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

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...

Banana Coconut & Carob Bread_vegan & GF

-taste the tropical goodness-

about every other week or so i am faced with the "dilemma" of what to do with numerous overly ripe bananas. i don't really eat bananas , unless baked into a delicious cake or muffin, what have you. so when the banana order arrives 9 to a bunch. leftovers are going to happen.

so this leaves quite the opportunity for a sugar sensitive, health conscious (to an extent) foodie freak like myself. the problem is; bananas can be used for anything. seriously. do a quick google search for banana recipes - you will be bombarded. at first they all seem to be the same - banana nut muffins, banana cream pie, banana chocolate chip bread.... yadda yadda. so anyways i ran into a recipe for banana's and coconut "bars" which made me think - yeah lets get tropical with this eh?

and here we have it - a healthy, vegan, low fat, gluten free, low GI little treat for your morning enjoyment!

BANANA COCONUT CARON BREAD (vegan, gluten free)

3 (very) ripe bananas

2 tbs molasses

1/3c unsweetened applesauce

1/4c agave

1/4c maple syrup

2c spelt flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4c unsweetened shredded coconut flakes

1/2c carob chips

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

*mash the bananas in a small bowl, add in molasses, applesauce, agave and maple syrup. Stir to combine

*in seperate bowl sift together the spelt, baking powder, baking soda and salt

*stir in the banana mixture, just to combine

*fold in coconut and carob chips

*pour into prepared pan

*cook for 45-50 minutes - until toothpick is clean

*let cool and slice.

Skinny Cinnamon Rolls

-light, guiltless cinnamon rolls, woohoo!-

about 3 years ago during a weekend visit upstate i made josh and our friend dave cinnamon rolls. these rolls were full proof, i'de made them for years as a special treat for my friends back home in Louisiana. they're about the size of your head and loaded (like any heart stopping breakfast indulgence does) with a pound of butter. well, though they'd always been a hit with my deep fried southern cohorts and josh and dave devoured them - they also didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day. and for those lord of the rings fan; they were renamed "elvin rolls". very funny.

i never made them again. as a cook i want people to eat numerous times during a day - who else is going to dispose of all my kitchen creations? alright so starting about a year ago josh has been nagging me to take a try at cinnamon rolls again. finally i agreed but only under the stipulation that they would be lightened up - significantly.

valentines rolled around and i got to work. these rolls are best eaten right out of the oven or same day. comparatively they have very little fat content so they dry up pretty quick. but the good news - they were a hit (josh ate 3) and rendered the eater able to eat lunch and dinner with out suffering.

SKINNY CINNAMON ROLLS

1c warm skim milk

3 tbs melted butter (divided)

1/3c sugar

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3 3/4c AP flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

2 tbs butter, melted

7 tbs packed brown sugar

1 tbs ground cinnamon

Icing:

3 tbs melted butter

2 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla

1c powdered sugar (more if needed)

Make rolls:

*combine milk, butter, 1tbs sugar and yeast - set aside until foamy (about 5 minutes)

*add egg and remaining sugar

*stir in 1c flour, let rest 10 minutes (will get bubbly)

*add in 2 1/2c flour and salt, stir until a soft ball forms

*turn out onto surface and knead for about 5 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed to keep from sticking to hands

*place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise about 35 minutes until doubled in size

*punch down, cover and let rise another 35 minutes to double

*punch down again, let rest 10 minutes

*meanwhile mix together the the brown sugar and cinnamon for filling

*roll dough out into a 18 x 11 rectangle

*brush the rolled dough with the 2 tbs melted butter

*sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over buttered dough

*roll the dough, tightly, into and 18" log

*cut into 1" pieces, place on greased pan, cover and let rise about 35 minutes until desired size

*preheat oven to 350F, place risen rolls in oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they begin to get a golden hue

*let cool in pan for 10 minutes

*combine all ingredients for the icing, adding more sugar to get your desired consistency

*drizzle the icing over the rolls - and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

i believe it was monday when josh turned to me and asked what i was going to rsvp to the southern food themed dinner party we were invited to this weekend. as usual i started rattling off confections, red velvet cake, pecan pie, kings cake - oh my! mid-thought i was abruptly interrupted with "you need to make your beans". ok, firstly: these are not "my beans" - technically they are ina garten's beans. but this is beside my point.

besides dictating what i will be making for dinner on sunday he put beans on in my brain. and that lead to a production of bean based veggie burgers (via NYTimes health section). we both adore burgers and fries but never have buns on hand, because well that would be weird to have a stash of burger buns at any given time. right? so in the candice world i live in the resolution to this missing buns predicament is to, of-course, bake a small batch (so they are lovely and i have total control of what we ingest -yes i am freakish like that) and then freeze what i don't use for later enjoyment.

i don't yet know how they will be "later" when they are defrosted. but these-are-perfect. perfect. they are soft and fluffy, not in your face but still notable. the honey makes them slightly sweet and the wheat makes them worth your while. i mean, why serve scrumptious veggie burgers with an overpriced, tasteless, self destructive, 2-month old bag of chemical puffs, known as buns? you have to love your burgers enough to give them a good bun.

ps- they are so loved, josh had one hot out of the oven w/ marmalade for breakfast. they're just good eatin'.

WHOLE WHEAT HAMBURGER BUNS

(makes 8-9)

1 1/4c whole milk

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1 1/2c AP flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4c honey

2 tbs sesame seeds

*egg wash made with 1egg and 1 tbs water*

*over low heat warm the milk, do not let it get over 110F - if it does let it cool down to this

*stir in yeast and let sit for 10 minutes to activate

*in separate (large) bowl sift together the flours and salt

*in a small bowl whisk together the egg and honey

*add the milk mixture and the egg mixture to the flour, stir until it is a loose dough

*turn out and begin kneading adding flour as needed for 6-8 minutes to elastic and soft. as always DO NOT OVER KNEAD!

*place in grease bowl, cover with plastic and let rise to double 1 1/2 hours or so

*punch down, divide into 9 equal rounds (about 3.25 oz each), roll into balls and place on baking sheet lined with a slip pad or parchment

*smash the balls down to 3-4" disks, cover and let rise 45 (ish) minutes.

*preheat oven to 350F

*brush the buns with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, place in oven and cook 15 minutes so the tops are a light golden.

*let cool, cut in half down the middle and enjoy!

Kumquat Date & Honey Bread

before you let your brain wonder to fruit cake or something let me just tell you this is a great breakfast bread. yes, it is dense. yes, it is packed with fruits and nuts. and yes it has that "grown-up" taste to it - whatever that may mean. kids probably wont gorge themselves on this treat, nor will husbands raised in age of little hostess oatmeal pie "breakfasts". but i adore it. the flavors are deep thanks to the cinnamon and dates, bright thanks to the citrus burst of the kumquats and earthy due to the oats and flax. it has a subtle, yet lasting presence of honey and the walnuts make this a completely substantial snack for pre/ post exercise .

this would be great for diabetics or hiking heath-foodies. yum!

KUMQUAT DATE & HONEY BREAD

1c kumquat puree (seeds removed, pulsed in a processor)

3/4c honey

2 tbs coconut oil (or whatever you have)

2 eggs

1 tbs vanilla

1 1/4c whole wheat flour

1 c oats (not instant - i used multi-grain)

1/4c flax seed meal

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1c chopped walnuts

1/2c chopped pitted dates

*preheat oven to 350F, lightly grease a loaf pan

*sift together the flour, oats, flax, baking powder, soda & salt

*in a separate bowl beat together the kumquat puree, honey, oil, eggs and vanilla

*stir in the kumquat mixture into the dry mix. stir to completely combine.

*fold in walnuts and dates

*pour into prepared pan and cook 40-50 minutes until toothpick is clean

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

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

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.

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

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

Roasted Cherry Tomato Whole Wheat Pizza

last weekend i went to a friends apt that i hadn't seen in a while. actually its the friend that involuntarily put josh and i together (long semi-interesting story). anyways the night turned out to be a total bachelor dude party, with poker and the whole nine.

back track with me a bit. earlier that day when my friend called me up he mentioned that we would probably grab some pizza and a few beers etc etc. needless to say - i had my heart set on the pizza. by the time i arrived everyone had already partaken in eating and beer to a extent that no one agreed with my pleas to order pizza from the place literally two flights of stairs away from us. ugh! guys right? such bad hosts. so i was aggressive enough and after a few hours of hassling everyone with the occasional threat of the place closing and leaving us all to starve in that NYC luxury apartment i was joined in placing an order. i chose the pizzas that i was denied last time when my friend somehow still thought i still didn't t eat meat - huh. i should stay in touch more i guess. it was a thin crust with pineapple, bacon and basil. amazing. i scarfed it down and then trekked back to my little apt. to do something other than watch basketball and mediocre poker playing.

for a week now i have been obsessed with pizza. i really don't make it enough. its so easy, versatile and cheap there are no excuses not to. and so i did just that today. you have to use a whole wheat crust - its just simply better. better people, better - that means just use whole wheat. I added in cornmeal into the dough this time and it was perfect; adding just enough crunch at the ends.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1/2c cornmeal

1c AP flour

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 tbs olive oil

1c warm water

*in a large bowl sift together the flours, cornmeal & salt

*stir in the water and oil w/ a wooden spoon. stir until it becomes to difficult.

*turn out dough onto floured surface and knead with your hands until smooth and elastic

*grease a large bowl, put the dough into the bowl and turn to coat w/ oil

*cover with plastic and let rise to double 1-2 hours or put in frig and let rise for a bout 6-8 hours

*preheat oven to 525F, sprinkle your pan w/ cornmeal or flour

*divide dough into 2 (for larger) or 4(for smaller) balls, let rest covered for a few minutes.

*w/ your hands press and/or pull the dough into a round, again let set cover a few minutes

*roll out the rounds to your desired thickness (i always go for a thin as possible)

*place on prepared pan and lightly spray or brush w/ olive oil

*top w/ your desired foodstuff and cook for 10-15 minutes until everything is golden and to your liking. see below for what i used and was more than delighted with.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO & CILIEGINA MOZZARELLA

1c cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 oz fresh ciliegina mozzarella, each piece cut into thirds

1c homemade** roasted tomato basil soup

2 tsp dried basil

**i make a lot of this soup in the summer and freeze, if you don't happen to have any of your own homemade (which i understand is highly unlikely) just use good quality store bought.

*heat soup to a medium simmer in a small sauce pan

*in a small cup (shot glass works well) combine 1 tsp cornstarch w/ 2 tsp water

*add mixture to the simmering soup stirring to combine well, let simmer a few minutes then take off heat

*spread as much sauce as you prefer on to prepared dough

*continue with the remaining ingredients - its a pizza, don't freak out about it!

Maple Walnut Bread

do you butter toast? i butter toast. what's all

this business about not buttering toast? josh and i got into it this morning as i was ushering him out the door and back on the road. i made him eggs and toast. buttered freakin' toast. i was sharply informed that i "always butter toast". yes, i do always butter toast because that is was people do. nope, evidentially i do it because i am "from the south". wha???? firstly: whatever. secondly: toast is toasted thus a bit dry and needs to be rehydrated with a smudge of tasty butter. can you argue that? my desk mate at work agreed with him! but to my defense: she is not a baker and i would venture to say that she is not a huge toast person either. so this case is left open. you tell me - do you butter your toast?

anyways he ate it no matter. which may have more to do with my threat to not leave it on the plate than the superior taste the butter imparted on the toast. threat you ask. yes, there were only 2 slices of bread left this morning and that was tagged for my almond butter lunch sandwich. but, being the generous and perfect human being i am i gave it to him for his pure enjoyment. i got a crappy half lunch.

as you know that leaves me without my "daily bread" for the rest of the week. i need bread more than any normal person and i have some walnut oil that is about to expire (ok, it expired 2 days ago) so that means walnut maple quick bread! i love this bread - its very simple, not too sweet, totally healthy and will compliment anything. lucky me; lunch is going to rock the rest of the week.

MAPLE WALNUT BREAD

1c whole wheat bread

1c AP flour

6 tbs sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1c buttermilk

1/3c maple syrup

1/4c walnut oil

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3c chopped walnuts

*preheat oven to 350F, lightly oil a loaf pan

*sift together the dry ingredients

*in a separate bowl beat the wet ingredients

*add the wet to the dry and mix to combine

*stir in the walnuts

*pour into the prepared pan, cook for 45-50 minutes to get a clean toothpick

*cool on rack

Juiced Up Carrot Cake

so josh is gone. he left monday night and won't be back to corrupt my strictly healthy dietary requirements with his seemingly unquenchable - yet starting to gradually wane - need for delicious sugary treats. i admit it: sugar and butter are delish. but sooner or later i have to get back on track, not just for me but for my poor salivating father who has to sit through these posts, week after week. sorry dad.

anyways so my plan while alone for the next 8 weeks (josh is back mondays and tuesday) is to gather a decent amount of reasonably healthy baked treats. that and kick the habit of eating cereal for dinner when alone (ugh how sad is that?). i can do it!

so here we go: healthy treat number uno. i packed away the week's supply of "daily bread" with josh and i wanted to make something i could convince myself was a healthy substitute to house my almond butter for lunch at the office. pack in the fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole wheat and viola! one day i may try to substitute the sugar with maple syrup or honey. one day.

JUICED UP CARROT CAKE

1/2c whole wheat flour

1/2c AP flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2c + 2tbs sugar

1/2c peeled and grated granny smith apple

1/2c peeled and grated carrot

1/2c grated zucchini

1/4c + chopped walnuts

1/4c buttermilk

2 eggs

1/4c canola oil

*preheat oven to 350 F, grease a loaf pan

*sift together the flours, sugar, soda, cinnamon & salt

*add the apple, carrots, zucchini & walnuts - stir to combine well

*in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil and buttermilk

*add wet to dry and mix to just combine

*pour into prepared loaf pan and cook for 45-50 minutes until toothpick is clean

*let cool completely before slicing in.

'THE' CORNBREAD

cornbread - when done correctly - is god's gift to cheap people. i am a cheap person. well most of the time. anyways cornbread; its crumbly, takes over your mouth, then melts away into a tasty cloud-like texture. Is it cake or bread? i don;t know. but it can be used for anything.

everyone has their favorite use. mine happens to be for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. try it and tell me its not awesome, my father likes to drown his in honey for an after dinner snack, josh likes to eat his anytime after 2am with whipped honey butter slathered on top, my mom dissolves her in soups, my grandfather mashed his up with a wedge of cheddar cheese, a few spoons of molasses and a pool of milk (just a touch of the south there). yum. its quintessential soul food and we all know about soul food.

growing up (and i believe even to this day) my mom had a special cast iron pan that was sectioned off into equally sized wedges. pour the batter in, pop in the oven and 20 minutes later you have 8 perfectly sized servings waiting for their butter therapy. they beg for greedy hands to grab onto one of those triangles of gluttonous opportunity. my mother's kitchen, unlike my miniaturized one, had storage for such specialty items like that, mine: no way. I have to have at least 3 uses for an object to justify letting it take up real estate in my kitchen.

so i made chicken chili the other night - and really there is no other option but cornbread. really, i dare you to name an accompaniment that compliments chili any better, or even equally. don't even think of saying rice. just no. so i am going to share with you my cornbread recipe. only because when cornbread isn't done correctly its worthless; how something can be gritty, gooey and dry all at the same time is beyond me, but i happens. this took me somewhere around 6 years to get right and this is THE cornbread recipe. no more no less - don't experiment. if you do i will not be held responsible. broccoli is especially banned. sorry.

CORNBREAD

1c all-purpose flour

1c cornmeal

1/4c + 1tbs sugar

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4c shortening (crisco works well), softened at room temp

1 c milk

1 egg

* preheat oven to 425 F

* combine all the dry ingredients : flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt

* cut in the shortening with your hands to a fine crumble. similar to pie crust, but finer and more even.

* in a separate bowl whisk together the milk and egg.

* quickly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. mixing only enough to combine. it will be a bit lumpy.

* pour into a greased 9 x 9 square pan.

* cook 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

* cut and serve

My Daily Bread

when i was living in Baton Rouge there really was only about two crazy hippie health food stores. one was small, expensive and trendy. the other was weird, dark and old - i loved it. it was called "our daily bread". it was a metal shed with no windows and an amateur mural of bread and vegetables painted on the front. located on the side of a 5 laned busy street across from the "ghetto mall" and adjacent to an oversized mega store shopping center of sorts that was simply name "FLEA MARKET". it was not a flea market.

anyways i loved Our Daily Bread i would go there mostly as an excuse to get away from the studio and be around people who were more strange and secluded than my fellow architecture mates. so i would go rummage through all the dusty bags of seaweed and yogurt starter kits and generally just relax.

So this, in a way, is my ode to those odd moments of relaxation. i eat a nutbutter and jelly sandwich everyday - yes every single day - and well that means i need a lot of bread. this is just that bread. i make a loaf every weekend and well, its relaxing all the same.

josh claims its the best for grilled cheese because of the slight sweetness.

MY DAILY BREAD

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 c warm (110 - 115 F) water

2 oz unsalted butter, softened

2 tbs cain syrup / molasses

1/4c + 1 tbs honey

1 tsp salt

3c whole wheat flour

2c all purpose flour

* activate yeast in 1c of the warm water.

* whisk together the butter, honey and cain syrup. mix until its a smooth, consistent consistency.

* combine the flours and salt in a separate bowl

* add activate yeast and remaining 1c of water to the butter mixture. stir to combine

* gradually add in the flours, one cup at a time stirring well between each addition

* when you can't reasonably add any more flour turn out onto a lightly floured counter. knead to a smooth elastic consistency -- DO NOT OVER KNEAD!

* grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, spray the expose face of the dough with a bit of "pam" / butter. place a towel over the top of the bowl and set in a warm place to rise.

* let rise to double in size - about 1 hour

* punch dough down and place in a grease loaf pan

* cover with the same towel and again let rise to the desired fluffy height -- about 45 mins to 1 hour

* preheat oven to 375 F and cook the loaf for about 40 mins to get a dark golden crust

*remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing. I like to wrap in a towel and let the loaf sit out for about 4-5 hours before slicing it up.

Real Glazed Doughnuts

yes i made doughnuts - yeast doughnuts which to me are real deal saturday morning doughnuts not those funny cake doughnuts covered in powdered sugar that your mom bought by the tub when you were little. remember when the cloud of sugary powder would tickle your throat right when you had a mouthful of that fatty sugar paste like substance the cake had begun to melt into? was that fun or what?

with that said if you know me - you know these are not for me. they're a valentine's present for josh, he loves doughnuts and my voice reached a range close to breaking glass when he stops at dunkin donuts. so i gave him a break and made him these delicious little rings (and holes). i have to say, they were good and i don't know if i believe him or not but i'll quote josh saying "they taste like a hybrid between krispy kreme and dunkin". yeah so that's a very flattering compliment - i'll take what i can.

DOUGHNUTS

1/2c warm water (110 - 115 F)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/2c all-purpose flour

*dissolve yeast in warm water, activate so it is foamy

*whisk in flour to smooth

* cover with plastic wrap, let stand at room temp for 30 minutes or until bubbly

1/3c sugar

1/3c butter, softened

2 eggs (medium sized)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4c all-purpose flour

*whisk in all ingredients except the flour

* add in flour gradually mixing well until dough comes together and away from sides of bowl

* cover and let rise to double for 1 1/2 to 2 hours

* punch down and take dough out of bowl and form into a ball

* wrap with plastic then place in a plastic bag

* chill in frig overnight (or at least 3 hours)

*take out of frig and roll out to 3/8" thick (i split the dough in two for easier handling)

*use a 3 1/2" and 1" buscuit cutters to cut out the shapes

* set rounds on floured wax paper and let rise uncover for 1 hour to get them big and puffy

* heat 3" of oil (canola) in a heavy bottom pan to 375 F

* drop a few rounds in at a time, fry one side for about 1 minute to golden, turn over with a chopstick and repeat

* remove from heat and place on paper towel lined plate

* let cool and glaze as you please

*** save the 1" cut out to make the wonderful doughnut hole - yum!***

*** Jelly filled: roll out dough to 1/8" thick, cut 3 1/2" round, place heaping tsp of jelly in middle and press another 3 1/2" round on top - seal with a beaten yolk wash****

SIMPLE GLAZE

1c powdered sugar

2 tbs water (more if needed)

1/4 tsp vanilla

*combine all ingredients to consistency you want

* brush on doughnuts with pastry brush or dip them in "face" down