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.