Potato Bread

potato bread reminds me of going to the farm. its a staple at the house and ever grocery store (there is really only one and a gas station) offers potato bread as the main option. i have never really been all that interested in the stuff mainly because i couldn't understand why it donned such a bright yellow color. that just doesn't seem right to me nor does it say "nutritious" or "delicious" for that matter. where is the fiber and protein in yellow? no to mention the yellow stuff tastes exactly like wonderbread - which is just thick air.

anyways enough about the yellow. so as you know i love to make baked goods with alternative materials and last week when josh took a bite of the challah i made he promptly asked why i hadn't made him a loaf of potato bread yet. huh. good question - why the hell haven't i made potato bread yet? with a bag of russets withering away in my kitchen i set to work. i have to say i am more than impressed with this bread, its light due to the potatoes yet still fulfilling and the taste is surprisingly layered and "warm". wow - i know that such a foodie description but really guys this bread rocks! its a perfect pairing for turkey sandwiches. i did a good amount of researching for this recipe and i think its pretty perfect. you'll notice the saffron i added in there as a nod to the odd yellowness afore mentioned, yet its still didn't reach anywhere near the hue of that cheap grocery aisle version. i wouldn't leave it out though, like i said before; it lends for a nice layer of flavors.

POTATO BREAD

1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into cubes

1/2c warm (110F) water from boiling the potato

pinch saffron thread, crumbled

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3 tbs honey

4c flour

1/2c warm milk

1/4c oil

1 egg, beaten

1/2c riced boiled potato (from above)

1 tsp salt

*boil the potato, save the water, rice the potato.

*let water cool down to 110F

*once cooled, dissolve the yeast and saffron in 1/2c of the potato water. stir in 1/2 of the honey and let sit 10 minutes to activate yeast (you will see it "bloom").

*stir in 1/2c of the flour, make smooth paste, cover and let sit 30 minutes.

*in a separate bowl combine the remaining honey, milk, oil, egg, riced potato and salt

*stir in starter "paste" and stir well

*beat in 1c flour until smooth, slowly add in more flour until you get a ball of loose dough

*turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed to get a smooth and elastic dough.

*grease bowl, cover and let rise to double (about 1 1/2 hours)

*punch down, quickly knead for a minute

*shape into smooth ball, place in greased loaf pan and let rise to double (about 30-40 minutes)

*preheat oven to 375F, cook 30-35 minutes to golden brown

Its winter here

** view from (inside) my living room window - i couldn't brave stepping onto the balcony **

it's christmas here - and i have the eating habits to verify that. buckwheat pancakes, beef stew, chocolate crinkle cookies and way - way too many homemade orangettes (recipe to follow once i can free my right hand from the jar they live in).

GF_Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

where do you draw the line when on what can and can't be a chocolate chip cookie? there are some recipes out there that have dried fruit, mashed fruit, dried fruit purees, chopped nuts, nut butters, ground nuts, various extracts and spices that all label themselves as "chocolate chip cookies" with an addition of "with xyz" - for example: "chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, banana, oatmeal and raisins".

don't get me wrong; i love cookies made V8 style - everything crammed into one serving. as a matter of fact i love to sneak a good prune into my chocolate cookies. but alas sometimes you have to just make "plain" old chocolate chip cookies. no walnuts, no fruit, no espresso powder - just sugar, flour and chocolate. but you know me and you know i can't just leave it at that. although these are "just" chocolate chip cookies - they are special: vegan and gluten free. so anyone and everyone can indulge themselves and that they will; indulge!

1/2c coconut oil - melted

1/4c unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/2c packed light brown sugar

2 tbs flax meal

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1c gluten free flour (bob's red mill)

1/2c chocolate chips

*preheat oven to 325F

*mix together oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla and sugar

*in separate bowl sift together flax, soda, xanthan and flour

*stir dry ingredients into wet

*fold in chocolate

*drop by tbs full onto lined baking sheet

*flatten a bit and cook 13 -15 minutes

Challah

we got invited to a Hanukkah party - pot luck party to be specific. so the story goes that at somewhere between 12-1am when we got the email i was on my way into dreaming about cookies or something and that was when josh asked what i was going to bring so he could RSVP our dish (?). before i finish with this mildly interesting story let me ask you: have you ever been in bed, in a kind of mental state that you think is on the verge of falling asleep when someone asks you a question that requires a response other than "yuh" or "nuh"? and you find yourself answering with some garbage but not caring what the hell you just said because you're to pleased with yourself for getting some form of english out of your mouth and that it sated the questioneer long enough that they left you the hell alone so you can get down to your sleep business? yeah well, that's what happened here - but it seems that i wasn't on the verge - i was just flat out sleep talking. because somewhere around two (office working) days prior to this party i asked josh what we were going to bring and he replied with: matzoh crunch and bread. "bread" what does that mean?? so general and open for others to get really excited. all this expectation now - the great mystery of "bread"!

Matzoh crunch i can handle as we all know (yes there is a guy out there in brooklyn somewhere who knows my name to be MC - true story) and i can cook bread - but come on, it has be some kind of fun hanukkah themed thing right? why would i just bring a loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread to a party? that my friends is just a reminder of what you should be eating and not all the other delish, deep fried, cooked by other people foods what you could be shoveling into your guilt ridden face. ugh! so what the hell?!

alright so firstly - i know nothing about jewish cooking much less baking. secondly i don't know what is traditional Hanukkah foodstuff. in steps wikipedia - and out comes a fresh loaf of challah.

full disclosure here: the loaf is missing a "bump" because i braided it with 3 instead of the traditional 4 ropes. i fubbed it up due to making it at 7am on a sunday, pre-breakfast - and anything pre-breakfast is subject to fubbs. but the good news is all the jewish party people (the ones' who opinion here really counts) said i got the challah spot on and it was one of the best they ever had. maybe they where lying, but who cares.

i came up with this recipe after hours of research, but if you think i can use some help by all means let me know.

CHALLAH (minus a bump)

1 1/4c warm water (110F)

2 1/4 tsp yeast

pinch of crumbled saffron threads

1/3c honey

2 tbs oil

1egg + 3 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp salt

4c flour

poppy seeds

*activate yeast in water, add saffron threads

*stir in oil, egg and salt

*start adding in flour in 1/2c - 1c at a time until you get a ball of soft dough, let sit 15 minutes

*turn onto floured surface, knead 8 minutes adding as little flour as possible, until you get a elastic smooth dough

*let rise 1 1/2 hours to double in size

*punch down and let sit 10 minutes

*divide into 3 parts, roll out to long ropes and braid (you should use 4 for traditional challah look)

*let rise on prepared baking pan 20 minutes or double in size

*preheat oven to 375F

*mix together 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water, brush over braided down, sprinkle w/ poppy seeds

*cook for 35 minutes to golden and sounds hollow when tapped

Snappy Gingersnaps

i find there are two breed of people when it comes to gingersnaps - chewy snap or snappy snap. the ladder of which i belong to. as a matter of fact i like everything snappy, i like to think i am a rather snappy person. SNAPPY.

ok- sorry about that. back to what i was saying: there seems to be two kinds of gingersnaps. in england they are called "ginger nuts" and in Scandinavia they are lovingly named "brunkage" - or "brown biscuit" to us english speaking savages.

is it just me or does "brunkage" lend itself more towards the snappy group than the chewy group? i'm so european.

this cookie dough is great because you can roll it into a log, freeze it and as you feel the urge for something snappy and delish just slice off a few rounds and bake. what more can you ask for?

SNAPPY GINGERSNAPS

8 oz butter, softened

1c sugar

1c molasses

1 tsp baking soda (generous)

2vtbs hot water

3 1/2c AP flour

1 1/4 tsp ginger

1 tbs cinnamon

pinch salt

*cream butter, sugar and molasses until smooth

*mix soda w/ hot water and then beat into butter mix

*in separate bowl sift together flour, spice and salt

*stir in flour mix into butter mix

*shape into (2) 2"-3" dia. logs, wrap in plastic and chill a few hours or overnight (or freeze as mentioned above)

*preheat oven to 350F, place parchment on your baking sheet

*slice into 1/8" - 1/4" disks, bake 10 minutes until edges are golden -- do not burn them (although i will still eat them).

Cashew Brownies_GF

i haven't made brownies in somewhere over a year (i think). it seems that i have a tendency to get hung up on other such fantastical journeys like - mini lemon meringue pies & real glazed donuts. as delicious as these were sometimes you just have to get back to the basics, you know?

yeah well i kinda did that. i mean they are brownies, just not basic. sticking to my pseudo gluten-freeness trial i found a recipe from elana's blog for brownies made with almond butter. but considering i eat an almond butter and (delicious Louisiana homemade) jelly for lunch Monday thru Friday i opted to hoard my supply of the jarred gold and use up josh's share of cashew butter which i can't eat with out getting ill (i have no explanation for this). so in it went and i crossed my fingers that the same digestive effect would not happen once combined with chocolate and agave - i mean what can't be fixed with those two? seriously.

i am happy to say that i love these. josh had two with his eggs for breakfast - don't judge - and it didn't bother me. they remind me of a brownie "flavored" cliff bar but way, way better. if you want a more fudge like texture you can try leaving out the baking soda and amping up the cashew butter to 9oz. next time i make them, and that will happen, that is what i will try. these treats are high in protein, low in sugar, dairy free and gluten free. enjoy that!

CASHEW BROWNIES

8oz unsalted creamy cashew butter

1 egg

1/2c + 2 tbs agave nectar

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/4c cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (scant)

1/2c dark chocolate chips

*preheat oven to 325F grease a 8x8 pan

*cream cashew butter to smooth w/ an electric mixer

*beat in egg then agave and vanilla

*in a separate bowl sift together the coco powder, soda and salt

*combine the cocoa mix into the cashew mixture

*fold in the chocolate chips

*pour into to prepared pan, cook 30-35 minutes

Birthday Cake!

ahhh yes its once again josh's birthday - and what kind of a wife / crazy person would i be if i didn't bake an entire layered cake, sized to feed 8 -10 for the two of us to enjoy on a Tuesday evening? every year i ask josh "what kind of cake do you want this year" - as if he's in kindergarten (seriously that's how i speak to him). and every year he just shrugs as if he will eat any cake i make, which is just untrue. and with high spirits i start naming off all kinds of fancy pretentious crap hoping that he will either: a) get tired of the sound of my over enthused voice and just say yes to one of them or b) cave and think of something he really wants. alas neither happens and i end up getting tired of the sound of my own voice and say something along the lines of "or do you just want a generic yellow cake?". Bingo - every friggin time; that's what he wants. so then i have to launch into the frosting options... i'll spare you.

so here we are - one super cute birthday cake, made for a man but designed for a child.

YELLOW CAKE

5oz butter softened

1 1/4c sugar

2c flour

1/4c cornstarch

4 eggs

1tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4c buttermilk

*preheat oven to 350F, grease two 9" cake pans

*sift together flour, starch, leavenings & salt

*in separate bowl cream butter to light

*add sugar and beat to light and fluffy

*beat in eggs one at a time just to incorporate

*beat in vanilla and almond

*(by hand)add in flour mix and buttermilk alternatively - ending on the flour

*pour into prepared pans and cook 20-25 minutes until toothpick is clean

*allow to cool completely before icing

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

6oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

8oz butter, softened

1c powdered sugar

2 tbs water or milk

1 tsp vanilla

*melt chocolate over double broiler, take off heat and allow to cool

*cream butter to light and fluffy

*add vanilla and water / milk, cream for 3 minutes

*beat in sugar to combine

*add in chocolate and beat just to combine - do not over whip

Gluten Free _ Bread

it is official - i am going to go pseudo gluten free for the next few weeks. i say pseudo because well, as with most things in life it just doesn't always work out. so my newest mantra is something along the lines of "don't label yourself". if you are pessimistic (like me) that would translate to: "don't fully commit to anything because you are kinda lazy and will only fail at the given task then feel all guilty about not reaching your goal and end up setting another one to try and make up for the one you just broke, only to continue this cycle". if you are optimistic (like anyone who thinks its cute when an entire class of 2nd graders are piled into the same subway car you just barely eked into) that would translate to: "be free and live life the way that makes you happy, you are an individual and whatever you do makes you the special person you are."

so take your pick but non-the-less you are going to start seeing a bit more gluten free items around here. if you are unfamiliar with gluten free-ness then just use your judgement - if you don't know what coconut butter is - lets chat first before you dive into some of these.

i love this bread - adapted from elana's kitchen- toasted with almond butter and mayhaw jelly (straight from my aunts kitchen in sunny louisiana) - it almost reminds me of the satsuma cake i made a while back. but i nosh on it for lunch - rock out!

GLUTEN FREE_BREAD

2 1/4c almond meal

1c + 2tbs potato starch

6t bs flax meal

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

6 eggs

1 1/2 tsp agave

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

*preheat oven t0 350F, grease 8 x 4 loaf pan

*sift together the almond meal, starch flax and soda

*in separate bowl beat eggs to foamy

*add in vinegar and agave

*add almond mixture into egg mixture, stir to combine

*pour into prepared pan, cook about 40 minutes until toothpick is clean

*cool completely then slice.

Thanksgiving 09 - 2nd annual Farm style

well, we are officially in post thanksgiving mode - also known as "the holidays". starting with the christmas party josh and i met at to last years thanksgiving day that we got engaged, i suppose that this season is officially my favorite (don't worry easter i still adore you more than any other).

this year consisted of a close group of friends, an amazing location and tons of delish foodstuff - and even an adorable baby! surprisingly i pulled off a dinner for 6 without an major disasters or breaking a sweat. the baby enjoyed a champagne cork (don't act you haven't done the same after a little too much "holiday cheer"). Seemed everyone's favorite was a tie between the rosemary lemon bread w/ honey butter and the pumpkin pie w/ homemade whipped cream. my favorite (which i freakishly tried to push on everyone) was the guinness molasses ginger bundt cake. OMG! i am officially obsessed with that cake!

below is a menu from the dinner - if you are interested in a recipe of any of these, just put through a request and i'll hook you up.

Thyme Roasted Chicken

Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Caramelized Onion Cornbread dressing

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Honey Glazed Carrots

Sautéed Green Beans

Rosemary Lemon Bread (w/ Honey butter)

Walnut Bread (w/ Maple butter)

Cranberry Orange Loaf

Pumpkin Pie (w/ Fresh Whipped Cream)

Apple Pie

Guinness Molasses Ginger Cake

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

once again we failed to finish off the bunch of 7 weekly bananas received in our standard grocery load. why is this so difficult? i'm not sure if josh isn't secretly abandoning the last 2-3 bananas on purpose as part of a cruel plan to see what baked goods i will transform the sweet mush into. well, if this is so i keep falling for it. i have a serious problem about throwing any kind of food item away. i will eat anything before tossing it in the trash, which now that i think of it - is not such a reasonable philosophy. usually if something is calling to be thrown in a trash can, you should not be consuming it. hm, ok well with that said...

the cupcakes are pretty close to perfect! the bananas give the added flavor, moisture and sweetness which means less fat and sugar. the addition of the warm spices make this a great fall-into-winter treat. i mean how many versions of pumpkin bread and chocolate mint can one person take during the holidays? give me some fruit please! we ate three of these cupcakes yesterday - yeah they are just that good. if you want you can double this recipe to get a full 12 (this makes 6)

BANANA CUPCAKES w/ HONEY CINNAMON FROSTING

3/4c AP flour

1/4c + 2tbs sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2oz butter, melted

3/4c mashed bananas (2 very ripe)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

*preheat oven to 350F, line muffin pan

*sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

*in separate bowl lightly beat egg

*add egg, butter, vanilla and banana to flour mixture

*stir to just combine

*pour into prepared pan, cook 20 minutes until toothpick is clean

HONEY CINNAMON FROSTING

1/2c + 2tbs powdered sugar

2oz butter, room temp

1 1/2 tsp honey

1/8 tsp cinnamon

*cream all ingredients together until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.

*** i ended up finely chopping walnuts and adding to the top - just to be fancy***

Chocolate Balsamic Prune Cookies

evidently i'm becoming increasingly negative. or so my love says. i like to think of myself as humorously wry - i find stupid things funny and just so happen to think there are a lot of stupid things out in the world. hmmm ok well i suppose i should try and get myself to be more positive to counter-act this negative force.

here's something friggin possitive: these fudgy dense, yet fat-free, cookies. there are a few "secret ingredients" that i like to throw in when baking w/ chocolate that just seems to make life more positive (that's 1). those secrets include, but not limited to: coffee, cinnamon, prunes and balsamic vinegar. really they are positively (2) wonderful when paired with the dark silky goodness of chocolate. they are all ingredients that you would never really know are there but know you miss when they aren't - they are like a positive (3) outlook, or a silver lining of sorts.

so i included 2 of these above mentioned secret positives (4) in these healthy little treats. the result is a positively (5) chewy, rich and finely textured cookie that's super high in fiber and low in calories. don't worry you won't even know there is vinegar in these - yes i am positive (6) about that, trust me - think red wine and chocolate truffles.

i used sugar-in-the-raw so that that there is a little bit of a sugary crunch, i find this to be a positive (7) attribute; if you're not positive (8) you would agree just use regular brown sugar instead.

CHOCOLATE BALSAMIC PRUNE COOKIES

1/4c AP flour

1/2c whole wheat flour

1/4c buckwheat flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1/2c + 1tbs cocoa powder

2/3c sugar in the raw / brown sugar - unpacked

1/2c prune puree *see note below*

1/3c yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

*preheat oven to 350F, line baking pan w/ parchment

*sift together fours, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder

*in separate bowl whisk together sugar, prune puree, yogurt, vanilla and vinegar

*stir in the flour mixture to the prune mixture

*place tbs fulls on prepared pan, smashing down with your fingers

*bake 10-12 minutes

**Prune Puree: soak 1c dried prune in near boiling water for 1-2 hours. Drain the prunes and puree in food processor until uniform and as smooth as you cab get it

Satsuma Almond Cake

i don't think anyone is aware of the fact that Louisiana produces some off the best citrus (in the whole friggin world). that's right - forget the totally worn out old florida navel oranges! annually my parents share their wealth and i get bundles of pink grapefruit, lemons & satsuma - sorry usps. anyways this monday morning the 1st of (hopefully many) my coveted fruits arrived at my door just as i was heading out to work. good way to start your day.

so that leads me to dinner last night. friends came over for dinner at the new apt and having all these delish satsuma sitting around staring at me demanded that i make this gluten free cake. the origins are italian and traditionally made with oranges and blanched almonds. i changed a few things: i added vanilla, used un-blanched almonds to give it a little extra layer of flavor and dressed it up a bit with a chocolate ganache wrap. oh and i served it with fresh whipped cream. what was the word my friend alexis used? i believe it was "heavenly" - i think - either that or "divine". I'm eating another piece right now - it only gets better with time. enjoy!

SATSUMA ALMOND CAKE

4 medium sized satsumas

6 large eggs

2 1/3c un-blanched almond meal / flour

1c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

3oz chopped bittwersweet chocolate

1/3c cream

1/2 tsp instant coffee granules

*make cake:

*place satsumas in cold water, bring to boil and cook for 2hours

*drain and allow to cool completely

*preheat oven to 375F, grease an 8" spring form pan

*puree whole satsumas (everything, peel and all) in blender

*in separate bowl whisk together almond meal and baking powder

*in large bowl beat together the puree and sugar

*add eggs one at a time, blending completely between each

*add in vanilla

*stir in almond meal mix, mix to combine

*pour into prepared pan and cook 1hour, until toothpick is clean

*allow to cool completely, remove from pan then ice edges w/ ganache

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

*heat cream over medium heat until bubbles form around edges

*turn heat off and add in chocolate and coffee, let sit 2 minutes then stir to combine

*let cool slightly then ice cake as desired

Persimmon Chips

see previous post concerning why / how this fruit chip creation has come into being. i found this recipe from a fellow foodie over at vanillagarlic. let me just explain that i only had the pleasure of eat 2 or 3. after i went to bed josh unapologetically consumed every last one of these chips - that's right i've found a way to trick him into eating 2 whole persimmons. of-course this time around i wish that at least a handful would have remained - i really liked these especially after discovering that they only cost 50 cents each. so in other words this was a $1 snack food. you can't beat that - you just can't.

PERSIMMON CHIPS

2 Fuyu persimmons

1 lime - juiced

1c sugar

1c water

*preheat oven to 200F, line pans w/ parchment

*slice the persimmons w/ a mandolin set to "2" or 1/16"

* sprinkle the lime juice over the slices

* in saute pan bring sugar and water to boil, then bring down to a simmer

*add persimmons and simmer for 2 minutes, take off heat

*with slotted spoon remove the slices and place on prepared pans

*cook in oven for 2 1/2 hours - flipping over each slice half way through. turn oven off and let the chip dry out for a few hours.

Apple Chips

if you just so happen to have read more than one entry into this blog you would probably know that one of my life long quests is to find a way to get josh to eat something somewhat healthy. snacks, as with most of us, are his demise. after i head off to bed he stays up for hours munching down on anything that can be considered bite sized, is loaded with salt and/or sugar and is easily on hand. terrible! i wake up in the morning ( pre-sunrise) and recount his night via the empty candy wrappers and cracker crumbs. *insert sign here*

hmmm, what can be done here? well fruit chips are always a hit around this apt - so i see no reason why i shouldn't be making tasty little treats here in my own kitchen. these apple chips are so tasty! i've honestly never had an apple chip that had so much flavor. the key here is to "marinate" the apple slices in the simple syrup and then making sure to drain and pat pseudo-dry before putting them in the oven.

APPLE CHIPS

1 Fuji apple

1 1/2 - 2 tsp lemon juice

1c sugar

1c water

*bring the sugar and water to a boil in a large skillet, bring back down to a simmer for about 1minute, turn off heat and let cool slightly

*slice the apples with a mandolin set to "2.0" or about 1/16"

*sprinkle lemon juice over the apples

*place apple slices in the simple syrup and let marinate for at least 2 hours

*preheat oven to 200F, line baking sheet(s) w/ parchment

*remove the slices one at a time from the syrup and lightly pat dry

*place the slices in a single layer on the prepared pan and place in oven

*let bake for 2 hours, flipping each slice halfway through

*turn the heat off and let dry in oven for about 2-3 hours until crisp

Chocolate Mocha Shortbread

i can say that before i whipped these together last night - pre-house guest arrival, post dinner - that i didn't really knew what shortbread was. yeah weird for a "baker" but it just wasn't something that i found even sounded appetizing. short-bread? hmmm not nearly as appealing as say - gingersnap. (mmm gingersnap - yum).

so back to the shortbread i made: i found this recipe in my "cookies" cookbook by martha stewart. to be totally honest the main reason i picked this one was because we have no eggs in the frig. and well - this is chocolate (always gets points) and very simple (check plus plus). i have to say that i really like this treat. josh and i decided to rename it dehydrated brownies cus that's really what it seems like your eating. don't take that name the wrong way - they are totally delicious, just reminds you of a brownie in smell and basic taste, but the texture is obviously lacking the gooey fudgeness of a real brownie. these would be perfect for a christmas gift.

CHOCOLATE MOCHA SHORTBREAD (aka: dehydrated brownies)

1/2c + 2tbs flour

1/4c dutch processed cocoa powder

pinch salt

2 tsp instant coffee granules

4oz butter at room temp

1/2c powdered sugar

*preheat oven to 350F, grease a 8" round cake pan

*sift together flour, cocoa, salt and coffee

*in separate bowl cream butter to light and fluffy

*beat in the powdered sugar

*beat in the cocoa mixture to fully combined

*evenly spread the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes

*cook in pan 5 minutes then cut into 8 wedges, cook on wire rack

*when fully cooled sprinkle with powdered sugar

Gluten Free _ Vegan Roasted Pear Muffins

I'm officially back on my gluten-free / vegan baking kick again. that is until next week when i'll be inthralled over some new obsession, i think its gunna be ginger, but you just never know. my (best mom ever) mom sent me some fruit in the mail including but not limited to pears. the majority made the journey up north fine, but sadly two had some issues. these "issues" called for immediate use - alright then crack open the ole' babycakes cookbook and see what we concoct.

the original recipe called for a mix of granny smith and pink lady apples - needless to say i ignored that and used my pears. i have to say these little guys are delish! i sat down to eat a half before heading out on errand - you know i "needed the fuel" and seriously could not stop shoveling the soft and slightly gooey goodness into my grateful mouth. let me know if anyone - is there anyone out there anyways? i think i am talking to myself here - tries these with apples.

GLUTEN-FREE_VEGAN ROASTED PEAR MUFFINS

(Roasted Pears:)

1lb pears, peels, cored & chopped into 1" pieces

1/4c agave

2 tbs lemon juice

*preheat oven to 325F. line pan w/ foil

*toss together all ingredients and place on pan

*cook for 35 minutes

(Muffin Batter:)

1c gluten free AP flour

1/4 tsp xanthin gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4c coconut oil

1/3c agave nectar

1/3 almond /rice/soy milk

1/2 c loosely smashed roasted pears (see below)

*keep oven at 325F, line muffin pans

*sift together all dry ingredients

*pour in oil, milk and agave - stir to fully combine

*fold in mashed pears

*add 1/3c of batter to each muffin cup

*cook for 22 minutes until toothpick is clean

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread

i know - how many breads can one person make in a week?! well let me explain. I order most all of my groceries from an online grocer here in the city. you shop, they deliver the next day whenever you choose. sometimes they fubb up your order. nothing huge, but sometimes i'll get a conspicuous can of dog food or a yukon gold potato in place of a sweet potato - you get the picture. so this time around we received an extra bundle of bananas - which brought our total supply for the week to 12. this may seem plausible to a family of four - or someone who ate bananas everyday. but alas i don't eat them unless in baked goods and really only get them because it is one of the only fruits josh will eat without a coating of butter and sugar.

alright so lets make some baked goods! first off is this great gluten-free banana bread. i love it. high in protein and fiber, low in sugar. its the perfect way to start your day - woohoo!

I used ghee in this which is an kind of cultured butter. a friend of mine from india loaned me a bit of it awhile back after i quizzed him on its uses, etc ect. But, understandably if you do not have ghee on hand just go ahead a use coconut oil in its place. ghee gives an incredibly rich "depth of flavor" to this bread that you just can't beat.

GLUTEN-FREE BANANA PECAN BREAD

3 small - medium bananas, mashed

4 large eggs

1/2c honey

3 tbs melted ghee / coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4c arrowroot

1/2c coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1c chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350F, grease your loaf pan

*whisk together the eggs, honey, ghee/oil & mashed bananas

*in separate bowl sift together the salt, cinnamon, arrowroot, coconut, soda & baking powder

*pour the egg mixture into the dry, mix to combine

*fold in the pecans

*pour into prepared pan and cook for 50 minutes

Persimmon, Date and Pecan Bread

up until about 2 years ago persimmons were one amongst a list of fruits that i was convinced simply could not be purchased from a grocery store. my father (in my mind) is the persimmon master. every time he would walk through the doors of our camp and plop down a few of those oddly cartoonish orange fruits i would get so excited because, in all seriousness those perfectly ripe little guys were a heavenly mix between an orange and jello. our family favorite ritual is to peel a few of them (enjoy all the mess), throw them in the freezer for about 30 minutes then gorge ourselves on the amazingly complex textures and tastes of this low country louisiana delicacy. as a matter of fact when josh and i were in town visiting my family a little over a month ago my dad trucked a few into the house. don't you love how some things never change?

when i moved to NYC i began to notice that persimmons were sold in the grocery. this was an interesting phenomenon considering this was never the case in louisiana. the logistics would never work out - from what i knew these things are all mush. try putting that in a pyramid and leaving it out for a week or two in hopes some poor schmuck would buy one. well i bought one one day - i just needed some kind of comfort food and this seems perfect. that was a horrific experience - yikes. biting into one of those, thinking you will get a mouthfull of sweet goo was like drinking from a cup filled with sprite when you thought it was water.

needless to say i had never heard of the other persimmons that happened to look just like my childhood ones. these are so grandly called FUYU persimmons and as i discovered; they are not suppose to soft and gooey like my beloved memories. ok, i can accept that then, but what the hell do you do with them then? make bread i suppose. i was rummaging around blogs and found a recipe for persimmon bread. alright then - lets make some changes and do this!

i really like the finished product, its great for breakfast or afternoon snack.

PERSIMMON, DATE & PECAN BREAD

1 egg

2/3c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c grated persimmons (about 3)

1/3c oil

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1 1/2c AP flour

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp (heaping) cardamon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2c chopped pecans

1/2c chopped dates

*preheat oven to 350F, grease a loaf pan

*whisk together the first 5 ingredients (through to oil)

*in separate bowl sift together the salt, flour and spices

*mix in oil mixture to just combine

*fold in pecans and dates

*pour into loaf pan and cook 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean

Halloween and Pumpkin Seeds

growing up my favorite part of halloween was when my mom oven roasted the fresh pumpkin seeds my father piled into a messy heap - stringy pumpkin goo left in tact - as he gutted the enlarged orange squash in preparation of carving. she would sift through the seeds with her hands, dump them on a baking sheet, (generously) add salt and through them in the oven, lingering pumpkin strings and all. this last part is crucial. when you leave bits of flesh on the seeds they toast up and add an extra layer of crunch and flavor. ahhh! i can't get enough of them.

so when josh brought home a pumpkin last night, immediately my brain went to roasted seeds - and the fun of carving of-course. so we carved the little guy up, sat him atop the balcony ledge, lit him up and enjoyed the gloomy overcast NYC skyline.

and yes - that is the empire in the background (orange, black and white to be festive).

OVEN ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

1 1/2c fresh pumpkin seeds

1-2 tbs olive oil

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

*preheat oven to 350F, line baking pan with parchment

*toss seeds with oil and salt

*spread evenly on prepared pan, cook for 30-35 minutes stirring occasionally

Carrot Cake

so i have this "desk mate" at work. desk mate in the sense that we literally share a plank of white melamine on which we both place our computers, phones, staplers, pens, pencils, stacks (and extra stacks in my case) of sketched over paper, etc etc. we see each other every day for 5 days straight and then 1st thing again monday morning. we make fun of our husbands and exchange sideways glances when someone else in the office is being weird - or whatever. you get the point. what's funny about work relationships like the one my "desk mate" and i have is that after a bit over 2 years of this routine you really get to know someone through seemingly intimate details of this person's life, such as what duvet cover they just bought for their bed, the basics of the in-law relationships and of-course: what kind of cake they like - so much so it was served at their wedding.

alright so i know this deskmate pretty well - right. and she's gunna have a baby in about a month. which translates in office speak to: we're going to have a little get-together and eat cake during office hours on a friday when no one wants to work anyways. annnnnd ofcourse i demanded to bake the cake - her favorite cake, my lease favorite - carrot cake. but its all in the name of desk mate love.

assuming that when multiple people eat upwards of 3 pieces each the signs point to the cake being good, then the cake was a hit. even josh and i enjoyed the un-iced mini cupcakes i made with the leftovers.

CARROT CAKE

2c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

2c sugar

1 1/4c oil

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

3c grated carrots

1c chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350F, grease pans and line bottom w/ parchment

* in a bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices

* in a separate bowl whisk together the oil and sugar

*beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla

*stir in flour mixture, just to combine

*fold in carrots and pecans

*pour into prepared pans, cook 40 minutes until toothpick is clean

*cool for 10 minutes then turn onto cooling rack

*ice and eat!

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

6oz butter, room temp

14oz cream cheese, room temp

3-4c powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

*beat butter and cream cheese together to fluffy

*beat in 2c sugar then add in vanilla

*continue to add sugar until desired consitency / sweetness (i used about 3 1/2)

Halloween Cupcakes!

so we're in! i have a kitchen again! and how better to bring a kitchen to life than to whip up a batch of halloween party cupcakes? This is my usual chocolate cupcake recipe and normally I would pair that with non other than a delish chocolate icing. alas halloween demands orange and black, so there is noway around it - i had to create a vanilla buttercream and forge on with the orange dye. and be the OCD baker i am - threw in real vanilla bean. to me the beans are a must, you can't beat the distinctly authentic and fresh flavor of the freshly scraped little beans. but if you don't feel up to trucking out to the store and spending $10 for the beans (i get mine in bulk for much less, juts for the record) then go ahead and just omit; but be aware beans make it better ;).

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1c AP flour

1c sugar

1/2c cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c buttermilk

1/4c oil

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2c coffee

*preheat oven to 350F, line muffin pan

*sift together the flour, sugar, soda, baking powder, cocoa & salt

*on separate bowl combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla

*stir in buttermilk mixture into dry mix

*pour in coffee, mix to combine

*fill muffin pans and cook for 20 minutes until toothpick is clean

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

2oz butter, room temp

1c powdered sugar

1/4 vanilla bean, split in half and beans scraped

1/2tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp milk

*cream butter until light and fluffy

*add in half of the powdered sugar

*add vanilla bean, extract and milk. beat to combine

*add remaining sugar to desired consistency then beat in food dye

Gluten Free Chocolate and Prune Cookies

we are finally moving - this saturday and of-course it looks like its going to be cold and raining. awesome! so hopefully one of these days soon i will have an apt that functions. functionality is a very very good thing.

so to the cookies - i love these little guys. again i'm cleaning out the ole pantry and trying to make something decently healthy. so for those of you who are not aware: prunes and chocolate go really well together. don't mess around with milk chocolate - go for the dark. trust me.

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE & PRUNE COOKIES

1 1/4c almond flour / meal

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 tbs coconut oil

1/4c agave

1 1/s tsp vanilla

1/4c chopped prunes

1/2c toasted pecans, chopped

1/4c dark chocolate, chopped

*preheat oven to 350F

*combine almond meal, baking soda and salt in bowl

*in separate bowl combine oil, agave and vanilla

*add wet to dry, stir to combine

*fold in prunes and chocolate

*roll into 1/2" ball (or heaping TBS) and flatten slightly

*bake for 8-10 minutes

Pumpkin White Chocolate & Pecans Cookies

so come sunday josh and i were reminiscing about how fabulous our thanksgiving dinner was last year - and how we can't wait to be at the end of November (and over with this NYC moving/working hell). and what says thanksgiving more than the disgustedly delicious low country sweet potato casserole!? yeah you know what i'm talking about - with the mini marshmallows and pecans on top. oh my!

so being the visually obsessive person i am; i went ahead and used pantry "leftovers" and concocted this cookie that looks like the infamous dish. i have to say it may not be a casserole, but it definitely screams autumn. the cookie itself is like a mix between a muffin and a cookie - maybe muffin top-ish? well anyways they are delish (josh ate 5 yesterday) and dare i say actually healthier for you than the marshmallow coated, buttered casserole it was modeled after. enjoy your autumn days!

PUMPKIN WHITE CHOCOLATE & PECAN COOKIES

1 1/2c + 2 tbs AP flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp salt

3oz butter, softened

1/2c sugar

1/2c brown sugar, lightly packed

2/3c pumpkin puree

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2c chopped white chocolate

1/2c toasted chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350F

*sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt

*in separate bowl cream together butter and sugar to light and fluffy

*beat in egg and vanilla to combine

*beat in pumpkin to combine

*add flour mix, beat to just combine

*fold in chocolate and pecans

*drop by heaping tbs full onto sheet, flatten a bit

*cook for 10-12 minutes

Pear Up-Side Down Gingerbread Cake

its full on autumn here in NYC and we had an extremely overdue dinner date with our newly parented friends over in williamsburg. so there is no way in hell i could show up to their place without some kind of sweet treat. no way.

with that credo established - ummm what the ?! i have no kitchen! but i do have a skillet. okey dokey lets do it, lets make a freakin cake in a skillet. i suppose its not that crazy of an idea. its done all the time, i think. my only word of wisdom here is don't use a skillet with a plastic handle - that's all i'll say about that. besides the smell of stressed molten plastic that wafted through the apt; everything was perfect!

i've actually never made an up-side down cake. something about it reminds me of old ladies. right? like a pineapple upside down cake with cherries in the middle - ha! well i got over it and glad i did, i love this cake! make sure you use ripe bosc pears, they need to be able to "melt" into the cake. i'm such a foodie - melt? anyways the dinner and company was great as always with those guys. think josh wants to move to london with them. and katy claimed the cake reminded her of childhood - rock out, i'll take a slice of that!

PEAR UP-SIDE DOWN GINGERBREAD CAKE

For Pears:

2 ripe bosc pears, peeled, cored sliced in 8

2oz butter

3/4c packed light brown sugar

For Cake:

2 1/2c AP flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1c pure cane syrup (or molasses)

1c boiling water

4oz butter

1/2c packed light brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

*preheat oven to 350F

make pears:

*in a large, deep, non-stick skillet heat the butter over medium heat until foam subsides

*lower heat to low & sprinkle evenly the sugar over butter, let cook 3 minutes undisturbed

*place the pear slices around the skillet, cook 2 minutes undisturbed

*take off heat

make cake:

*sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg and salt

*in separate bowl combine cane syrup and boiling water, stir to combine

*in separate bowl cream together butter and sugar to light and fluffy

*add in egg and vanilla, beat to combine and fluffy

*in 3 batched alternately add in the dry ingredients then the syrup mixture into the butter mix. end on the dry ingredients and mix to combine

*pour batter evenly over the prepared pears

*place the (melt proof) skillet in the oven and cook 40-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean

*let cool only about 5minutes then run a knife around the edges of the skillet and invert the onto a plate - enjoy!

Apple Galette

as you know i have no kitchen at the moment. this past month has been somewhere between a nightmare and lovely day dream. the condo purchase fell through, actually it was more like an implosion. but that's cool; i (for the first time in our 3 years together) heeded josh's advice and PRE-PACKED - over a month ago. yeah don't ever do that - unless you enjoy jamming your shins on cardboard edges every morning and trying to cook a dinner without cutting boards. try it, its really fulfilling. keep wine on hand. lots of wine.

ok so i still have my cookie sheets because although i was effected by my overly active husband - i was not fully converted and gave up packing about 2 hours in. so really i am half-packed. like i said i have a cookie sheet. and apples are in season so whadda ya do when that happens? make a pseudo apple pie also known to me as an apple galette. i'm so fancy.

my instructions:

1. check out my recipe for the best apple pie ever here

2. make half the dough

3. instead of chopping the apples, slice them thin

4. roll the dough out, place on cookie sheet

5. lay apple sliced over the dough (make pretty pattern), leaving about 6" from the dough edge

6. fold dough over, drop in butter and brush with egg wash

7. bake as usual, cut the time by about 10 minutes since the apples cook faster.

8. enjoy!

Fall Flowers from my Love

yeah so josh came home with flowers a few nights ago after he came home late. i woke up the next morning and viola! happy fall flowers were atop the cluttered "dining room" table - can i just say i am in love with these flowers. its fall over here - let the festivities begin.

Chocolate Banana Nut Cookies

like usual we can never finish off the last banana in the bunch so it just sits on the counter, taking up space, growing more and more spotted and unappetizing in appearance. perfect - make cookies. these are fun - next time i will switch out the butter with coconut oil and put in additional chocolate chips just to amp them up a bit. but they are a simple little snack as they are.

CHOCOLATE BANANA NUT COOKIES

1/2c semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled for 10 minutes

1/2 sugar

1/4c butter

1 medium banana, mashed

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1c + 2 tbs flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4c chopped walnuts or pecans

*preheat oven to 375F

*cream together the butter and sugar to light and fluffy

*beat in egg, then vanilla and melted chocolate

*in separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients

*stir in the dry ingredients into the egg mixture

*fold in the nuts

*drop heaping tsp of batter onto cookie sheet

*cook 8-10 minutes

Mulberry and Apricot Granola

i loath store bought granola. its loaded with sugar and fat - not to mention that its been sitting in a plastic bag on a shelf for somewhere around 6 - 10 months. since i was sick a few weeks ago i've somehow lost my pancake breakfast abilities. so i am once again stumbling around my breakfast routine try to figure out what the next craze will be. so far i'm looking at yogurt and granola, an oldie but goodie.

again, i am attempting to clear out the pantry so this is what i got. i love mulberries - super high in vitamin C and very low in sugar, but you can add what you wish. i made some for josh and used mini chocolate chips instead of fruit (yeah you have to coat with chocolate to get him to nosh on anything remotely healthy) and it was a definite hit.

MULBERRY APRICOT GRANOLA

2c oatmeal

1/2c sliced almonds

1/2c chopped almonds

1c unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2c wheat (or oat) bran

1/2c agave nectar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tbs coconut oil (melted if needed)

1 c dried mulberries

1/2c chopped turkish apricots

*combine oatmeal, almond and coconut - toast in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes.

*remove from oven and transfer to mixing bowl and turn oven down to 300F

*stir in wheat bran

*while still warm add in agave, vanilla, salt and oil. stir to combine

*spread on a shallow edged baking pan

*cook 25-30 minutes

*let cool completely then crush up as needed.

*toss in apricots and mulberries

Pumpkin Apple Nut Loaf

so i'm back - kinda sorta.

got hitched, got swine flu (seriously), attended two after the fact receptions and have the apt packed up and ready to move on out. so like any home purchase - it takes longer than you think. i sadly packed away my kitchen so there hasn't been much baking lately. but i couldn't take another weekend void of fun treats so i trekked downstairs to duane read and got myself a few disposable baking pans in various shapes and sizes - then got to baking.

lesson here: disposable baking pan are worthless. yeah worthless. basically you have to increase cooking time by 50%, don't ask me why. seems to me the pans; basically made from thick foil would cook faster. just untrue. everything comes out all doughy and weird. like i said increase cook time by 50%.

fortunately, after "fixing" the cooking time for my pan's shortcomings, this loaf came out great! below is the correct cooking time if you are using real pans. i am trying to clean out the pantry and i have a ton of canned pumpkin from thanksgiving last year as well as mini packs of pecans my mom mailed me a while back that were getting rancid. throw it all in and happy autumn!

PUMPKIN APPLE NUT LOAF

Topping:

1 1/2 tsp flour

2 tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp oil

Loaf:

1 1/2c flour

1/2 tsp (scant) salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp clove

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ginger

1c canned pumpkin

1/4c + 2 tbs canola oil

1c sugar

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 apple, peeled and finely chopped

1/2c chopped pecans or walnuts

* preheat oven to 350F, grease 2lb loaf pan

*mix together all topping ingredients and set aside

*sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and ginger

*in separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar

*add wet to dry ingredients and stir just to combine

*fold in apples and nuts

*pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with topping

*cook for 50 mins - 1 hour until toothpick comes out clean

Tilapia for One

AHHHH! life is absolutely insane right now. between the regular job stresses, trying to buy our 1st place and oh yeah put together a wedding (plus deal with 2 additional "after parties") i haven't had much time to snap any pictures of fun foods, much less write about the whole event. BUT, today i made the most tasty dinner for myself and i was so over-whelmed with self pride (is that called ego?) i had to show it off. tilapia was on sale for like 5 cents a lb, so i got 2 pieces and called it a date (for two days later).

i grabed the first thing in the pantry (bulgar wheat) and the eldest of the herbs i "borrowed" last time i was at the farm (thyme). oh and did i mention the year old open bottle of capers i had in the frig - yeah grabbed that too. and got to work. YUM!

TASTEY THYME AND CAPERS TILAPIA

2 4-6oz fillets of Tilapia

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1 tbs fresh thyme leaves

2tbs olive oil

1 tbs caper (non-parrel)

1/2c bulgar wheat

1 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

*bring water to boil, add salt and bulgar. turn heat to low and simmer, covered 20 minutes to fluffy

*in a large skillet heat the oil over medium high heat

*sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper

*add fillets to hot skillet, sprinkle thyme evenly over fish

*cook about 2-3 minutes, gently flip over and cook another 2 minutes until flakes easily and opaque

*turn heat off and add capers to hot skillet

*plate the cooked bulgar and lay fillet on top, drizzle any access oils over top.

Rosemary Fig Almond Crackers

the newest indulgence in our apt is crackers. i think we are somewhere around a box of kashi a week. so that's my usual cue to get in the kitchen, be weird and make them homemade - and ultra nutritious. i found this recipe from elanaspantry and got to work. these guys are gluten free and pretty addictive. the only thing i -personally- would change is cut back a tad on the salt, but that's just me being sensitive otherwise they are delish. josh said they "tasted good" and our friend dom seemed to honestly be infatuated with them; sneaking back and forth to the kitchen to snag more.

ROSEMARY FIG ALMOND CRACKERS

1 1/2 c almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

3-4 black mission figs, chopped

1 egg

1 tbs olive oil

*preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment

*in a bowl whisk together the almond flour, salt, rosemary and figs

*stir in the egg and oil to well combined and forms a ball

*roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper to 1/8" thick

*cut into 2" squares

*cook for 10-15 minutes until browned

*let cool completely

Matzoh Crunch

i had been eyeing this recipe from David Lebovitz for at least 6 months. being thoroughly not jewish - i'm a catholic from Louisiana - i had never even tried matzoh before. so i bought a huge box of it and its been sitting on the counter for this whole time. oddly enough josh either didn't notice it or is so use to my strange cooking endeavors that he didn't bother asking why i decided to start buying passover(ish) food. what's with that - weren't you curious? ha! i thought surely one day the wonder would get to him, but i guess his inquisitive energy has been depleted.

well anyways the new harry potter movie came out last night. josh was there in line waiting for the midnight showing and i couldn't send him empty handed. thus the matzoh was finally used!

this stuff is addictive - really the toasted almond slices are a must. i didn't added any extra salt like mr. lebovitz advises since i am sensitive to sodium.

Matzoh Crunch

4-6 sheets matzoh - unsalted

8oz buter, cubed

1c firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1c dark chocolate chips

1c sliced almonds, toasted

*preheat oven to 375F, line a 11 x 17 rectangular pan with foil

*line to bottom of the pan with the matzoh sheets, breaking them as needed

*in a sauce pan bring the butter and sugar to a boil and continue to boil for 3 minutes. make sure not to let it burn

*pour the hot carmel over the prepared matzoh spreading with a rubber spatula to evenly distribute

*but the pan in the oven and turn temp down to 350F, cook for 15 minutes

*remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate over the hot bubbly mix, let sit for 5 minutes then spread the chocolate evenly around.

*sprinkle the almonds onto the warm chocolate and press lightly to get them to stick.

*let cool completely and then break up into your desired sizes. yum!

Pies, birthdays and Saum

summer has finally begun! i think.

anyways like the summers before josh and i trek upstate to our freind dave's farm as much as our wallets and schedules will allow. the 4th was no exception - just add about a bigilloin other fun-loving (late) 20 somethings. ahh the fun! and confusion.

anyways, it was a friend's (most current) girlfriend's birthday - i can't remember her name. and she didn't like cake. interesting and a little disturbing, but ok. she did like pie however, especially peach pie. i'm no expert at peach pies - apple yes, peach not so much. so add to that a single oven, 6 (no exaggeration) other half drunk and over heated cooks, one guy who is allergic to everything but avocados and one - yes one - moderately sized oven and you have yourself a little bit of stressful fun. ahh a baker's dream. i mean really i love my share of 30lb pork ribs, some undefined bag of shrimp and 10lbs of beef floating around the same counter i am trying to roll out a delicate and very sensitive pie dough and everything, but sometime you just wish it was the early morning before anyone else has even begun to wake up and your all alone in the kitchen, silently working. lah dee dah! but at least i had my lovely friend saum who like me was panicked in the kitchen for 4hours - he was having a serious problem pealing boiled eggs - but he seemed to pull it all off just in time to sit and watch the pies cooling on the window sill (ready and willing to cut in). love ya saum! i like to complain but once it was all said and done the pies came out well - one apple and one peach. even the allergic guy had a piece of the pie.

Zucchini Herb Phyllo Pie

being the creature of extreme habits that i am i find myself checking the NYtimes "dining & wine" section every single day at lunch and every ungodly early morning on saturday and sunday (i don't sleep much). so there is the mark bitman blog bitten and then there is the semi-new bit in the health section called "recipes for health". ahh yes - the ideal section for your truly. so i was checking it out midweek and found that the healthy recipes for this week focused on greek pies. it struck me, not because the greece and pie aren't really a notorious couple but because these healthy recipes called for the use of phyllo dough.

now i know what puff pastry is and it is anything but healthy. somehow after all that baklava i never pieced it together that those flaky light layers where absolutely not puff pastry. phyllo is in fact "healthy" - quotations because its not like i offers nutrients or fiber or anything like that - it is made with very little oil and mostly just flour and water. because its rolled so thin you use multiple sheets and thus all the light flaky layers. yippee! my new favorite food item. thanks NYtimes health section.

ZUCCHINI HERB PHYLLO PIE

12 sheets phyllo dough

2 1/2 lbs zucchini , washed and grated

salt

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1c chopped dill

1/2c chopped mint and parsley mixture

1c crumbled feta

3 eggs, beaten

fresh ground pepper

*place the grated zucchini in a large colander, salt generously and let drain for 1 hour. push down it ever now and then to help along the draining

*place the zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid you can, place in a bowl

*preheat oven to 350F

*place 7 sheets of the phyllo in a 10" cake pan, brushing with oil between each sheet and rotate 180 so the overhang is is even.

*saute the oil and onion over medium heat until translucent

*combine the onions and remaining ingredients in the bowl with the zucchini, stir to combine

*pour mixture into the prepared cake pan

*fold the phyllo sheets on top of filling

*place the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo on top, brushing between each sheet and alternating like before

*tuck the edges into the edges of the pan, cut vent holes

*cook for 1 hours until golden

Sunset

have you ever seen a sunset so beautiful and creepy at the same time? this totally reminds me of the scene in ghostbuster when all the trapped ghosts are released and hell breaks loose in NYC. I feel like i've seen some amazing sunsets in my life but this one by far has to be the most memorable. about 30 minutes before i took this picture as fierce storm rolled through the city and was gone within 20 minutes or so. you could watch it coming over the river and winds from it sucked my curtain clean out of the window and slammed a few doors shut. ok - i don't really have doors - plural. but it did slam my bedroom door shut. whatever ,i'm moderately poor in NYC.

Apple Pie

i can't tell you how many times i have made this pie. every single time it has been perfect. to top that all off it was also the pie that i made for the thanksgiving dinner i made for josh and i the day he proposed. ahhh. i know! so i guess there could be some bias there. non-the-less i have never gotten bad or mixed (which to me is bad) review on this pie.

in the summers when

we go up to our friend's farm and there are pink ladys available i feel almost obliged to cook this up. it just makes sense and what could be more fun that watching southern raised city boys play horse shoe, drink cheap beer and eat apple pie?! i love it!

APPLE PIE

Crust: click here

FIlling:

3lbs peeled apples, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/4c sugar

1/4c packed brown sugar

1tbs cornstarch

1 tbs lemon juice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

2 tbs unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg, beaten

*preheat oven to 450F

*roll out one half of chilled dough, line bottom of our pie pan with it - place back in frig until ready to fill

*in a large bowl combine all ingredients except butter & egg

*roll out the other half of chilled dough

*pour filling into prepared bottom crust, distribute butter on top of the filling

*top with the other half of dough, pinching ends to make a decorative edge

*brush with beaten egg

*place in oven and cook for 10 minutes, lower heat to 350F and cook for another 40-50 minutes

*let cool completely (at least a hour) before cutting.