while time-intensive, are quite simple to make. Whenever I'm baking with yeast, I always am afraid that I am going to do something wrong and the bread won't rise or something of the sort, but I have yet to fail with yeast and am rapidly coming to the realization that maybe my stigma surrounding it is completely unfounded. Now that I know how easy these rolls are to make, and more importantly, how hard they are to get wrong, I can't wait to experiment with various different filling combos as well as the traditional cinnamon roll!

If you have the time, I highly suggest that you try out these rolls. You will not be disappointed by the crisp exterior, the ooey-gooey center, or the creamy, tart glaze. In fact, these rolls are well worth waking up early to make :)!

Meyer Lemon Sweet Rolls

recipe from slightly adapted from here

makes about 2 dozen rolls (depending on how you roll/cut them)

ingredients:

rolls:

2 cups warm water
2 tbsp dry yeast
2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
about 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

filling:

1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
zest of 6 Meyer lemons

glaze:

8 oz. block cream cheese
juice of 6 Meyer lemons
pinch of kosher salt
6 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the warm water and yeast and allow to proof for around 10 minutes. It will get kind of foamy on top when it's done.
To the yeast/water mixture, add in the milk powder, sugar, and salt. With the paddle attachment, stir together on low speed. Add in the softened butter and egg and combine.
Slowly add in the flour, 1 cup at a time until the dough is soft but not sticky (you may need a little more or less flour that I used). Increase the mixer speed to high and mix the dough for about 5 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and begins to climb the paddle.
Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few times on a floured work surface. Set the dough into a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise for an hour.
Cut the risen dough into thirds. Using a rolling pin, roll 1/3 of the dough into a rectangle 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Spread the dough with 1/3 cup of the butter, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, and the zest of 2 lemons. Carefully roll the dough up tightly and cut into 1 1/2 inch rolls. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place the rolls on a large baking sheet or individual baking cups. Set on top of the preheating oven to rise for about half an hour. Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden brown.
While rolls are baking combine glaze ingredients in a large bowl and beat until combined. Pour or drizzle over warm rolls.

These sweet rolls are featured in a linky party at Sweet Rolls that Rock! Click the button below to check out some more tasty and unique sweet rolls!

Brown Butter Chocolate Walnut Cookies

2011-02-04T02:28:00.000-08:00

Is there anyone out there who doesn't enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie? If so, they should probably head to a doctor and get that checked out because I'm not sure that it's normal.

These cookies are truly something amazing. The brown butter gives them a distinctive nutty flavor that it further complemented by the crunchy walnuts. They are also incredibly chocolatey. I love the way the chocolate chips melt a bit in the warm dough to create scrumptious ribbons of chocolate throughout.

You certainly don't have to add the specialty chocolate squares on top of (or inside of!) the cookies, but it really puts these delectable delights over the top. I used a milk chocolate bar that was mixed with bits of Christmas spice cookies that I found to really enhance all of the flavors, but I encourage you to play around with any chocolate bar that catches your eye! I think white chocolate would be heavenly, or you could even try a caramel-filled chocolate!

I find these cookies (like all chocolate chip cookies :P) are best eaten warm, when the chocolate is all melty, with a big class of cold milk- total bliss!

I also went ahead and stuffed the specialty chocolate into the center of 1/4 of the cookies for an ooey-gooey treat. They turned out more round and sphere-like, almost like ice cream scoops of delectable cookie!

Brown Butter Chocolate Walnut Cookies

makes roughly 3 dozen cookies

ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1/2 dark chocolate and 1/2 milk chocolate)
optional: specialty candy bar separated into sections (I used a Milk Chocolate with Spiced Cookies Divine chocolate bar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
In a small saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat. The melted butter should foam up and then subside. It will be a golden-brown color when done and smell nice and nutty. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the same pan that you browned the butter, toast the walnuts over medium heat. You'll be able to smell them when they are done; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm brown butter and sugars on medium-high speed. Slowly add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until combined. The mixture should look very silky and brown. Slowly add the flour mixture in and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. The warm mixture should melt the chocolate about half-way so that ribbons of chocolate form throughout the dough.
Scoop 1-2 tablespoon sized balls onto prepared baking sheet. If using, press a square of the specialty chocolate onto the top of each dough ball. (Alternatively, you can press the square into the middle of the dough for a gooey surprise when you bite in!)
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden (they may appear doughy still but they will be perfect when they set up). Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool further.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies (Vegan)

2011-02-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

I'm already slacking with my blog again. Honestly, it's because I'm stressed with school. I've had a lower eyelid twitch on my left eye for the past two and a half weeks that has become more than a little bothersome. However, being stressed is about the worst excuse I could possibly give for not posting because there are only two things that de-stress me: working out and baking. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my waist line?) I have been doing the former.

Anyways, these no bake treats are quite simple to whip up, and it could be reasoned that they are somewhat healthy as they contain only "good" fats- coconut and peanut butter. But, at 200 calories apiece I wouldn't go eating the entire batch :P!

As soon as I saw this recipe over on Oh She Glows, I knew it would be a vegan dessert that even my animal-product-loving boyfriend would devour. I basically just showed him the photo on Angela's blog, without telling him that it included ingredients that make him cringe like almond milk and brown rice syrup, and he was sold. He immediately went to the grocery store and bought me the cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips that I lacked in the pantry. (He still doesn't know they were vegan!)

These crispies were quick to make; the only hard part was waiting for them to firm up in the freezer. The homemade chocolate peanut butter topping makes the bars absolutely decadent and deliciously rich. I recommend serving these with One Ingredient Banana Soft Serve for the ultimate combo of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. (If you haven't heard of this amazing creation storming the blog-o-sphere yet, it is simply frozen bananas whipped in a food processor, NOT blender, until a super creamy ice cream consistency. It literally is EXACTLY like soft serve, you won't believe it. I also suggest you try the banana soft serve with some of the extra chocolate peanut butter blended in :D)

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies

recipe slightly adapted from here

makes 16 bars

ingredients:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
3/4 cup warm Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter (recipe below)
1/2 cup non-dairy dark chocolate chips
shredded, unsweetened coconut

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with 2 sheets of parchment paper (one going each way).
In a large saucepan melt together the peanut butter, rice syrup, vanilla, and almond milk over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Slowly add in the cocoa powder and salt and stir to combine. Pour in the rice cereal and remove from heat. Stir to completely coat the cereal.
Spread the mixture into your lined baking dish. Using a sheet of wax paper, press it down evenly.
Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. (Now is a food time to make the chocolate peanut butter if you haven't already.)
Remove dish from freezer and pour the chocolate peanut butter over the firm cereal mixture. Spread it around so it coats evenly.
Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips and shredded coconut over the top of the bars.
Place in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour to set up. Remove from freezer, cut, and serve! (Store bars in the fridge.)

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter

recipe from here

ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup non dairy dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
salt, to taste

Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in the microwave fro 30 to 60 seconds.
Stir the chocolate mixture and salt into the peanut butter until combined.

Orange-Rosemary Buttered Mixed Nuts

2011-01-23T03:10:00.000-08:00

Oh, hey guys! Remember me? I used to hang out here a whole lot more often than I have been the past month and a half? I post recipes from time to time? It's me, Rachael.

Look guys, I'm super sorry about my utter negligence of this blog since early December. The truth is, I just had way too much going on. Let's start from the beginning: first I had finals, then my little sister flew out to visit me for a week, then I flew home to Florida for Christmas, then I flew back to Seattle to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday, our anniversary, and New Year's with him, and then school started. WHEW! See? Plus school has been more than a little stressful this quarter as I have to write an average of two papers each week.

Well, now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about these super tasty mixed nuts. I made them for Mikey's parents' dinner party they had a few nights ago as an extra little surprise as I was only asked to make dessert (which I will be sharing here in the near future).

These make a great snack, or an easy, delicious appetizer. They are salty and sweet and smell uh-mazing. Orange and rosemary make a wonderful combination that ends up being positively addictive.

I highly recommend these nuts because not only are they scrumptious, little morsels, but they take less than ten minutes to whip up!

Orange-Rosemary Buttered Mixed Nuts

recipe adapted from here

These should keep for about a week in a sealed tupperware

ingredients:

3-4 cups salted mixed nuts (a 17-ounce can)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 tbsp granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
zest of one orange

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the remainder of the ingredients and cook, stirring, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is fragrant (no more than 5 minutes).
Pour the mixture on a baking sheet and allow to cool.

Pomegranate and Mango Guacamole

2010-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

So, this is one of the appetizers that I made for Thanksgiving. Yes, I'm still sharing Thanksgiving recipes. I told you I made a TON of food- and I still have 5 more posts of things I made to get up! However, this particular recipe isn't exactly typical Thanksgiving fare and you could serve it whenever.

It might seem odd to consider adding pomegranate or mango to guacamole- and even stranger to add both- but I assure you, it is beyond delicious! The mango and pomegranate add a sweetness that is offset by the spicy chiles and acidic lime juice. Another thing that I love about this guac is the multitude of textures. The familiar creaminess of the avocados is cut with the little balloon-like pomegranate arils and juicy mango chunks; and, when piled on a crunchy plantain chip, you are left with pure texture-heaven!

I got quite a few compliments on this appetizer and I will definitely be making it again! It's also quite easy to throw together. Honestly, the most difficult part is getting the arils out of the pomegranate- which admittedly can be rather time-consuming. I've found the best way to go about it is to cut the pomegranate in halfway through and then pull it apart. Do the same to separate it into quarters. Next, grab a large bowl of water and hold the quarters under the water and pull out the arils.

Pomegranate and Mango Guacamole

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

4 ripe avocados
1/2 large white onion, diced
2 fresh serrano chiles, finely chopped, seeds removed from one but left in the other
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Arils (seeds) from 1 pomegranate
1 large mango, peeled and diced
sea salt
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Halve, pit and peel the avocados. Coarsely mash them in a large bowl.
Stir in the onion, chiles, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
Fold in the pomegranate seeds, leaving a small amount left over to garnish. Add in the mango and cilantro.
Garnish the top with lime wedges and the leftover pomegranate arils. Serve with plantain chips. I also served mine with multigrain tortilla chips.

*This can be made 4 hours ahead of time. Just press plastic wrap onto the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Caramel Sauce and Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream

2010-12-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

As I've said before, I absolutely despise Pumpkin Pie. This is terribly odd as I LOVE everything else pumpkin. Anyways, because of this hatred, every year for Thanksgiving I make a dessert that includes pumpkin, but is not a pumpkin pie. Last year I made a Pumpkin Banana Cream Pie that was positively scrumptious, but this year's pumpkin pie substitute was, dare I say, TWICE as good!

This cheesecake filling was luxuriously creamy with hints of spice throughout. I've left the whipped cream topping unsweetned as I think you will agree that the cheesecake and caramel are plenty sweet enough and the slight tang that the creme fraiche adds is a delightful compliment.

My two absolute favorite parts of this cheesecake were the crust, which was totally awesome with the mixture of the nutty pecans and gingersnap cookies, and the maple caramel sauce which I have to refrain from drinking straight out of the squeeze-bottle, and which I can say from experience is AWESOME when heated up and drizzled over ice cream (by the way, homemade vanilla ice cream post is coming in the near future!).

I would have loved to get some pictures of slices of this cheesecake but unfortunately Mikey and I were not given much time to take pictures as everyone was ready to dig in!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

crust:

1 1/2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

filling:

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup whipping cream
1-1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs

for crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, fine grind the ground cookies, toasted pecans, and brown sugar. Add in the melted butter and whir to combine.
Press the crust onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2-3 inch sides.
Bake for 8 minutes.

for filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and creamy. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and do with it what you will. (The original recipe uses this as a topping but instead I used the creme fraiche whipped cream.)
Add in the pumpkin, whipping cream, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Beat until well combined. Add in the eggs 1 at a time, beating until just incorporated after each addition.
Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan and fill with cheesecake filling. Place the roasting pan in the oven and fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan (it's much easier to fill it with water when it's already in the oven).
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the top is set but the cheesecake still jiggles when lightly shaken. Refrigerate overnight.
To serve, spread the Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream (recipe below) over the top of the cheesecake and top with drizzles of the Maple Caramel Sauce (recipe below). Serve with extra caramel on the side.

Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream

ingredients:

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chill the bowl and whisk attachment of an electric mixer for at least 15 minutes before making whipped cream.
In the cold bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the creme fraiche and whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Maple Caramel Sauce

recipe from here

ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp maple flavoring

Combine the cream, sugar, and syrup in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is caramel-colored and reduced to 1 3/4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. (Don't be alarmed in the mixture bubbles up. Stir it and it will subside. If it gets too high you can turn down the heat until it subsides.)
Stir in the maple flavoring. Cool slightly, cover, and chill.

Bubble-Top Brioche Rolls

2010-11-30T17:17:00.000-08:00

Out of all of the things that I made for Thanksgiving dinner, it was these that I was the most proud of! Having never ever made bread before (or anything including yeast aside from this Gooey Butter Cake), I was positively thrilled with the final result!

I've always been desperately afraid of making bread because I thought it seemed far too complicated and I was sure that I would screw it up, but after making these, I am convinced that it is far easier than I ever imagined!

These rolls were, in my opinion (and Mikey's), perfect. They were pillowy-soft, slightly sweet, and gorgeously golden-brown. After my success with these rolls, I can't wait to try my hand at all sorts of bread recipes. On my immediate list is: cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, and Christmas Stollen.

Though this dough requires quite a bit of babysitting (as you have to pretty much be around to watch it for 4 hours after making it), it is worth all the effort!

Bubble-Top Brioche Rolls

recipe from here

makes 24 rolls

ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1/2 cup warm whole milk (110-115 degrees)
2 tbsp active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
6 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup + 2tbsp granulated sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs beaten with 2 tsp water, for glaze

Combine the water and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sprinkle the yeast over and stir to fully moisten. Let stand for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Blend at medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes, until shaggy lumps form (though the term "shaggy lumps" confused me at first, I knew exactly what it meant when it happened and hopefully you will too).
Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low and add in the butter one tablespoon at a time, blending after each tablespoon (this process may take a while).
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and climbs the paddle, 8 to 9 minutes.
Butter a large bowl. Scrape the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (I put mine by the fireplace!).
Gently deflate the dough by lifting around the edges and letting the dough fall back into the bowl.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, deflating the dough the same way every 30 minutes until t he dough has stopped rising, an hour and a half to two hours. Chill overnight.
When ready to bake, butter 24 standard muffin cups. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and cut each piece into thirds. Roll each small piece into a ball. Place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Cover the muffin tins with waxed paper and place in a warm area to rise for 50-60 minutes until almost doubled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the top of each roll with the egg glaze, being careful not to let the glaze drip down between the dough and pan.
Bake the rolls until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Cool rolls for 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter

2010-11-28T00:31:00.000-08:00

For this year's Thanksgiving I took on almost more than I could handle in terms of cooking (which you will clearly see in the next several posts as I share with you everything that I made), but it all certainly payed off because the food was great and everyone had a wonderful time!

I always think of brussel sprouts as a quintessential side dish for Thanksgiving. I'm not really sure why considering they were never around my Thanksgiving table growing up, but I just think they ought to be there. They are truly a great fall vegetable despite the bad rap they are disposed to.

This side dish is quite unique and extremely tasty. It's also very easy to make if you aren't trying to make 5 separate dishes at the same time like I was on Thanksgiving. Somehow I managed to forget about my poor sprouts in between the potato water catastrophe and vigilantly watching my rolls in the oven, and thought that I had burned them to a crisp, dooming them to the depths of the trash can. But, after being assured that they were quite tasty and not at all charred to death, it was smooth sailing!

The pomegranates add a wonderful sweetness, but also a delightful crunch. The vanilla-pecan butter smells absolutely out-of-this-world, and I found that a little goes a long way. I found these brussel sprouts to be a great addition to the feast we devoured on Thursday, and I can't wait to make them again when I can devote my full attention to them.

By the way, yes, I am aware that the "correct" spelling is Brussels sprouts, but, you know, no one ever says BrusselS sprouts. Thus, I am inclined to drop the "s" and, as a consequence, the capitalization.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter

recipe adapted from here

3 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 tbsp toasted pecans, chopped
2 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 tbsp canola oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (it's simple to make your own by boiling down pomegranate juice, sugar, and a touch of lemon juice)
seeds from 1 pomegranate
zest from 1 orange

Combine the butter and vanilla bean in a bowl. Fold in the pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss together the brussel sprouts and canola oil; season with salt and pepper. Pour the brussel sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until browned.
Remove the brussel sprouts from the oven and toss with the pomegranate molasses. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes longer.
Transfer the sprouts to a large bowl and add in the pomegranate seeds. Top with as much of the vanilla-pecan butter as you desire.

Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

2010-11-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

Looking for some last minute Thanksgiving recipes? Look no further! Here's an array of salads, potatoes, veggies, and desserts. The turkey and gravy are up to you, but everything else can be found here :D!

I'll be posting quite a few recipes that I'm going to make for this year's Thanksgiving over the next few days/weeks, but try these on your holiday table this Thursday!

Salad:

Peppery Green Salad with Manchego Cheese and Sauteed Pears: This wintery salad is unbelievably good. I made it for Christmas Eve last year and it was a huge hit :)

Italian Salad: This salad is both tasty, and veggie-filled- so you can counteract al that gravy and pie!

Wild Rice and Lentil Salad with Oranges, Dried Fruit, and Chevre: This lettuce-less salad is perfect for fall!

Potatoes:

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: I made these for Thanksgiving last year. Roasting the garlic makes all the difference

Smashed Potatoes with Pancetta and Leeks: These mashed potatoes are certainly not the traditional type you would see on a Thanksgiving table, but they are sure to both intrigue, and please your guests!

Roasted New Potatoes with Fresh Herb Pesto: Not in the mood to mash up a giant vat of potatoes? Try these simple roasted potatoes- just as good and half the work!

Veggies:

Maple Dijon Roasted Brussel Sprouts: I never tried brussel sprouts until I was an adult because everyone always seems to label them as the quintessential "gross vegetable." I don't know who gave brussel sprouts the bad rap but I would like a word with them because they are now one of my favorite veggies (and seem to be an essential for Thanksgiving)!

Roasted Asparagus: This takes almost no time, and produces amazing results- you'll never eat steamed asparagus again!

Condiments:

Maple Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce: It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce!

Dessert:

Pumpkin Banana Cream Pie: This pie is an exciting alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie. I made it last year and got rave reviews!

Pumpkin Shortbread with Eggnog Ice Cream

Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Caramel: This cheesecake might not be "fall-themed" or fit the mold of what is commonly served after a Thanksgiving feast, but it is one of the best desserts I have ever eaten and your guests will easily overlook the lack of sweet potato or pumpkin pie on the table.

Hazelnut-Lavender-Coconut Granola

2010-11-19T03:57:00.000-08:00

(I'm not sure why the font is so small all of a sudden... it is not a different size than any of my other posts :/. Blogger just likes to give me trouble, I suppose.)

Okay guys, this will be the last lavender recipe for a while, promise (though, if you love lavender as much as me that may not be such a good thing?)!

Let me just start off by stating the facts: this is the one of the best tasting and smelling granolas (with a serious emphasis on "smelling"- man my house smelled GREAT) in the whole wide world and if you think otherwise I'd have to say that you are positively crazy. With that said, you certainly have to like lavender and coconut to like this granola :).

Honestly though, it even beats my old favorite, Pine Nut and Black Pepper Granola, by a landslide. I suppose I could be extremely biased considering two of my very favorite flavors are lavender and coconut, but even Mikey-- who is not a granola-person mind you-- found it to be addictively scrumptious (side note: Firefox tells me "addictively" is not a word, but I could have sworn it was and will continue to go on pretending that it is).

Coconut and lavender seem like a less than desirable match, but they work unexpectedly well together! (I imagine that a lavender-coconut quick bread would be quite amazing.) The Meyer lemon's flavor is extremely subtle in this granola, but noticeable enough to freshen things up a bit. I love the delicious nuttiness the hazelnuts add, and the crunchy buckwheat kernels bring in lots of texture. Basically, I adore every component of this granola.

If you don't try either of the other two lavender recipes I've posted recently, I implore you to try this one! Because as a granola-lover, this one is just perfect for me, and I hope that you will find it to be more than acceptable for you as well!

By the way: Recently I posted an "About Me" page (which can be found at the very top of each page) and I was curious to know if there were any other questions you would like answered on the page. Please post any suggestions in the comments, thanks!

Hazelnut-Lavender-Coconut Granola

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup buckwheat
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut butter (you could use coconut oil instead, it just won't be as coconut-y)
3/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tbsp culinary lavender

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, buckwheat, coconut, hazelnuts, lemon zest, and salt. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt together the honey, coconut butter, and lavender over low heat for about 4-5 minutes.
Pour the hot mixture over the oats, etc. and stir to fully coat. Pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it out into an even, thin layer.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the granola has reached your desired level of golden-brown (I like mine a little more on the extra-toasty side), stirring every 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before storing.

Lavender-Cardamom-Dark Chocolate Tart

2010-11-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

Yep, another lavender recipe! And I have another one on the way! I guess you could say I'm somewhat infatuated with the perfume-y flower at the moment, but I think there is something about it that is just perfect for the holidays! It's taste and aroma remind me of rosemary and pine trees, yet a bit more unique with its extra floral note.

I imagine this tart would be positively delicious paired with some vanilla bean ice cream, but it is quite tasty all on its own. The chocolate-y lavender filling is super creamy and decadent, and the salt on top brings the flavors over the top.

What I love most about this tart is the way it fills your home with the rich scent of cardamom as the crust bakes, and the soothing aroma of lavender as the cream steeps.

Since the filling is so rich, it only takes a small slice to satisfy. I found that the extra ganache that I had leftover was absolutely scrumptious with my Salted Honey Lavender Shortbread; just dip half of a square in and enjoy!

Lavender-Cardamom-Dark Chocolate Tart

recipe from here

The recipe states that it makes 1 9" tart or an equivalent rectangular tart, but I suppose my tart pan wasn't quite big enough as I found the crust to be a bit thick and I had quit a bit of ganache left over.

ingredients:

for pastry:

260g all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cardamom (I used whole cardamom that I ground with a mortar and pestle)
1 tbsp freshly grated Meyer lemon zest
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
2 tbsp water, chilled

for ganache filling:

10 oz. heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup culinary lavender + more to top
12 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp unsalted butter
coarse sea salt

pastry:

Using a food processor, pulse together the flour, cardamom, lemon zest, salt, and sugar until combined. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture has the texture of small peas.
Add in the egg yolk and then slowly add in the water/lemon juice just until the dough begins to form when pressed between two fingers.
Form the pastry into a ball and refrigerate for at least one hour or stick it n the freezer for 15 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Press the pastry dough firmly into the tart pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Return to the freezer for just a few minutes so the dough can harden up a bit again.
Bake for about 15 minutes until the edges begin to turn golden. Remove the beans and parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until the crust has turned golden brown all over. Remove from oven and let cool.

filling:

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and lavender buds to a simmer. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 10-20 minutes.
Place the chopped chocolate and honey in a large bowl and place a fine mesh strainer on top. Set aside.
Add the butter to the cream and lavender and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream mixture through the sieve over the chocolate/honey. Be sure to press out all of the liquid from the lavender buds.
Whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth. Immediately pour into the prepared crust.
In a mortar and pestle, rub together an equal amount of sea salt and lavender and sprinkle over the chocolate.
Allow the tart to set at room temperature fora couple of hours until completely cool. Serve at room temperature.

Salted Honey Lavender Shortbread

2010-11-05T02:00:00.001-07:00

It's no secret that I love shortbread....

Pine Nut Rosemary Shortbread

Pumpkin Shortbread

Apple and Carrot Shortbread

Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread

... but I also adore salty sweets and recently received a bunch of culinary lavender for my birthday (considering my birthday was at the end of September I guess it's not so recent but I just got around to using it haha), so when I came across these shortbread squares it's safe to say I was absolutely smitten.

These cookies are buttery, salty, perfectly crumbly but not overly messy, and infused with a wonderful lavender flavor without being too floral-y of perfume-y. They make a beautiful dessert with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or a great afternoon snack with a cup of piping hot tea :).

As an avid shortbread fan, these cookies are some of the best I have ever had (and let me tell you I've had quite a few varieties)! Not to mention the fact that these cookies are extremely simple to make thanks to the fact that you just press all of the dough into a pan and then cut them after they are baked. It also makes for easy clean-up considering you only really dirty your mixing bowl and baking tin!

Salted Honey Lavender Shortbread

recipe from here

makes 16 cookie bars

ingredients:

7 1/4 ounces (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp corn starch
2 1/4 ounces (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp culinary lavender
6 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp sea salt + more to top the cookies (I used Cyprus Flake Sea Salt which is pyramid-shaped, but any flaky salt would work i.e. fleur de sel)
3 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8"x8"baking tin with butter or non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well (make sure there is enough overhang of the parchment paper so that you can easily lift the cookies out of the tin). Set aside.
(This step is optional but I find it distributes the lavender better.) In a food processor whir together the sugar and lavender for about a minute until the lavender buds are chopped and distributed throughout the sugar and the sugar has a purple hue (careful, it gets quite powdery).
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients and mix in low speed until combined (it's fine if the dough is crumbly).
Press the dough into the prepared tin. With a fork, poke the surface of the dough all over.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and the cookies feel firm when lightly pressed mine baked for 30 minutes).
After you remove to cookies from the oven, sprinkle the tops with sea salt. Allow to fully cool in the pan before removing and slicing into 16 equal squares.

Spooky Spider Cookies

2010-10-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Looking for a last minute Halloween treat? Try these super simple (super cute) cookies that I made last year! They take almost no effort at all and they are a huge hit with kids! Best of all, you probably have nearly all of the ingredients on hand!

[Post originally from 10/27/09]

My little sister needed some Halloween themed goodies to bring to her high school dance this evening and these were quick and super easy.

They are a bit rich for my taste buds, but perfect for a bunch of kids trying to satisfy their holiday sweet-tooth at a school function! Plus, look how adorable they are!

Spooky Spider Cookies

recipe from here

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag thin pretzel sticks
11.5 ounce bag of dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6+ ounces chocolate sprinkles
small red candies (I used cinnamon hard candies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat until just combined. The dough should look slightly dry.
Form tablespoon sized balls with the dough and place on a cookie sheet. The dough will not really spread while baking so there is no need to place them too far from one another.
Break the pretzel sticks in half and and stick 8 halves into each ball (4 on each side).
Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
Combine the chocolate chips and oil together in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
With a pastry or basting brush, paint the cookies completely, including the pretzels. Cover with sprinkles and push two red candies into each cookie for eyes.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

2010-10-27T01:14:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty chilly and grey here in Seattle lately and this kind of weather makes me want to do nothing more than skip school and curl up by the fire with a nice big mug of hot chocolate. While I can't get away with the skipping school part (boo :(), I can soothe my warm drink cravings!

The hot chocolate is creamy, spicy, and extremely comforting. Paired with the cinnamon whipped cream it is absolute heaven and perfect for the holiday season! Also, thanks to my adorable hot chocolate set complete with electric frother, it was super light and foamy.

While this recipe may not be completely traditional (I really have no clue), this is my version of Mexican hot chocolate and I think it turned out pretty amazing if I do say so myself :).

Mexican Hot Chocolate

serves 2 (with lots of leftover whipped cream :P)

hot chocolate ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
1 cup 2% milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split down center
tiny pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (about 82g) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Heat the milk, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, and cayenne in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce to low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Bring the heat back up to medium-high. When the milk begins to bubble around the sides turn the heat off and stir in the chocolate. Keep stirring until smooth.
Remove the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. At this point I poured the mixture into my specialty hot chocolate vessel fitted with frother and frothed for a few seconds. If you don't have a frother, you can leave the mixture in the pan and use a whisk to froth.
Serve with a dollop the Cinnamon Whipped Cream (see below).

cinnamon whipped cream ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp caster sugar

Pour the cream into a chilled bowl and beat until soft peaks form.
Add in the sugar and cinnamon and beat to stiff peaks.

Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2010-10-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited that it's fall: the cool weather, warm-colored leaves, sitting by the toasty fire, and LOTS AND LOTS of pumpkin! I cannot even begin to describe my love for the big orange squash, buuuut I can show you:

Pumpkin and Black Bean Quesadillas

Quick Pumpkin Butter

Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Pumpkin Shortbread

Pumpkin Banana Cream Pie

Throw-it-Together Pumpkin Soup

...and that's only the stuff I've actually posted. I think it's safe to say that I'm more than a little obsessed. Hence, when I saw these whoopie pies I absolutely HAD to try them. Plus, they are almost "too" perfect for Halloween; check out that black and orange combo (also note the adorable spooky cupcake liners :) ).

I had never made whoopie pies before, and though I was a bit nervous, I had always wanted to give them a try. Honestly, I don't know what I was worried about. They could not have been easier to make and I cannot wait to try my hand at some more fun flavor combinations (though it will, of course, be hard to top pumpkin).

These turned out absolutely fabulous! The cookies (cake?) turned out perfectly soft and pillowy, and the filling was all I had hoped it would be- spice-y (not spicy), pumpkin-y rich, and ultra creamy- a sweet, little package of fall in edible form!

I sent the whoopie pies to work with Mikey and he came home with empty tupperware- a definite good sign! Apparently they were quite a hit :D.

Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

recipe slightly adapted from here

makes roughly 35 (fairly large) whoopie pies

cookie ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-processed)
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 lage eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (not so funny story: I thought the vanilla was my Diet Coke while baking and I took a MASSIVE swig. I DO NOT recommend it.)

filling ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (I used Neufchatel which has 1/3 less fat)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
grated cinnamon, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (I used close to maybe 3/4 tbsp of each- possibly more- I like mine quite fragrant.)

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter, shortening, and sugars for about 3 minutes until creamy and smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix for around 2 more minutes.
Alternately add in the flour mixture and milk on low speed, beginning and ending with the flour.
Scoop dough 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheet in about a tablespoon-sized mound (I used a small cookie scoop.). Bake for 12 minutes or until the cookies spring back when lightly touched.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5-10minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling:

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth.
Add in the pumpkin and spices and mic until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

To assemble:

Spoon a tablespoon-sized amount of filling onto the flat side of one of the cookies and top with another cookie. Repeat the sandwich-mking process with the rest of the cookies/filling.

Roasted Chicken with French-Style Pan Sauce

2010-10-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

One of my absolute favorite foods in the world is roasted chicken. Growing up it was on the dinner table at least twice a week, and yet, it was hard to get sick of the crispy skin and juicy meat.

When I saw this recipe for chicken with a pan sauce in my October Cooking Light magazine (which by the way has like 10 other recipes that I can't wait to try), it brought back memories of family dinners in which we sat around discussing our days.

The chicken turned out amazing (and Mom, I hate to say, but maybe even better than yours)! The skin was a perfect golden-brown and the meat was oh-so-tender and juicy. However, the pan sauce is what really made it. It was rich and creamy with a nice zing from the dijon mustard.
I served my chicken just like my mom would but with a little flair, with some simple mashed potatoes (yukon gold potatoes peeled and cooke then mashed with butter, salt, pepper, and skim milk), and some lemony green beens (beans boiled for 3 minutes then tossed in a saute pan with butter and lemon juice and finished with a bit of lemon zest). It was a perfect home-style meal that I can't wait to share with my family.

Roasted Chicken with French-Style Pan Sauce

recipe from October 2010 Cooking Light

ingredients:

2-4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
When the oil is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is golden-brown in color (about 5-8 minutes). Then, turn the breasts over and place the entire pan in the oven. Cook for 40 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 degrees, or the juices run clear.
Take the chicken out of the oven (and immediately place an oven mitt on the 350 degree metal handle so you don't forget it's freakin' hot and grab it like myself) and place the breasts on a separate plate. Cover the chicken with tin foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
While the chicken is resting, heat the pan the chicken was in over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until it reduces by about half. Add in the dijon mustard and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the cream with the flour and mix until there are no clumps. Add the cream/flour mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly. Serve with the chicken.

Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies

2010-09-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Man, these past few of weeks have been insanely busy (which would explain the lack of posts). I just had my 22nd birthday about a week ago, and my two very best friends flew all the way up to Seattle from Florida to celebrate it with me!
On top of having my birthday, I've been trying to get all of my things in order for school to start TOMORROW (I'm seriously freaking out. It's my senior year!), and I managed to get myself sick for a whole freakin' week!

So, the point is, I do apologize for not updating in quite some time, but hopefully this peace offering of these buttery, sweet, hearty cookies will satisfy :).

These cookies are really something else. While they may not be the prettiest girl at the ball, they certainly are tasty! They're rich and crumbly like shortbread, but the buckwheat brings in a nuttiness that pairs so nicely with the crunchy tidbits of cocoa nibs. They are also incredibly easy to make, and only use six ingredients!

I decided to make my cookies bite-sized because I decided that you don't feel as bad eating seven tiny cookies as you do when you eat seven full-sized cookies :D. Plus, I mean come on, they are incredibly cute- like baby cookies!

I urge you to make these as I think you will find that they are a fun spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie that happens to be unbelievably addictive.

(Note: these cookies crumbled over ice cream = heaven!!)

Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies

recipe from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich (found here)

ingredients:

1 1/4 cup (5.6 oz) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (3 oz) buckwheat flour
2 sticks (1 cup/ 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cocoa nibs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flours sand salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar for only about a minute. Add in the cocoa nibs and vanilla and mix. Add in the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Pour the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until it comes together. Roll the dough out into 2-4 flat patties (about the thickness you want your cookies- maybe 1/4 inch). Refrigerate for at least two hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Stamp out the cookies using a cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheets about an inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven. They will be incredibly soft and will have sort of melted down a bit in the oven. At this point i went ahead and stamped each cookie again with the cookie cutter so that they would look cleaner (plus it left me with a bunch of cookie crumbles that I promptly crumbles over ice cream). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a rack to cool further.

Easy Peasy White Chicken Chili

2010-09-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

[Goose Valley Giveaway winner revealed at end of post! Sorry it took so long guys. I was super busy this weekend!]

Some evenings the day has just been so long that making dinner is the absolute last thing on Earth that I want to do. This chili is absolutely perfect for those nights :D.

I love this recipe because, honestly, it is barely a recipe. It is just about the easiest thing I could imagine- open a few can, buy a pre-cooked chicken, plop it all in a pot, and cook. That's why it's so great for nights when you just don't want to spend the time flipping, stirring, and sweating over the stove.

On top of this recipe being incredibly simple, it's remarkably delicious. It's rich, yet still light because it is brothy as opposed to a thicker red chili, and the corn adds a nice sweetness that is complimented by the slight kick of spiciness you get from the green chilies. I topped mine with some pepperjack cheese, but the toppings are really endless- avocado, tortilla strips, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro- anything you can think up that would be delicious!

There is nothing more satisfying than curling up with a big bowl of some of this chili, piping hot, on a cold rainy day :).

I should probably also mention that this chili makes awesome leftovers!

Easy Peasy White Chicken Chili

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 can Great Northern Beans (or other white beans such as Cannelini), drained and rinsed
1 can of corn, drained
1 4-ounce can roasted green chilies
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 32-ounce box chicken broth
salt & pepper
juice of one lime

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and saute until it becomes translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Add in the chicken, corn, chilies, beans, cumin, and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Add in the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with the toppings of your choice!

And the Goose Valley Giveaway winner is:

Garden of Eaten! I'll contact you to get your address for shipping the rice!
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Ultra Chocolatey Buttermilk Cookies

2010-08-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

[First and foremost: If you haven't entered my Goose Valley Giveaway yet, be sure to do so before midnight on the 2nd!]

It had been quite some time since I last baked up a batch of cookies, and I find myself itching for that scoop and bake gratification. Is it so weird that the process of scooping dough onto a baking sheet gives me a rather strong sense of satisfaction? Probably. Anyways, I saw these cookies on Baking Bites and found the use of buttermilk extremely intriguing. Time to fire up the Kitchen Aid!

These cookies are super chocolatey, and awesomely chewy. They are more or less brownies in cookie form and if I could do so without any waist-widening repercussions, I would eat every. last. one. They are to-die-for with a nice, tall glass of cold milk. I think these cookies would also be amazing with some walnuts and/or dried cherries. But, if you're craving ooey gooey chocolate goodness, the basic recipe is juuuust right :).

I sent them to work with Mikey and he came back with an empty container that had all but been licked clean. Apparently they were quite a hit and his office became a popular hang-out spot for the day.

Ultra Chocolatey Buttermilk Cookies

recipe from here

makes 3 dozen

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1/2 semi-sweet chips and 1/2 dark chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cocoa powder and melted butter until very smooth. Add in the sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate.
Scoop the dough onto the lined baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart (I used a medium-sized cookie scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool further.

Wild Rice Crackers & a Giveaway!

2010-08-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

First of all, I apologize for the lack of posts the past couple of weeks. It's not that I haven't been baking cooking (in fact I have been doing so more than usual), it's just that I can never seem to get around to taking photos. It seems a silly excuse, but Mikey recently got a paid internship and now works all day so I try to have dinner ready when he walks in the door. Of course after 10 hours of work he is not quite up to an intensive photo session with his dinner.

That said, I have a few really great posts coming up that I'm excited about, and perhaps another giveaway!

A few weeks ago, Nicole from Goose Valley contacted me about possibly sampling some of their wild rice after noticing my Wild Rice and Lentil Salad. Considering how much I love whole grains, I simply couldn't refuse (not to mention they process their rice in organically-certified facilities and practice sustainable agriculture which is always a plus to me).

I'm all about using ingredients in new and interesting ways, so I decided to incorporate Goose Valley's Natural Wild Rice into my baking in the form of crackers!

These crackers are really something. They are crunchy, chewy, slightly sweet, and best of all- really good for you! One thing I noticed off the bat was the unique nuttiness that the rice had in comparison to other wild rices that I have tried. I thought it paired wonderfully with the sweet dried currants/raisins and crunchy almonds. They are AWESOME with some goat cheese, or as I have here, some fresh honey-flavored Farmer's cheese, but I can imagine that cream cheese or even mascarpone would be equally as satisfying.

Goose Valley has kindly provided me with extra samples of their rice that I want to pass on to you! I'm giving away a pack of Goose Valley Organic Wild Rice, and a pack of Goose Valley Brown and Wild Rice Fusion. To enter the giveaway, simply comment on this post telling me about your favorite unconventional way to use rice in your cooking (or baking!). No more entries after 12 a.m. on Thursday, September 2. A winner will be chosen at random later on that day!

Wild Rice Crackers

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour (or just 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried currants/golden raisins
1 cup cooked wild rice, chilled and dry
1/4 cup coarsely chopped raw almonds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (you don't have to get this fancy- just use what you have)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 standard size loaf pans; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the wild rice, dried currants/raisins, sesame seeds, and almonds.
Pour the mixture into the loaf pans (which will only be 1/4 or less full) and bake for roughly 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the loaves thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Slice the loaves into extremely thin slices (about the thickness of the cracker you want). Try not to eat too much of the warm bread with butter... Lay slices onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle the salt over each cracker.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the crackers over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden.

Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Currant Syrup Topped with Honeyed Mascarpone and Pistachios

2010-08-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I entered an Iron Chef-style contest on an internet forum. The theme was "breakfast," and considering that is incredibly broad, I initially had absolutely no idea what I would choose to make. I thought about roasted asparagus with a poached egg and truffled breadcrumbs; I considered bacon pancakes or a breakfast pizza, but then I recalled the gorgeous fresh red and white currants that were sitting on my fridge and I knew exactly what I would make.

The cornmeal in these waffles gives them a really nice bite, and the fresh currant syrup is both refreshingly tart and sweet. The creamy honeyed mascarpone is a delicious alternative to whipped cream, and the pistachios add a satisfying crunch and saltiness that pairs with the currants remarkably well.

I have no idea if I placed (I think I'll know in a few days), but I'm proud of my entry, and I think it was pretty creative!

This post definitely has more pictures that my others simply because for the contest I had to take pictures of the process.

Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Currant Syrup Topped with Honeyed Mascarpone and Pistachios

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup coarse-grind cornmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Fresh Currant Syrup (recipe below)
mascarpone
honey
pistachios, toasted and chopped

Preheat your waffle iron, and also preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Add in the flour mixture all at once and whisk to combine.
Spray your waffle iron with nonstick spray and ladle the batter in. Cook according to your manufacturer's instructions.
Remove the cooked waffles and place on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm until you're ready to serve.
In a small bowl, combine a dollop of mascarpone with some honey and whip together with a spoon.
Serve your waffles drizzled in the currant syrup with a dollop of the honeyed mascarpone and a sprinkled of pistachios.

Fresh Currant Syrup

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

1 cup fresh currants (I used a mixture of red and white)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 whole star anise

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring fairly regularly, until the mixture has reduced by about half.
Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve, being sure to press all of the liquid out of the solids. Serve with Cornmeal Waffles!

P.s.- This is the new GORGEOUS Shun knife that my wonderful boyfriend surprised me with for no reason at all that I use at any moment I possibly can because I still can't believe how awesome it is:

Pine Nut and Black Pepper Granola with Figs and Goat's Milk Yogurt

2010-08-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

I am an absolute granola nut. I freakin' love the stuff, and I am all about a complex, jam-packed mix. I like it loaded with all sorts of goodies: nuts, seeds, fruit, grains, etc., but this incredibly simple and uncomplicated granola blew me away. I have zero idea how a granola with only 6 ingredients (that includes salt and pepper!) can taste so unbelievably complex and wonderful and yet, this slightly spicy and sweet mix swept me off my feet and left me swooning. The small amount of butter and sugar form a wonderful caramel coating over the individual oats and nuts which is absolutely addictive!

Everyone knows that goat cheese and figs are a match made in heaven, but have you ever tried figs and goat's milk yogurt? Oh my.... it is purely sublime. Add in the spicy pine nut granola and you are left with the most amazing way to start off your day (though I must admit I've also had it for lunch, snacks, and dessert). This dish is basically texture heaven. You get the cool, creamy yogurt against the warm, soft figs, and finally the crunchy granola.

All I can say is, you simply must try this dish. It couldn't be easier and yet the flavors are incredible. I'll stop tying to convince you now and just let the photos speak for themselves :).

Pine Nut and Black Pepper Granola with Figs and Goat's Milk Yogurt

This is more of an outline than a recipe. This is just what I use for myself.

ingredients:

1/4 cup Pine Nut and Black Pepper Granola (recipe below)
1/4 cup goat's milk yogurt (I used a variety with added honey but you could use plain and drizzle actual honey on top, or just skip it altogether)
2 fresh figs, quartered (I used Black Mission)
1 tsp olive oil

Heat the oil in a small pan over high heat. Add the figs and saute for about 4-5 minutes or until they begin to caramelize.
Add the yogurt and granola to a bowl and top with the figs. Eat up!

Pine Nut and Black Pepper Granola

recipe from August 2010 issue of Cooking Light

ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the sugar and cook for about 2 minutes until the sugar lightly browns. Add in the nuts, oats, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
Spread the mixture in a thin layer onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 16 minutes, stirring after 8 minutes. Cool completely.