Hush Puppies

-hushin' dem puppies-

every culture seems to have their own catchy name for this deep fried treat / side dish. i've heard name that range from "corn doggers" to "corn fritters" to "mandoca" in venezuela to "yanikeke" in the dominical republic to my favorite "festivals" in jamaica. yep, believe it people places outside of the american bible belt enjoy these miraculously simply and tasty bites. everyone loves deep fried balls of cornmeal dough - everyone. you can vary the sweet to savory ratios and easily move from side dish to dessert - or carnival fare.

now for a bit of american southern history (supposed history - which can describe about 60% of all my "historical" knowledge). evidently history has it that these little guys were usually tossed to the dogs by hunters, soldiers even runaway slaves to "hush the puppies". pretty clever eh? funny because when i do make these - which is rare, but holds as a semi-yearly summer farm tradition - they never make it to anyplace other than the grubby hands of the beer macerated men folk. a puppy would never have a chance of tasting one of these.

HUSH PUPPIES

-or whatever you call em'-

1c cornmeal

1/2c flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

16 oz cream corn

1/2c finely minced onion

milk if needed

oil for frying

*heat 2"-3" of oil to 350F

*in a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder

*in a separate bowl combine the cream corn and onions

*add the corn mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine - add a bit of milk if the batter seems too thick. it should be about the constancy of a thick muffin or quick bread batter.

*drop by the tablespoonful into the preheated oil and fry, turning once, until golden. this should take only 2-3 minutes.

*place on a paper towel lined plate and serve with ketchup or my favorite, tartar sauce.

Brown Butter Honey Corn Muffins

-mmmm brown butter and honey-

cornmeal - simple and sunny but somehow at the same time cozy. its one of those rare season "crossover" foods; its great in fluffy blueberry muffins, stewed in cream as an early morning poridge or baked into a quick bread and severed up with a steaming bowl of winter warming chili. what can go wrong when you are playing with cornmeal i ask you?! not much in my book. so i continued my love of all things brown butter i decided to try it out in a loaf of cornbread and while i was in an "ode to all things brown" mode i forged forward with brown butter and honey too. don't skip on the buttermilk here it keeps a moist crumb because really, who doesn't love a moist crumb? slather on the jam and you have yourself a breakfast fit for a british queen. slather on honey butter and you have a pre dinner warm-up treat fit for my husband.

BROWN BUTTER HONEY CORN MUFFINS

1c cornmeal

1c AP flour

1/4c packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1c buttermilk

3oz browned butter

2tbs honey

*preheat oven to 400F, grease your pan

*in a large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt

*in a smaller bowl whisk together the buttermilk, egg, browned butter and honey

*pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir just to combine -- do not over mix!

*pour/ ladle into your prepared pan

*cook for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick is clean - start checking after 15 minutes

Lemon Scones

-good morning sunshine!-

so i'll make this quick since we are literally on our way out the door to head down to ole Virginia for the weekend. i made these as a "good mornin' sunshine! - now these get oudda here." breakfast. aaaand they. are. delicious. i made these with my homemade butter and buttermilk, both of which made these guys super moist with a perfect crumb. add in the lemon zest and brown sugar for a hint of summer sweetness. oh and slather these babies with homemade blueberry jam (stay tuned for the next post..) and dudes - you will fall in love with mornings again.

LEMON SCONES

2/3c buttermilk

1egg

1 tbs lemon zest

2oz cold butter

2c flour

1tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4c packed brown sugar

*preheat oven to 375F, line your cookie sheet w/ parchment

*in a small bowl combine the buttermilk, egg and lemon zest

*in a larger bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar

*quickly cut in the butter with your fingers or forks until the you have pea sized bits - a very coarse crumbs

*quickly stir in the buttermilk mixture until just combined - do not over stir!

*turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6-8 times, quickly pat into 1/2" thick round

*place on your prepared sheet, cut into 8 wedges

*bake for 25 minutes until golden brown

*let cool then break into individual wedges

Butter

-budda-

just when you thought you've seen me reach the peak of modern kitchen turned old school insanity (that phrase makes sense to me...) i've gone ahead and just lept over the cliff and decided i NEEDED to make my own butter. growing up i can't tell you how many time my mom and dad would mention how good fresh, homemade butter was when they were growing up. my mom raised on warm milk straight from the cow, along with uncountable other mazing farm-house goodies and my father being his father's only-store-in-town stock boy (aka fresh foods everyday) they shared the enjoyment of real food. ahh real food - where can i get some of that? anyways since i began my obsession with homemade, local, small batch dairy butter has been a high priority. it makes totally sense - over the last year i've honed jam skills & fresh bread has been a staple for me for almost a decade now (gasp - i'm old!) all that WAS missing is butter. so butter i made. to be honest its one of the easiest things i've "challenged" myself with. the most important factor is where you get your cream - make sure its fresh, local and from a small batch farmer with healthy cows. don't waste your time (and arm strength) with mass produced, ultra-pasterized, homogonized, hormone and antiboitic laced garbage from wal-mart, you'll just concentrate the lackluster. i adore my local dairy farmer (thanks NYC for rockin out with the greenmarkets) and you should too.

oh and by the way - my mom and dad where absolutely right; real, fresh butter is absolutely amazing - spread it on a fresh slice of bread and top with peach jam and you'll fall in love. i promise. sorry land-o-lakes you taste like wax - dirty wax.

BUTTER (yes butter)

1 1/2c heavy cream

quart glass jar

rested, healthy arms

*make sure your cream is at least 50% fat

*let 1 1/2c of heavy cream come to 60F

*pour into a jar that will allow for some "swishing" room and shake, shake, shake for about 15-20 minutes.

*you will see that first it will get pretty thick, then will start to seperate into a solid and a milky liquid - this is buttermilk

*drain off the buttermilk and save for later

*add cold water to the jar with the butter solids, shake and drain again. continue this process of rinsing until the water runns clear

*place the butter ball in a bowl and "knead" with a spoon or a couple of forks and continue to drain off the excess water.

*add 1/4 tsp or so of sea salt if you like your butter salted or leave it as is and lavish yourself by mixing it with honey. store in frig and enjoy over the next few weeks.

Peanut Butter Teff Cookies

-peeeeeeeanutbuttttttter mmmmmmmm-

who ever invented peanutbutter cookie deserve a noble peace prize. seriouslyeverything about peanutbutter cookies says: fun childhood stuff, make love not war - that kind of jargon. just the name makes me happy - how can you go wrong with a cookie made out of creamy lovely goodness, its on the same level as chocolate chocolate cookies, no? but there is something about peanutbutter cookies that is so humble and simple that makes them so perfect. they stand out, just enough, from other cookies; they aren't of the "spiced" variety or the "fill-in-the-blank chunk" variety. nope, they are simple, unassuming and just waiting to be loved. so does anyone know how or why the fork print stamps got on these treats? i suppose it has to do with cooking them evenly??? i don't think anyone really cares. so i'll move on.

so i got some teff flour in hopes that i would be successful in making injera and when that end in a stinky failure i turned the bag over and discovered a simple, and brief, recipe for teff peanutbutter cookies. i made a few changes as per, well just per me and making them heart healthy-er. the earthy-ness of the tiny teff grain paired really well with the peanutty-ness and since teff has no gluten the crumb is pretty close to perfect. whip up a batch and before you throw em in the oven add a tsp of banana jam to the center - oh my god.

PEANUTBUTTER TEFF COOKIES

1 1/2c teff flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 c coconut oil

1/2 maple syrup

1 tbs vanilla

1c peanut butter (smooth, unsalted)

*preheat oven to 350F

*combine the teff and salt

*in a seperate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients until completely smooth

*add the teff mixture and stir to completely combine

*drop by tbs full, roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet and flatten a little (with a fork if you please)

*bake for 12-14 minutes

Home (quick) Cottage Cheese

- yes you can -

it's proably just me, but it seems like lately store bought cottage cheese has gone completely over board with the salt. if you try the "no salt added" option you're left with a mouth full of rubbery little disks that taste like a combination of elmers and playdoh. and did i mention the cost of organic dairy products? and the exorbitant AGE of processed dairy? yeah its not pretty out there for us penny pinching food lovers. with this in mind along with my recent conversion from a yogurt customer to a yogurt making guru i have set out to tackle all my favorite dairy products. my little kitchen has a new task and this was one was a bit of a kick off. this recipe is ridiculously simple, really all you need to know how to do is turn a burner on, stir, be patient and strain. granted this is a "quick fix", the real deal involves a few more steps and rennet - which i will be getting to in the near future (most likely in the next few days) - but this is a great warm-up to making cheese. a little culinary stretch if you like. oh and the taste - fresh and clean, slightly salty and perfectly creamy. add in a few slices of fresh peach and you will be in heaven, i know i was there yesterday.

HOMEMADE (quick) COTTAGE CHEESE

8c milk (any kind you wish)

1/4c vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/2c milk or cream for serving (optional)

*heat the milk to 180 - 185F

*add the vinegar, stir just to combine

*let sit for about 30 minutes, the curds and whey will separate

*line a colander with a fine mesh muslin or flour sack linen which is what i use

*pour into the lined colander and strain the curds - you can discard the whey

*put curds in your bowl and sprinkle in salt

*store in frig and mix in the 1/2c milk if you wish when you are ready to eat - this will make it more "creamy"

Blueberry Corn Muffins

-there's basically sunshine rays beaming out of this muffin-

i don't know about you but, breakfast is sacred. there seems to be two kinds of people when it comes to the morning meal. exhibit A: roll out of bed ready to devour the kitchen and all the goodness it has to offer. exhibit B: rolls out of bed, checks emails, hangs around a few hours then scrounges up some lame "meal" of something like box cereal or worse yet a coke paired with a candy bar (my god!). forgive me if i am offending any of you exhibit Bs out there, but really guys? lets get through this together. i understand that yogurt and granola isn't for everyone BUT muffins are. there is not one human being that doesn't enjoy a nice buttery golden blueberry muffin. add in some cornmeal, which not only adds a whole grain, and you have yourself an all around perfect day starter. if you think you can muster it slather on a bit of honey butter and you just elevated yourself to deity. have i convinced you to out that box of trix up yet?

BLUEBERRY CORN MUFFINS

1 1/2c AP flour

1/4 c sugar

1/4c brown sugar (light packed)

1/2c cornmeal

1tbs baking powder

3/4tsp salt

2 tsp lemon zest

3/4c buttermilk

4oz butter, melted

1 egg

1c fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

*line 12 muffin tins with paper cups, preheat oven to 350F

*sift together flours, sugar, salt and baking powder

*in separate bowl combine zest, buttermilk, butter and egg

*quickly combine the wet and dry ingredients

*fold in blueberries

*spoon into prepared pan and cook 20-25 minutes, until toothpick is clean

Brown Rice Pudding

-nectar of the gods-

this.recipe.makes me very very happy. firstly; i adore rice pudding. i love it warm. i love it cold. i love it sweet. i love it savory (aka risotto). and being you know, somewhat health conscious i have been trying to pin down brown rice pudding for - and i am not exagerating here - years. years people. sometimes it was totally disaster: pellet textured rice imprisoned in rubbery milk mortar. sometimes it was just simply not right: your taster just looks puzzled at the first bite (the worst feeling in the world). i think my biggest problem layed in my resistance to pre-cook the rice. as much as i love the idea that the rice is completely fused with the sweetened milk from the get-go, cooking long grain brown rice this way is just not going to workour for me. maybe you can pull it off, i most definately can not.

precook that rice, or use left over from chinese take-out whatever you like just make it easy on yourself and trust me that this is delish and somewhat, yeah ok i'll call it nutritious.

BROWN RICE PUDDING

adapted from honey & jam

1c long grain brown rice, steamed in 2 1/2c water

1 tbs butter

2 1/2c whole milk

1 1/2c skim milk

2 tbs cane sugar

3 tbs honey (or agave or maple - i used a combo of maple and honey)

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed

*combine milks, sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla seeds in large pan over medium heat

*bring milk mixture to boil

*add the cooked rice and butter, bring to a moderate simmer

*stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes - do not let it boil over or scold

*take off heat, remove cinnamon stick

*serve warm or chilled

Coconut Joy Brownie_(GF)

-it's something like stuffing an almond joy inside a gooey brownie-

bbq season is on, and everyone knows brownies and/or cupcakes are simply a necessity during these trying times of cold beer in the hot sun times. i mean, how else do you cool yourself off when you're standing next to an open flame in 90 degree heat, on a roof? come to think of it - why exactly do we wait until it's blazing hot to fire up a grill and stand next to it? well anyways i don't make up the rules - but i do make brownies and these are killer. seriously they may kill you. if you think you are on a diet go ahead and make these, they will cure you of that ridiculous endeavor. BUT the good news: they are gluten free and better yet - totally delicious. so all you gluten-less folks out there: eat your heart out! if you like your gluten - just use the standard AP flour. and maybe one of these days i'll make a GF burger bun for you too - until that time just eat more brownies and wallow in the joy of it all.

COCONUT JOY BROWNIE_GF

3/4c cocoa powder

12 oz butter

3 large eggs

1 1/2c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbs coconut flour

(handful) sliced almonds

JOY LAYER:

2c shredded sweetened coconut

2/3c sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

*preheat oven to 350F, light grease an 8x8 baking pan

*melt butter, whisk in the cocoa powder and let cool slightly for a few minutes

*whisk in eggs, one at a time

*mix in sugar and extracts, stir to combine

*stir in flour and salt

*in a separate bowl combine all the ingredients for the JOY layer

*pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan

*drop blobs of the JOY mixture on top, generously sprinkle the almonds over the coconut

*pour the remaining brownie batter over the top

*bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted shows only a few crumbs.

*let cool for about 30-45 minutes, cover and chill in frig a few hours before cutting (these guys ages very well)

Cali Succotash

- sunny, sunny california food-

somehow over the short span of a 3 day visit to LA to see josh i found myself stumbling around at 8am in the little bare-bones apt the theater has him in trying to figure out what i was going to make for this impromptu bbq the company was putting on for the everyone. hmmm, what's quick, easy and doesn't have mayo in it? oh and because i have a genetic strain of southern in me - how can i use bacon? well, enter succotash. i really just winged this as per what trader joe's had to offer that morning. usually lima beans (also known as butter beans) would be in place of the edamame, but i figured - hey its california don't they eat a lot of soy and you know other healthy stuff that doesn't have a nickname with "butter" in it? yeah ok, toss it in. to give back some of the creamy sweetness that was lost with the exclusion of the lima i threw in a bit of sweet english peas. all in all i liked it and it appeared that i wasn't the only one.

this makes a ton, enough to feed about 10-15 as a side and you can easily half this if needed.

1lb grape tomatoes

2 1/2c corn

1c english peas

2 1/2c edamame (soy beans)

4 slices apple smoked bacon, diced

2 shallots, chopped

handful fresh basil leaves, chopped chiffonade style

*allow corn and peas to defrost (if they are frozen)

*cook edamame according to package, seasoning well

*heat a large pot over medium high

*add chopped bacon, cook long enough to render the fat and allow bits to crisp

*remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and add the shallots

*cook stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until translucent

*add tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes more or until skins begin to wrinkle / burst

*add corn, peas and edamame and cook about 5 minutes more to allow everything to heat up and come to same temp.

*add reserved bacon, stir to combine

*taste for seasoning then take off heat

*add the chopped basil and stir to combine

*serve warm or chilled.

Dark Chocolate Orange Cranberry Crackels_(GF / Vegan)

-beat that hersheys-

do you remember halloween? no i don't mean the college through mid-to-late 20's halloweens of dressing up like some form of your morally repressed inner personality (aka "sexy kitty cat", sexy cowboy, nurse or any profession / animal with the prefix sexy attached), going out to a public party and doing vaguely shameful things, like meowing (if you still do this, stop). not that i've ever been so shamed, being from louisiana we don't have such things.

but no, that is not the halloween in which i am referring. i'm talking about putting a tutu on your face and dressing up like a sunflower. that's right - take a moment and indulge yourself...

-yes that is a tutu and no, i don't know what it looks like i'm about to puke-

yes, that is me at, i believe, age 9. mom, dad you wanna back me on that? and if you were wondering no, i am not wearing pants and yes, those are green socks over my shoes. and btw former self: sunflowers aren't usually pink. okay so we've all had a good chuckle on my behalf.

down to the really important stuff. halloween candy. that's why we dressed up like fools, parading ourselves around the neighborhood as shameful entertainment for the adults and stood at strangers' doors so they could ask stupid questions like "and what are you suppose to be". what do you mean?! i'm a sunflower you idiot! immediately your confidence begins to fade because you begin to realize, huh maybe i don't look as cool as i though i would. its a long night ahead little girl - and your socks are going to rip 10 minutes in. BUT, it was all so worth it once that bucket of cheap sugar is dumped out onto the living room floor. woo hoo! my favorites where (and still to this day) the mini chocolate bites - such as the ever wonderful krackel.

chocolate and crunchy somethings, need i say more? yum! but you know me better than that, i'm much to much of a crazed foodie to just go out and buy a bag of bite sized hershey chocolates. besides once you try my version, believe me you forget about the brand name krackels. because i am a serious chocolate purist i used seriously dark chocolate (90%), do not do this unless you know you can handle it. i am calling out for semi or bitter-sweet here (35 - 50%) try that first. i used crispy brown rice but you can use rice krispies if its easier. the addition of orange oil and the tart cranberries are just "adult" enough that i can see myself putting these out as a "finger food" dessert-ish item at a dinner party or better yet, a halloween party.

and fyi - these are rightfully called crack-els. honest to god; i ate half the batch. it started with "just the scraps" and moved on to just shamelessly eating face sized pieces. go ahead and calculate the chocolate (90%) load for that, about 30 minutes later i felt like i actually had just smoked crack , i ended up vacuuming my wood floor.

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE CRANBERRY CRACKELS

(gluten free & vegan)

* 8oz semi-sweet (or bitter sweet) chocolate

*2 cups crispy brown rice

*1/4 tsp orange oil

*1/3c chopped cranberries

*line a baking sheet with parchment

*over a double boiler melt the chocolate, stirring just until smooth

*take off heat and stir in the orange oil

*in a separate bowl combine the crispy rice and cranberries

*add the chocolate to the crispy rice, stir to completely combine

*evenly spread the mixture on prepared pan, place in frig for an hour to let chill

*break into pieces or cut into squares with knife

**flavor variations ideas:

coconut and chopped apricots: 1/2tsp coconut extract & 1/3c chopped apricots

cardamon & ginger: 1tsp ground cardamon & 1/3c chopped crystalized ginger

ancho chile & coffee: 1 tsp chile pwd & 1/4c coffee bits, about the size of cocoa nibs.

PPS: i also made a "pre workout snack" version with a mix of grapenuts and kashi puffed grains cereal - i love, love, love it! not very sweet and just guiltless enough you can consider it an energy snack.

Pan Seared Scallops w/ Lemon & Thyme

on a recent trip home my older brother and i took my parents out to dinner. this particular place is were we've celebrated just about every special / important occasion. in a city where strip malls abound amongst dive bars that double as places to get superb po-boys (check this review out - my favorite write up ever) this particular place is my comparatively tranquil little family's oasis. really though, i would venture to say its the amazing soufflés - a-mazin' - that began our love affair. i would believe you if you told me these two chefs taught the french. but besides the souffles; everything on the menu is just exemplaire and this visit didn't change that one bit. my mom order the scallops. hmm yes, scallops. how had i gone so long without scallops in my life. it seems i had totally overlooked them. what's wrong with me?!

quickly i gathered up a wild batch and let my stomach day dream about the wonderfulness i was about to embark on. simple, slightly sweet, slightly salty, light but yet filling and did i mention delicious? make sure to start with rinsed & dried scallops, a hot pan, season well and whatever you do - DO NOT over crowd (if you do they will steam and turn into tiny gummy bear textured hockey pucks). i seared some brussel sprouts and asparagus to accompany but you can do as you please.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS w/ LEMON & THYME

8oz wild bay scallops

1-2 tbs olive oil (enough to coat large pan)

2tsp chopped fresh thyme

fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon

salt

white pepper

*heat oil in pan over medium high heat

*rinse scallops in cold water, pat dry with paper towel

*season with salt and pepper

*add the scallops to the pan, allowing plenty of room between each, do not overcrowd!

*sprinkle half the thyme over the scallops

*cook 2-3 minutes or until the scallops give on their own from the pan (if you have to pull, its not ready)

*you should have a nice brown crust, this is what you need. if needed turn the heat up a tad

*cook the other side 2 minutes or so until they are give and are browned

*remove the scallops to a plate

*turn heat back up and quickly deglazed pan with the lemon juice. make sure to scrape up any brown bits and thyme

*let sauce simmer a few minutes then pour over scallops as you serve.

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lintel Stew

-the tony chacheres of ethiopia-

i love love love ethiopian cooking. when i lived in DC as a vegan and pre-sensitive tummy issue developmented, i would gorge myself weekly on the spicy exotic fare. to be honest, i think the injera (aka the tasty crepe-ish edible plate that is served with in place of all that ridiculous clumsy western silverware) is what got me hooked, and i haven't spoken to one person who shared my love of this cuisine that doesn't claim the same thing. but alas, over the years i've learned the hard way that the loads of garlic (amongst loads of just about everything tasty) that is traditionally used means no more enjoyment for me. but, like pesto, i make it myself sans the edible trouble makers.

ethiopian food relies heavily on spice blends composed of a laundry list of items and this particular recipe is no exception. so the first thing you need to do is make the blend; this one: Berbere, its like the tony chacheres of ethiopia. just a note here: one of my pet peeves is buying spice mixes. don't do this people, take a few minutes, scavenge your spice rack (everyone's is underused anyways) and pull it together! i know this is a long list of seeming exotic stuff, but believe me here, fresh ground spices are light years better than the dusty stuff you get from the grocery - actually i seriously doubt you'll even find this mix at your grocer, unless you live in the Shaw district of DC.

so make the spice a few days ahead to cave yourself a few minutes then all you have to do is sweat some onions, stir a little, simmer some lentils and let the spices do their magic. you will have a little left over spice, use it in anything - with good judgement - sprinkle over some grilled asparagus --delicious.

**oh and as a fun side note: i did in fact attempt to make injera. hahahah, yeah you do not want to know the details of that adventure but i'm still working it and will keep you posted. the good news about it though; its a gluten free item made with just teff, water and a tad of yeast - oh and time and know-how, the ladder i have yet to attain.

BERBERE SPICE

2 tsp cumin

4 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground)

3/4 tsp cardamon seeds

1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds

10 small red chile peppers (dried)

1/2tsp ginger

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 tbs smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/8 tsp cinnamon

*quickly toast cumin, clove, cardamon, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek & coriander in a small pan over medium-low heat. you will know its done when you start to hear the whole seeds "pop"

*let cool slightly and add to spice grinder

*add in remaining ingredients and grind to a fine powder

*use as needed and store the rest in an airtight container

SPICY ETHIOPIAN RED LENTIL STEW

adapted from Cooking LIght May 2010

2tsp oil

2c chopped red onions

1 tbs finely minced fresh ginger

3 tbs tomato paste

1 1/2 tbs Berbere spice (see above)

3c stock (i used veggie)

1c red lentils, rinsed and drained

salt to taste

1/4c chopped dill

*over medium heat heat oil in large dutch oven

*add onions, cook 10-15 minutes until very tender

*add ginger, cook 5 minutes stirring often

*add tomato paste and berbere spice, mix well to combine and cook 1 minute

*slowly whisk in the broth to throughly combine

*increase the heat to medium-high and bring to simmer

*add lentils and simmer partially covered for about 35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally

*season with salt and stir in the dill.

*serve over whatever grain you wish (i suggest whole grain teff or amaranth to keep it traditional & GF) - or injera if you have the needed skills.

-tasty, vegan and makes me feel less white bread-

Avocado Black Bean Brownies (GF)

-need i say more?-

i don't think i really need to say this but, i adore chocolate. the darker, stronger and closer to just being the raw bean the more i love it. every morning i have a square of no less than 90% and a spoonful of raw nibs - yes just the pure roasted bean - in my yogurt, or whatever ever else happens to fall prey to my morning gluttony. come to think of it i enjoy just about everything like this; tarlike coffee, oversteeped black tea, the tartest plain yogurt i can find, golden berries (if you've ever had one you would know what i mean), unsweetened nut milks... i can go on like this forever. does that say something about me? probably but who cares.
much to josh's dismay; over the years of consuming mass amounts of dark bitter food has left my taste buds accustomed to find the sweeteness in just about everything - i suppose a little something like being blind and hearing everything. so thusly there have emerged two forms of desserts that come out of my kitchen: normal for him and crazy for me. this is recipe is a bit more on my side - and i loooooove it. really its just a spin on the orginal black bean brownie i made a while back. i found this recipe on cara's cravings blog a while back and switched around the sugar content a bit, but that's about it. i've been muching down on these guys before a run and they are perfect little package of everything i need; scrumptious, full of protien and sustainable fat - oh did i mention chocolate.
my only suggestion to you: add a little more sugar, trust me. while i like everything dark and bitter i know i am basically alone so i would up it to a healthy 1/2c evaporated cane sugar; i am using palm sugar which isn't as sweet as cain. below is my exact recipe - unchanged. if you do make these let me know what you think!

BLACK BEAN AVOCADO BROWNIES

1 1/2c cooked, drained black beans (if canned, rinse well)
3 eggs
1/4c agave syrup
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4c + 2tbs cocoa powder
pinch salt
1 tbs vanilla
1/3c palm sugar
2tsp espresso powder

*preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 pan
*in a food processor comebine the beans, eggs, agave and avocado until completely smooth.
*add the rest of the ingredients and continue to blend until totally smooth.
*pour into the prepared pan and cook 30 minutes, until toothpick is clean.
*let cool before slicing and munching - they actually get better with a 12hour rest.

Chicken Portabella Saute

and lastly: the all purpose, always enjoyable saute. i can't praise the saute enough. have a hodge-podge of quickly wilting veggies in your frig? saute em! have a package of fancy pants seafood you bought under an ill conceived notion that you would have time this week to prepare yourself a beautiful dinner? just freakin saute it with some browned (aka sautéed) butter. low heat, medium-high heat, ultra high searing heat - whatever! add some oil to a pan, let it heat up, add your food stuff, season, pour a (big) glass of wine - maybe even add some to the pan to reduce and ten minutes later you're groovin on. maybe its the wine but, its never failed me. but be warned: there are so few "seasoning" ingredients involved so you have to use fresh, high-quality salt and pepper - aka non of that 2 year old pepper/dust crap from a tin and go ahead and splurge on some quality sea salt and a grinder. if your seasoning dispensers have the option to "pour", "sift" or "spoon" toss it - grinding is what you want here. think club scene; you don't want to be spooned at a club do you?

sorry back to what you came here for. left over roasted chicken and meaty mushrooms makes a superb saute. if you are following my chicken posts you should have a bit of thyme left over too so add in the sweetly acidic punch of grape tomatoes and you have yourself one of the most versatile bases for dinner / lunch/ breakfast. you can easily add in a serving of pasta and sprinkle of parmesan for a "rustic" italian meal, add a few eggs & some goat cheese for a high protein frittata or simple serve with a little greens on the side - maybe some sautéed spinach! the idea here is quick, easy and a minimal dirty pot count. what more can you ask for?

POST 4:

CHICKEN PORTABELLA SAUTE

1tbs olive oil / unsalted butter

salt & pepper

1/2c chopped yellow onion

1 1/2c grape tomatoes

1 medium portabella mushroom cap (add stem if you are super frugal like me)

1tbs fresh thyme leave (pulled from stems)

1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil (optional)

1c shredded roasted chicken

*heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat

*add the onions, cook 5 minutes until softened

*slice the grape tomatoes in half, add to the pan.

*season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and dried herbs if using.

*cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the skins are slightly seared and tomatoes are starting to release juices

*meanwhile clean mushrooms (wipe down with damp paper towel - do not rinse!) and slice into 1/4" - 1/2" dices

*add mushrooms to pan, cook another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened and almost cooked through

*add chicken cook another 2-3 minutes to heat through.

*turn heat down to low and let the contents simmer a 2-3 minutes more to allow flavors to combine. taste for seasoning and serve.

Chicken Veggie Soup

-can you handle all this comfort?-

i've made this soup so many times and with so many variations that i hesitate to give a "recipe" for this other than one of those old school "hand-ful of this, dash of that" kinda of instructions. the invariable items here are firstly the stock - don't even thing of substituting with canned, i will disown you (no i won't) - use what i gave you, just trust me. secondly are the root vegetables, use whatever variations you want but always include them. Root veggies have a particular earthy sweetness that pairs perfectly with buttery, warm comfort of the stock. i know the poetic imagery is a little overbearing in that last sentence - sorry. there is a third, not to invariable but highly recommended addition: a parmesan rind. you should all be saving your parm. rinds. pop em in the freezer and save for moments like this. add to soup when you add the stock and remove as you are ladling into bowls / containers. if you've never used your rinds to flavor soup, start today and you will never look back. you can thank me later.

like i said; i've made this uncountable times in the past and every time its a little different depending on what i have in the frig. on that particular sunday afternoon. adding the dark greens and parsnip (as in this version) makes more of "take the fall chill off" dinner. try making with a bundle of large leeks and english peas for a lighter, summer friendly version. or leave the chicken out completely and make with white beans - !

POST 3: CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP

1 1/2 tbs olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

3-4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

1-2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped

3-4 stalks fresh thyme

1 bunch kale (about 4c), leaves only roughly chopped

2 qts homemade chicken stock

1 medium parmesan rind

3 - 1"strips lemon peel (use your potato peeler)

1c shredded chicken, reserved from roasted chicken if possible (more if you wish)

*in large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat

*add onions, cook stirring until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes

*add celery, carrots and parsnips, cook stirring occasionally about 5 more minutes. season with salt and pepper

*add thyme and any other herbs (oregano is nice too), cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute

*add the kale and cook just to evenly begin to soften - should only take a minute or two

*add the stock, rind and lemon peel.

*bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are cooked.

*add the chicken and simmer another 5-10 minutes

*taste for seasoning. remove the lemon peel and rind before serving / freezing.

Chicken Stock

- liquid gold?-

i alway get a little laugh from recipes for salads, sandwiches (other than chicken salad and the like) and stock - particularly chicken and veggie stock. what? we can't figure this out? well maybe sometimes we need help, but people just trust yourself a little bit. really, how bad can it get? unless you were planning to add a fruit roll-up to your stock i am almost positive you can create your own stock with whatever whole foods you have. please don't freak out about stock.

when i roast a chicken the first thing that i do, after scrubbing dishes, is throw the carcass in a pot of water and let the little guy slosh around while i sleep. when i wake up the apt is filled with the smell of - i don't know - warmth? excuse the poetry. but this stock is the endlessly useful. at any given time my freezer has at least 2-3 container of waiting for me. some "recipes" for chicken stock call for veggies, but i just can't be bothered with that. i have nothing against vegetables but, chicken stock should just be chicken - right?

none-the-less i will swear by this stock. its made some amazing soups (one of which i will be posting soon) for me over the years.

POST 2:

CHICKEN STOCK

1 roasted chicken carcass

a few sprigs of thyme from the stuffing

1-2 garlic cloves from the stuffing

room temp water to cover

*after carving away all the left over meat place all ingredients in large stock pot.

*bring to a boil

*turn heat down to the lowest possible - if you have a simmer burner, place on that at lowest setting

*cover after a few hours, let simmer for 6-8 hours.

*remove the carcass, garlic cloves and thyme stems - leave the tasty little leaves.

*dole out as you wish, freeze or use immediately.

Incredible Edible Roasted Chicken

-roasted chicken the only way i know how-

i love roasting (and eating) chickens, but i'm such a food safety fanatic (seriously its a problem, my hands are destroyed from excessive / obsessive washings) that lately i have just can't feel comfortable about buying a "regular" chicken. you know; the ones that cost $100 a pound, claim to be organic free-range but are in-fact just as beak-less, crammed into poop infested 6" cages and bred to have breast that are so large they can barely stand (if they had the choice). not to mention they barely even slightly tastes better that the salmonella brand. sign. woe is me.was me. about two months ago i discovered a local, small farmer that raises heirloom chickens and cornish hens. heirloom meaning the breed itself hasn't been genitically modified to have no legs and triple sized breasts. small farmer meaning the chickens are actually treated like chickens, with a yard-like place to live and eat, they are actually allowed to age appropriately (thusly the meat actually taste like something) and have no need for hormones or antibiotic. it may not carry a FDA doled "organic" sticker on it but did your great grandfather's chickens have that badge of lies? i didn't think so. and just look at the size of those gorgeous legs my birds have! beat that butterball.

-yes, that is a standard sized dinner plate with an awesome sized chicken leg on it-

so my rant is over. i've been on a semi-regular schedule of roasting a chicken (don't forget the gravy) every sunday night and feeding off it for days, months if you include all the dishes i make with the tasty meat and freeze for later enjoyment. my plan here is to have a little mini-series of roasted chicken recipes that start with the roasting and move on through to the soup and sautés that come out of the left overs.

POST 1:

THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN EVER

(1) 3 1/2 - 4lb chicken

1-2 tbs melted butter

1 tbs kosher salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 lemon, cut into 4-6 wedges

1 garlic clove, slice in half

1 large onion, cut into 6-8 wedges

*preheat oven to 425F

*rinse chicken in cold water, pat dry

* season the cavity, stuff with the lemon, thyme and garlic

*place onions in roasting pan

*place the bird on a roasting rack (in your roasting pan)

*tie the legs together and tuck the wings in

*brush generously with the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper

*bake for 50 - 75 minutes depending on size. don't over bake, start checking after 50 minutes

*leftover recipes to follow - or if you are feeding 4-6 people, you won't have any so...*

*and don't forget the gravy! if you need a step-by-step on that - just leave a comment and i'll hook you up*

Chocolate Banana Chocolate Cookies

-if you like chocolate...-

alright - full disclosure here: i have not actually tasted these cookies myself. BUT the entire batch was easily eaten up, given a full thumbs-up by the taster and well, smelled absolutely amazing both before and after the oven. a friend of mine house / dog sat for me during my latest weekend trip down south for a quick visit . i promised her cookies and like always i had a leftover, extra extra - ok, totally shriveled and black - banana sitting on the counter. it was somewhere around midnight and i had an early morning flight but, ugh i promised! so um, throw in some chocolate, some more chocolate, a bit of sugar, an egg and some flour. at this point i didn't have time to let butter get to room temp so uhhh - oil? perfect! throw it in the oven, pack (yes i only "pack" for about 10 minutes: short attention spam), take out, let cool while i take a shower, put em away and head to bed happy with myself for delivering my promise (deliciously) in under 30 minutes. nice!

CHOCOLATE BANANA CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1/2c chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 1/4c AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 very ripe banana

1/4c canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2c sugar

1 egg

1/2c chopped white chocolate

3/4c chopped walnuts (optional)

*preheat oven to 400F, line baking pan w/ parchment

*over a double boiler, melt chopped bittersweet chocolate. take off heat & allow to cool slightly

* in bowl sift together flour, baking powder, soda & salt

*in a separate bowl mash the banana to very smooth. whisk in the oil, vanilla, sugar and egg

*add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, mix just to combine

*stir in the melted chocolate

*fold in the white chocolate and nuts if using

*bake for 12 minutes (makes about 12-14 cookies)

Agave Marshmallows

- pancreas friendly-er -

marshmallows! need i say more really? maybe so and i know you love to read my meaningless ramblings.

to be totally honest, unlike a certain guy i know who adores eating them stale out of the bag (i don't know how he does it either) i can't say that i love marshmallows - at least not as a final product. don't get me wrong there is plenty of love for them as ingredients in other wonderful treats. i mean come on; rice krispie treats, hot chocolate.... SMORES!!!! if you don't know it already i lose all sanity when smores enter the picture, any picture. angels in heaven ride around on clouds made of smores - i've seen it.

ok so back to reality. i've conquered the standard marshmallows already (here and here) but in my ongoing quest to make not so healthy treats less detrimental to my loved ones pancreases' i targeted this cloudy puff. if you've made these treats before you know its really just a mix of gelatin, sugar and air, nothing really wrong with that but lets try it out with less scary agave shall we? maybe my diabetic friends can even have a bite?!

i had my doubts mostly because normally the sugar is brought to a high enough temp that gives it enough structure to help hold itself (think caramels, fudge etc) and then the gelatin steps in a they share the load. but with this agave recipe that i found at globalfoods lets the gelatin do all the heavy lifting. i was quite suspicious but had faith and forged through, whipping the hell out of the mixture like usual and to my delight they came out quite right! my only note: do not, despite what you may find online, try and make rice krispie treats out of these - just trust me it won't work and you'll be angry (not that i have a temper or anything). do make smores though - any and every chance you get.

AGAVE MARSHMALLOWS

1c agave

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 tsp vanilla

6 tbs cold water

1/4 tsp salt

*heavily dust an 8x8 pan with 1:1 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar

*combine the gelatin and water. let the gelatin bloom a few minutes

*place the gelatin mixture over hot water and melt to liquid (or in microwave a for a few seconds)

*add the agave & salt to the gelatin

*immediately begin whipping the mixture with electirc beater. continue for about 10-12 minutes until become very thick and stiff (you know what fluff is like don't you?)

*add the vanilla and whip another minute

* pour the thick mixture into the prepared pan

*let set for 3-4 hours, turn out onto a heavy (with same 1:1 cornstarch sugar mix) dusted counter and cut as you want.

*toss the individual pieces in the powdery mix so they don't stick to each other.

-when you think you can't whip anymore, whip some more-

Pan Sautéed Soft Shell Crab w/ Pasta & Kale

-make me feel better little crab man. oh, and sorry we're killing your home with oil -

ever miss home so much you know the only way to cure the home missin' is to just get down to it and recreate it? hm, yeah maybe not but stick with me - i'll make this one short.

i made the trek back home to Southwest Louisiana this weekend, hung out w/my awesome family, drank a glass of wine with my best friend and shared the woes of this massive ongoing oil spill that is threatening everything from the birds to the bayous, not to mention the amazing gulf seafood. oh woe is me. so i was thrust back into NYC life somewhere around this afternoon. the morning i left i had the heater on, cursing the lousy "spring" of NYC. thankfully as i exited the innards of laguardia it was hot and humid outside; just like home. ahh someone up there does kinda like me. so after a brief and typical argument with my cabbie i strolled into my apartment, said hello to my mildly excited dog and dyeing plants and because, sitting on a crammed 3 1/2 hour plane ride isn't enough for me i plopped down on the couch. inthralled in pouting about having to be back in "work till you want to kill yourself" NYC i decided to get off my toosh (my parents ready this, ok) and whip up my fix-anything comfort food dinner: quick sauteed soft shell crab, whole wheat pasta and seared kale.

it did the trick. i actually ended up folding my laundry and straightening the apartment (gasp) in prep for yet another long monday.

PAN SAUTEED SOFT SHELL CRAB

1 soft shell crab, rinsed in cold water, patted dry

salt & pepper

1-2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

olive oil

1/2 lemon wedge

*over medium high heat add enough oil to lightly coat a medium sized pan

*while the pan heats up season your crab w/ salt and pepper

*add the crab to the hot pan, sprinkle about half of the thyme leaves over the crab

*let it cook about 3 minutes on each side to get a nice rust colored "crust"

*squeeze the lemon and remaining thyme over the crab - let sizzle a minute and place crab on plate, tent with foil to keep warm if you wish.

PASTA & KALE

2 oz whole wheat

2-3 kale leaves, stalks cut away and roughly chopped

salt and pepper

**while the crab is cooking, be boiling your pasta in salted water.

*cook to almost al dente, they should finish around the same time, drain reserving 1/2 - 3/4c of the pasta water

*as you remove the crab, turn heat up a bit, add the kale and about 1/4c of the pasta cooking water

*de-galze the pan with the kale and starchy water, season lightly (crab should be fairly salty) and let cook 1-2 minutes until the leaves are bright green and wilted.

*add your pasta and a bit more of the reserved water, let them cook together another 2 minutes, adding more water only if the pasta or kale begins to burn/ smoke.

*if you can squeeze any more out of the lemon, add it in, if not then remove and plate.

-i feel better already, now about that massive oil spill... -

Sesame Peanut Caramel Crispies

-someone help me-

somehow i have a huge bag of sesame seeds in my cabinet. to be totally honest i am not really sure how it got there, or how long its been there. i do really like sesame seeds so surely it was bought on a whim one shopping day, but really who needs a pound of sesame seeds? well evidently the past me knew that one day i would run into a recipe like this and need a good hefty amount of the tasty little seeds. if only my former self would have know that creating these would spawn a totally addiction. i am addicted.

firstly, palm sugar: this is one of my more recent obsessions. basically its a sweetener made from the blessed coconut tree (if it were up to me everything would come from the coconut tree) and has a very low GI level. aka its good for diabetic and well, everyone. thais use palm sugar a lot but, unlike my crystalized form they keep it in small bricks or disks.

1 1/2c palm sugar

1c honey

1c coconut milk

1 1/4c roasted sesame (reserve 1/2c)

1c roasted unsalted peanuts

2c puffed unsweetened cereal (such as kashi)

1 1/2c crispy brown rice cereal (or rice krispies if you can find)

*in a large pot bring the sugar and honey to a boil, stirring just to make sure its not burning

*lower heat a tad and let boil a few minutes until reaches the soft ball stage (220F) or until a drop in water remains a ball - not dissolving

*pour in the coconut milk, stir to combine and bring back to a boil

*again let the mixture reach a soft ball stage

*take off heat

*add in the remaining ingredients (minus the reserved seeds) mixing well

*pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan, even out with your spoon

*let cool completely, turn onto a cutting board and slice into about 24 pieces

*dip each of the slices bottoms in the reserved sesame seeds (trust me you will want to do this)

*try to control yourself as you inhale these

Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream

-bring on the cake -

as promised, i present you with one of my proudest concoctions. though i am sure that i am not the first to use coconut milk in place of cow milk i'm still just a tab bit proud of myself. my master skills have been proven. ok, enough about my incredible ingeniousness and on to the goods.

like i mentioned i made cake. that cake called to be served w/ fresh whipped cream which i have absolutely nothing against - its the "cool" stuff i have serious issues with - i just didn't have whipping cream in the frig and i wasn't about to walk the 5 minutes down to the bodega, throw down $4 and get some. i know, such a hard life. instead i thought to myself: "what ever happened to cake and ice cream?". really though! think about it, think back the last 6 months. how many times did you had cake or some form of it (cupcakes etc..)? now tell me how many times a nice scoop of frozen lovely came with that piece of cake? yeah well if you are like me its been years if not decades (think back pizza and skate rink birthday parties).

so in other words: cake and ice cream are a fast become endangered species that i aim to save. this business of the almost overused whipped cream or creme fraiche with your cake is just a little to grown-up for me and need i remind you that summer is near?!

now that you have been schooled let me tell you about the ice cream. if you've ever messed around with a fresh vanilla bean you know how powerful they are. once you slice the pod in half the intense and familiar fragarance starts bumping around your kitchen and just handling the thing leaves your hands smelling like christmas cookies for hours. any time you opt to use fresh vanilla be ready for it to be front and center of your creation. the coconut milk acted as a nice, subtle undertone for the vanilla. nothing wrong with just cow milk but, if you are looking for something a tad more complex and almost softer this is for you. enjoy!

VANILLA BEAN COCONUT ICE CREAM

1 1/2c (unsweetened) coconut milk, well stirred

1 c whole milk

3 tbs cornstarch

6 tbs sugar

1/2 fresh vanilla bean, slit

*combine the coconut milk, sugar and 1/2c milk in pan over medium heat

*scrape out the tiny seeds from the split bean. add the bean and seeds to the pot

*in a separate bowl combine the cornstarch and remaining milk

*when the milk begins to steam whisk in the cornstarch and milk mixture

*continue to whisk 3-4 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken

*turn heat down to low, continue whisking for another 3-5 minutes (don't let it get too thick, just slightly thicker)

*take off the heat, allow to get to room temp, remove the vanilla pod and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight

*freeze in your icecream maker.

Torta di Carote - Carrot Cake

-strong enough for winter but light enough for spring-

I've had my eye on this recipe for somewhere around a year. marcella hazan, as you probably know, is the quintessential itallian cook. i've had her "italian kitchen" book for some while now and have loved every thing that comes out of it. i promise you, you will not find a recipe for pasta roses anywhere else. yeah - i said pasta roses and they are amazing.

the deserts are just as warm and homey as the rest of the book but unlike the rest of the recipes this once is actually pretty light, there is no butter or flour for goodness sake!

so back to that year in waiting. there are a few things that stood in my way of completing this cake mostly the lack of lady fingers. who keeps lady fingers in the pantry anyways? well i suppose its not such a stretch for a baker to have them on hand but, really, that and buttermilk give me a break won't ya! so this Christmas when a vendor sent foodie baskets to everyone, which oddly contained ladyfinger, i went around the office and snagged then all. yeah i'm that person; i horde office treats for later use at home. oh the shame. the second strongest force against this cake is, well there never seemed an appropriate time. and finally the day came that an friend of mine and her girlfriend came for dinner. score! the cake was made, slices were doled out and mouths were happily stuffed.

two things i changed: i left out the tablespoon of amaretto called for and used a mix of a vanilla and almond extract. i'm not a 70 year old man by the way nor do i own a silk robe so this i did not have in my pantry, nor was i going to buy any. and Marcella calls for fresh whipped cream to be served alongside but i also don't keep a stash of heavy cream on hand so i whipped up a batch of coconut milk and vanilla bean ice cream. stay tuned for the ice cream recipe, i assure you the warmth of the dense crumbly cake paired with the cool fresh ice cream was-a perfecto!

TORTA DI CAROTE

9oz unpeeled ground almonds

1c + 2 tbs sugar

9oz peeled carrots

4oz ladyfingers

2 1/2tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

*preheat oven to 325F, place ladyfingers on a large baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes

*take the ladyfingers out of the oven, let cool

*raise temp to 350F, grease an 8" springform pan

*pulse the almonds and sugar in a processors to a consistent mixture, place in a large bowl

*finely chop the carrots in the processor to as fine as you can get it, add to bowl w/ almonds

*place ladyfingers in the processor and chop until you have a fine powder, add to bowl w/ carrots & almonds

*add baking powder, vanilla, almond and salt. mix thoroughly

*mix in egg yolks

*in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

*add 1-2 tbs of the egg whites to the almond mix to help loosen

*gently (will take a while) fold in remaining egg whites.

*pour batter into the prepared springform. tamp the pan on the counter to level - do not press the batter.

*bake for 50 minutes, until toothpick is clean.

*let cool completely, slice and serve.

Strawerry Pop-Tarts

-yes, i made these and yes they are just a good as they look-

ahhh pop-tarts. who can deny themselves of a fresh out of the wrapper treat like this? i dare so no-one. no matter how food snobby i become i will always have a soft spot in my heart for a Kellogg's unfrosted strawberry pop-tart - ugh its terrible, vending machines across the city taunt me so. but alas i am actually a grown-up and i don't allow myself the constant indulgence of these strangely made "pastries". so when i finally accomplished strawberry jam, well the logical next step is of-course to make some homemade pop-tarts. oh yeah, that's what i said: homemade pop-tarts.

these. are. awesome. you won't be fooling anyone into believing these little guys are kellogg's concoctions (but really, why the heck would you try and replicate that faux pastry-ness? gross - just take a walk to the vending machine or a really big one, like wal-mart) they are more like strudels - remember those frozen treats? the exact line from Pilsbury is, get this: "start your day with a convenient, bakery-fresh treat". ha! since when was the toaster / microwave a baker?and better yet is the "do it yourself icing", people let me be clear on this: squeezing a plastic bag of liquid sugar onto a reheated frozen treat is not do-it-yourself. but i admit many a high school breakfasts consisted of those oddly gooey sugar pops and not just one i would eat like 4, wow. mmm healthy way to start your day, no wonder i still don't know how to write very well.

so back to me. i used my standard pie crust, filled it with the wonderfully perfect strawberry jam from easter and whipped together a stiff royal icing. that was that - nothing difficult and actually a do-it-yourself treat. we munched down on these guys as an after dinner treat; which is what the they are America - dessert not breakfast.

STRAWBERRY POP-TARTS

1/2 recipe pie crust - find mine here

1-2 tbs strawberry jam (or whatever you please)

1 egg lightly beaten

*preheat oven to 400F, line baking sheet with parchment

*after refrigerating the pie dough roll out to a 1/8" thick rectangle, cut the odd edges off as needed

*evenly cut out 5" - 6" squares from the rolled out dough

*place 1 heaping tsp of jam on the centers of half of the squares

*brush the edges of the squares with the beaten egg, place a dough square on top and pinch with fork thongs to seal.

*place the filled pastries on the prepared sheet and brush with egg wash

*bake for 16-19 minutes until golden, not too browned though

*let cool completely before icing (recipe below)

ICING

*1/2c - 3/4c powdered sugar

*2-3 tsp milk (more if needed)

*few drops of vanilla

*whisk together the ingredients adding more sugar or milk as needed to get a thick icing.

*drizzle the icing over your cooled pastries and enjoy

Whole Wheat Walnut Loaf

-my new favorite bread-

many a times i have made this "no-knead" bread, usually with rosemary and lemon which is my mom's favorite - and actually in my oven as i type. every once and again i take a stab at a whole wheat version, which is always successful - but not necessarily loved - if you know what i mean. so not to long ago i was literally stumbling around in kitchen - a little too wound up from the excessive tea drinking - and decided i would throw some stuff together and take yet another gander.

beautiful! this bread is off the charts perfect. at the last minute i realized that i needed to throw in some dark brown sugar, just to take the edge off the whole wheat, and that was exactly what it did. don't be fooled this bread is not sweet but almost more sourdough-y. my theory is that the bit of sugar gave the yeast some real feeding opportunities and thusly it got a nice quickly "aged" flavor. does any of this make sense? most likely not.

i made a breaded chicken sandwich out of a few slices and it was heavenly. be sure to finely chop - not powder - the walnuts. you want the texture to be more even than studded.

WHOLE WHEAT WALNUT BREAD

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1 1/2c AP flour

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbs dark brown sugar

1 1/2c (+) warm water

*in a large bowl sift together the flours, yeast, salt and sugar

*stir in the water, mix to combine. the dough will be very shaggy - if it seems a bit dry add another 1-2tbs water.

*cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let rest for 12-18 hours (will be very bubble and puffy)

*heavily flour a kitchen towel

*dump the dough onto the floured towel, sprinkle (generously) the top of the dough pile and place another towel on top

*let rest 2 hours

*preheat oven to 450F

*dump the dough - just kinda throw the dough blob into the bowl via the bottom towel - into a non-stick sauce pan or dutch oven

*cover and cook 30 minutes

*remove the cover and cook 20-30 minutes until nicely browned

*remove from oven let cool a bit, remove from pot and enjoy with some honey butter...

Birthdays and Cakes

-evidently i was very ready for that raggedy ann and andy cake, or a balloon-

1st birthdays are awesome. i can't say i remember mine, but i am sure that it was rockin' because well, my parents rock - thusly i rock - right? hmm. anyways mostly what i can remember are birthday parties held in my garage. yes i said garage, don't knock it until you've tried it. basically you get a bit of an indie-rocker feel to your party.

well anyways i love my birthday - so much so i made my mom give it to me a month early. i love my birthday not so much for the presents and attention - i don't really take either of those very well. i love my birthday because its always at the time of year when the weather finally gives in and gives us a break with some sun and warmth - maybe even a few flowers and some grass. life just seems better, or at least that its working towards that.

it seems that another little lady shares my birthday zone. Meet Harper Willow, April 1st 2009 only 26 years 362 days younger than me.

- miss Willow munching down on cake, a little more chill than me -

close enough. evidently she really like bananas and although they may not be my fruit of choice i am more than happy to comply with this fellow spring chick's wishes and provide one serious 1st birthday cake. there are 8 full bananas, roasted to perfection to really bring the fruits flavor to in your face status. the honey and cinnamon in the frosting is just enough to make you say m

mmm - warmth!

BANANA CAKE w/ HONEY CINNAMON FROSTING

8 ripe bananas, skin on

3c cake flour

1 1/2c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

8oz butter, melted

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla

1c finely chopped pecans (for the sides of cake - optional, but pretty)

*preheat oven to 325F, lay bananas in a single layer on baking sheet. roast 15 minutes turning once until the skins are black.

*let the bananas cool then remove from skins and mash.

*turn oven to 350F, lightly grease (3) 9" cake pans

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

*beat together the butter, eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas to an even consistency

*quickly combine the wet ingredients with the dry

*pour into prepared pans and cook for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean

*let cool completely before icing

HONEY CINNAMON FROSTING

8oz butter, room temp

1tbs milk / water

2 1/2c powdered sugar

2tbs honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

*beat the butter to light and fluffy

*beat in milk for a about 3 minutes

*add in cinnamon and honey, beat well to combine

*gradually add in the powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want