elephantine

mini banana muffins

I would bake banana bread all the time if it wasn't so easy to overindulge in. If there's a freshly baked loaf sitting on the kitchen counter, I can't keep my hands off it. So, unsurprisingly, when I made a test batch of these mini banana muffins a few weeks ago, the same thing happened. "Just one more," I kept saying, popping another into my mouth. Again and again. Luckily this time around I have no choice but to leave them be, because I baked them for my best friend's baby shower tomorrow. (It's her first! It's a boy!)

Mini Banana Muffins (makes 48 mini muffins)
recipe from All Recipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. If using liners, place them in a muffin pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter. Fold in the flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Fill the muffin liners* and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (And, of course, you can make these as regular sized muffins too; they'll just need to stay in the oven longer.)

*it's a good idea to do a single test muffin to avoid under/over filling an entire pan of muffins!

wisconsin three-cheese flatbread

I recently did a fun freelance project for Wisconsin Cheese, developing a recipe that showcased their cheese and then filming the recipe. I decided on a three-cheese flatbread because a mix of different cheeses is more complex and tasty than just one, and it's great as a quick, easy appetizer. So, here's my recipe + the video!

(Video credits: raw footage shot by me, all editing done by Wisconsin Cheese.)

Wisconsin Three-Cheese Flatbread (approx. 8 appetizer size portions)

1/2 pound fresh, store-bought pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup Wisconsin Mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Wisconsin Gouda cheese
1/3 cup Wisconsin Parmesan cheese
6 fresh basil leaves
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F. Grate the Wisconsin Mozzarella, Gouda, and Parmesan cheeses, then mix together in a bowl. Stack the basil leaves, roll, and slice into 1/4 inch wide strips. Set the toppings aside. Roll out the fresh pizza dough into a 6 x 12 inch rectangle, approximately 1/8 inch thick. Place the dough on a foiled-covered baking sheet. Brush the dough with olive oil, then sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. Add crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Bake the flatbread for approximately 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is starting to brown. Remove from oven and top with the fresh basil. Slice into eight pieces and serve.

baked french fries

Making fries from scratch is one of those "kind of time consuming but fun nonetheless" recipes. We ate these last night with hot dogs (okay, a veggie dog for me; I don't like hot dogs) and this amazing broccoli slaw (which is already one of my favorite recipes and I've only made it twice). Anyway, back to those yummy fries. Here's my recipe...

Baked French Fries (serves 2-3)

2 large russet potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
any other seasoning you like
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice into small strips (they can be as thin or thick as you like; just keep their size as consistent as possible and bake longer if your pieces are thicker). To prevent the fries from sticking together when they bake, soak them in a bowl of cold water for at least ten minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper or cloth towels.

Toss the sliced potatoes with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and any other of your favorite seasonings. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy, turning halfway through. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

easy rosemary crackers

I made these rosemary crackers yesterday afternoon and then immediately came down with Just One More syndrome – you know, where you keep telling yourself that you'll only have one more cracker and then stop eating them, no, wait, just one more, and so on. Eventually I did stop myself... right before dinner time. Anyway, the key to making these crispy is to roll the dough as thin as you can – even consider using a pasta maker, if you have one. Enjoy!

Easy Rosemary Crackers (serves 4)
recipe from Epicurious

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary plus 2 (6-inch) sprigs
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil plus more for brushing
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center, then add water and oil and gradually stir until a dough forms. Briefly knead dough gently on a work surface.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Keeping the remaining dough covered, roll out the first piece as thin as you can on a sheet of parchment paper. The shape can be rustic. (The thinner you roll it, the crispier it will be!)

Lightly brush the dough with additional oil and scatter the remaining rosemary leaves on top, pressing into the dough slightly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Slide the dough (still on parchment) onto a baking sheet and bake until pale golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining two pieces of dough. Let them all cool, then break into cracker-sized pieces with your hands. Store in an airtight container.

the best way to spend a saturday morning

It was gray and wet this morning when I woke up, and instead of opening up my laptop like I usually do, I started a pot of coffee and whisked two eggs for a dutch baby batter, and fed Bodhi while the oven finished warming up. He is very, very enthusiastic about meals. So much so that he makes a point of checking his bowl throughout the day just to make sure there isn't a surprise meal waiting there for him.

The last few nights I've been making hot toddies for Stefan and myself about an hour before bed. I kind of wing it, but it's basically just whiskey, hot water, lemon, honey, a few whole cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg. I mention it because this thought just occurred to me: doesn't a late-night dutch baby served with a hot toddy sound good? I think I'll have to test this theory. Yes. I'll definitely have to test it.

Dutch Babies (serves 2)
adapted from All Recipes

2 room-temperature eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
a pinch of ground nutmeg
a pinch of salt
2 Tbsp butter
lemon slices
powdered sugar for dusting

Place a cast iron skillet (mine is 10") into your oven and heat to 425˚F. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light and frothy. Add milk and stir. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt. Remove skillet from oven. Melt butter in the hot skillet, rotating to coat. Pour the batter into the skillet and return skillet to oven. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly, slice into quarters and squeeze lemon slices over the pieces, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

almond biscotti with maple glaze

How was your weekend? I worked a lot, got Christmas songs stuck in my head, watched House of Games, and made biscotti, which despite starting off as the stickiest dough ever turned out to be pretty amazing. I think this biscotti tastes great as is, but I'm also sharing a quick maple glaze for those of you wanting a sweeter version. (Alternatively, you could make a lemon glaze instead. Or dip them in chocolate!)

Almond Biscotti with Maple Glaze (makes 1 dozen)
adapted from All Recipes

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp orange zest
2 eggs, beaten    
1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almonds, and orange zest. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a spoon (or your hands). Dump the dough onto a baking sheet (optionally lined with parchment paper). The dough will be very, very sticky. Form it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool slightly, then slice into 1/2 inch wide pieces. Set the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, laying them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 20 more minutes, turning over halfway through. Finished cookies should be hard & crunchy. For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk. Mix well. Add more milk if it's too thick to easily pour. Drizzle over the cookies and let dry. Serve with hot coffee or tea.

lemon ricotta doughnuts

I feel like something a little sweet today, don't you? Today I'm sharing my favorite recipe for lemon ricotta doughnuts over on A Cup of Jo. Happy doughnut making!

super easy applesauce

Wow, first off – thank you for all the recipe suggestions. Every one of them sounds yummy and you're going to keep me awfully busy trying them all out. But first... applesauce. It really is ridiculously easy to make, and I love having full control over its consistency (by adjusting the amount of water) and its sweetness.

Super Easy Applesauce (fills a 16 oz. jar)

4 cups chopped apples (I left the peels on, but you don't have to)
1 cup water
½ tsp ground cinnamon
honey or sugar to taste (optional)

Toss the chopped apples, water, and cinnamon into a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook with a lid on, stirring occasionally, until the apples have broken completely apart (about 20-30 minutes). Sweeten it a little with honey or sugar, or leave it deliciously tart if you prefer. Let cool and refrigerate.

sesame coleslaw

Yesterday I made this coleslaw and immediately filed it away as a favorite recipe. It's sweet and nutty and makes use of jicama, which is one of those ingredients that doesn't get as much attention as it should. I recommend eating this slaw with stir-fried chicken and steamed rice; it's a simple meal, but it will leave you happy.

Sesame Coleslaw (serves 4)
recipe from All Recipes

½ head green cabbage, shredded
½ large carrot, grated
½ cup jicama, grated
½ Tbsp toasted or black sesame seeds
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
½ Tbsp sesame oil
1 ½ Tbsp honey

Toss the cabbage, carrot, jicama, and sesame seeds into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, then drizzle over the salad. Toss evenly to coat, then chill until ready to serve.

in my kitchen: cranberry date granola

I'm guessing that many of you have made homemade granola. (I'd love to hear your favorite add-ins.) Me? I've been meaning to do it for years, but yesterday was the first time I actually got around to it. Here's my recipe...

Cranberry Date Granola (about 10-12 servings)
granola base from Chow

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 c. raw sunflower seeds
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped dates

Preheat your oven to 300˚F. In a large bowl, combine oats, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine honey, canola oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. It's more effective and fun to do this part with your hands.

Spread the mixture evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. Remove from oven when the granola is light to medium golden brown. (Remember: it will still harden more as it cools.) Careful not to let it get too dark – it will taste burnt!

When the granola is completely cool, break it up and mix in the cranberries and chopped dates, then transfer to an airtight container and enjoy within two weeks.

p.s. for clumpier granola, try adding an egg white. 

plum skillet cake

I welcomed September by pulling out my measuring cups and looking for a new recipe to try. This plum skillet cake caught my eye right away – it's baked in a cast-iron skillet, which I love the weight and simplicity of, and it gives the cake such a beautiful chewy crust. (I have a 9-inch pre-seasoned skillet.) Since the cake isn't overly sweet, it would be perfect for brunch or a mid-afternoon snack, especially enjoyed with a hot mug of tea.

Plum Skillet Cake (serves 4-6)
recipe from Martha Stewart

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for skillet
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for skillet
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 ripe medium plums, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a cast-iron skillet (8" or 9" works best), dust with flour, then tap out excess. (You can also use a regular baking pan, but the baking time may change.)

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk.

Pour batter into prepared skillet, and smooth top with a spatula. Fan plums on top, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

the magnificent french 75

A French 75 is one of my favorite cocktails to order with dinner, and recently I learned how easy it is to make it at home. You don't even need to own a cocktail shaker – just use a travel mug instead. Here's the recipe...

Classic French 75 (makes 1 drink)
recipe from Saveur

1 oz. gin
½ oz. simple syrup*
½ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
brut champagne or a dry sparkling white wine
lemon twist, to garnish (I used this technique)

Combine gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist to serve.

*you can buy simple syrup, but it's very easy to make your own. Put equal parts sugar and water into a small pot, bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool. Store the extra in your fridge for up to a week.

garlic naan

A few months ago, when I was back home, my mom and I made garlic naan. I had been wanting to make it ever since a coworker at my previous job revealed that it was much easier to make than you'd expect. It turns out that he was correct, and even though it doesn't taste quite like what you'll get in an Indian restaurant, it's still very delicious. The only "trick", I guess, is using a grill or grill pan to get the right texture on the bread.

Garlic Naan (makes approx. 15 pieces)
recipe from All Recipes

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat. (You can also use a grill pan.)

4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

sweet potato soup

Here in Seattle it's been feeling more like fall than summer, and so that's exactly the kind of food I've been eating. I love this soup because it's creamy without being overpowering and it's just the right amount of sweet. I'm convinced that the secret in getting a good flavor is baking the sweet potatoes first. It really helps develop the flavor in a way that, say, boiling can't do.

Sweet Potato Soup (serves 2-4, depending on portion size)
adapted from Food Network

1 1/2 cups cooked sweet potatoes (approx. 1 large sweet potato)
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup milk (I used 1%)

1. Peel and cube the sweet potato. Toss with olive oil, coating all sides, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400˚F until tender and starting to brown (about 30 min).
2. Cook the flour and butter in a saucepot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until light caramel in color.
3. Stir in the broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
4. Add in the sweet potatoes and spices. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
5. Puree the soup in a blender. (Depending on the size/strength of your blender, you may have to do this in batches.) Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender and keep puréeing until smooth.
6. Return soup to saucepot. Add milk and reheat over medium.
7. Ladle into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and season with more pepper, if desired. Serve warm.

an easy apple tart

I came across this simple, delicious apple tart recipe thanks to Jacqueline Jaszka, who learned about it from Bonnie Tsang, who adapted it from Ree Drummond. It's incredibly easy, but it looks fancy, and that combination is about as good as you can get.

I like a slightly different proportion of ingredients than the previous versions of this recipe, so my best advice is to try it and make adjustments to your liking. Also, I think it's super important to note that if any sugary liquid runs off the tart, it will burn and then start to smoke if left unattended for too long! To minimize this, I dab off excess liquid from the apples before putting the tart into the oven, and I also check the tart after 15 minutes and scrape off any burnt sugar from the baking sheet (with a spatula) before it starts to smoke.

Easy Apple Tart (serves 2)

1/2 medium-sized apple, sliced thinly
1/4 cup brown sugar
juice of 1/2 small lemon
1/2 frozen pastry sheet

1. Remove frozen puffed pastry sheet from freezer and let thaw for about 20 minutes, or until easily unfolded.
2. Preheat oven to 415°F.
3. In a mixing bowl, combined apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Toss. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Unfold the puffed pastry sheet, cut in half, and put the unused half back in the freezer (or, double this recipe and use the whole sheet).
5. Lay apple slices in a straight line, overlapping slightly.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When done, the pastry will be puffed and golden brown. Top with powdered sugar and serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

the elusive ramps

If you're at all familiar with ramps, you know how exciting it is when they're oh-so-briefly in season. If you're not familiar with ramps (and I wasn't until a few years ago), they taste like a mix of onion and garlic and are also known as wild leeks. Wish I had more photos to share but I only have this one Instagram shot – it'll have to do!

Spaghetti (or Linguine) with Ramps (serves 2)
recipe from Mario Batali

coarse salt
1/2 pound dry spaghetti or linguine
extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh ramps, white root ends and green leafy tops separated
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
dry breadcrumbs (I used Panko)

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. (Took me 10 minutes.) Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Cook the root ends of the ramps until tender. Season with red pepper flakes and salt. Add the leafy greens of the ramps and cook until wilted. Drain pasta and toss into the skillet. Toss, then divide onto two plates. Drizzle with olive oil and top with breadcrumbs. Serve + enjoy!

basic popovers {with fresh syrupy cherries}

You would've laughed if you had been in my kitchen yesterday when I pulled a pan of monstrous cherry popovers out of the oven. They looked all sorts of wrong, and one was so tall it bent over as if it had given up altogether. And they weren't any better on the inside, either: a popover should be hallow, but mine had thick, squishy insides. It didn't take me long to figure out what had gone wrong. I'd filled the baking mold much too high, and the fresh cherries I'd experimentally added into the batter had ruined the fluffy texture.

Sometimes experiments work, and sometimes they don't.

Today I baked them again. I didn't pour the batter to the top of the cups this time, and I kept the cherries as a side instead. This time the popovers came out of the oven with perfect golden brown crowns, and hallow insides ready for a scoop of syrupy cherries.

Basic Popovers with Fresh Syrupy Cherries (makes 6 popovers)
recipe adapted from Bakingdom

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp canola oil
fresh cherries
sugar to coat the halved cherries

1. Crack eggs into a mixing bowl. Add milk and whisk. Slowly add flour and salt and continue whisking until mixed in. Add melted butter and mix again until smooth. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. While the oven preheats to 450°F, pour a half teaspoon of oil into the 6 popover cups and use a pastry brush to spread the oil up the sides of each cup. Place the oiled pan into the warming oven. (You can also make these in a muffin pan if you don't have a popover pan.)

3. Pit and halve the cherries. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with sugar, coating all sides. Stir occasionally. By the time the popovers are ready, the sugar will be dissolved and the cherries will be coated in syrup. (You can also slightly mash the cherries if you'd like.)

4. When the batter is done resting, remove the hot popover pan from the oven and quickly pour in the batter. Fill the cups about 3/4 way full. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (Don't open the door until you're getting close to the end – it could result in fallen popovers!)

5. Tear open a popover, spoon the cherries inside, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and enjoy!

strawberry lime yogurt popsicles

Maybe it's because the weather's warming up, but I am suddenly fixated on ideas for popsicles. (Okay, it's also because I just bought a new popsicle mold to replace our old dinky one that made four baby-sized popsicles. Talk about scaling down a recipe.) I can't wait to try out a mojito version, a coconut one, maybe even a creamy coffee one... but first, I had to make something simple and tangy-sweet: strawberry lime yogurt popsicles.

Strawberry Lime Yogurt Popsicles (makes 10 popsicles, 3 oz. each*)

3 cups quartered strawberries
1/4 cup sugar (adjust based on how sweet your strawberries are)
juice of 1 large lime (2-3 tbsp)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1. Place sliced strawberries and sugar in a ziploc bag. Using your hands, mash until the strawberries are mostly liquid. If you prefer a completely smooth texture, blend instead.
2. Transfer to a bowl and mix in lime juice.
3. Add yogurt and mix. (I stir it very gently, keeping a marbled look so that each bite has variety.)
4. Taste. Add a little sugar if too tart, or a little more yogurt if too sweet.
5. Fill the popsicle mold. Freeze until set (for me, it took about 4 hours). Briefly run the mold under hot water to loosen the popsicles.

*I use this mold.

ice cream sandwiches {with chocolate sea salt cookies}

I've been completely swamped with work this week – a good kind of busy, but an exhausting busy. I got to that point today where I just needed to step away from my desk. I needed something sweet. So I made cookies. Chocolate sea salt cookies. And I then made – gasp! – ice cream sandwiches out of them. I mean, why not?

Start with 4 oz of chopped dark chocolate and a 1/2 stick of butter. Combine in a microwave-safe bowl.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring during each break.

Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

Gradually add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Mix well.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. (I'm a huge fan of sweet-and-salty desserts, but if you're not, just skip it.)

Bake at 325°F for 13-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Assemble into ice cream sandwiches by placing a spoonful of ice cream (I used vanilla) on one cookie and smoothing out with the back of your spoon, pushing the ice cream almost to the edges of the cookie. Place the other cookie on top, and give it a little squeeze.

If the ice cream is starting to melt, put them in the freezer for a while. You can also wrap them with parchment paper & twine, if you can manage to not devour them first.

Makes about 9 small ice cream sandwiches.

Recipe adapted from lovely The Novice Chef.

peanut butter dog treats

I know, I know. Posting a recipe for dogs discloses that I am indeed a Crazy Dog Lady. But first of all, you probably already knew that, and second, I have some good arguments. Compared to store-bought treats, these are cheaper, more eco-friendly (no plastic bags), and you have full control over what goes in. But does Bodhi like them? Well, let's just say that he nearly bit my fingers off when I offered him a few from this batch.

The beauty of this recipe is that because it's extremely simple, it can easily be jazzed up. Just make sure that anything you add is safe for dogs (the ASPCA has some guidelines here) and try to keep the ratio of dry to wet ingredients equal (for example, if you want to add in an egg, don't use quite as much water).

Peanut Butter Dog Treats (makes about 3 dozen)
adapted from Allrecipes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted natural peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the peanut butter and hot water. Mix until smooth. Gradually add the dry mixture and mix well. Add a little more water if the dough is too dry, or flour if it's too wet.
4. Turn dough out onto your work surface and roll to 1/4" thickness.
5. Cut with a cookie cutter (you can find the bone-shaped one at Mignon) and place on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown. Let cool, then store in an airtight container.

easy chocolate candies {a mini guide}

These chocolates are a sure-fire way to impress someone... and yet they're so easy to make. The best combo! If you'd like to make chocolates that look just like these, you can find the mold in my kitchen shop. I should also mention that these chocolates are meant to be refrigerated until eaten. To package them as gifts, temper the chocolate first (basically, heat to 115°F, cool to 80°, then heat to 90°). Mark Bittman explains tempering here.

1. Choose your chocolate + mix-ins: I'm a dark chocolate fan, but you can make these with practically any chocolate bar. Just buy about 7 oz. worth (I used two 70% cocoa Lindt bars.) If you want to add in dried fruit or nuts, pick up a few of those, too, and chop them into small pieces.

2. Melt the chocolate: make a double-boiler by placing a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water. The bowl needs to be slightly larger than the pot of water, and the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. It's just the steam that you want. Make sure water doesn't come in contact with the chocolate. Drop broken pieces of chocolate in the bowl and stir until they are entirely melted, then remove the bowl and wipe the bottom dry. Be careful of the steam when removing the bowl! (You can also use a microwave to melt the chocolate, but no longer than 30 seconds at a time, and mix it frequently. Be careful to not burn the chocolate.)

3. Transfer the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle: this step isn't absolutely necessary, but I find it much easier and neater to transfer the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle instead of spooning it directly into the silicone mold. Use a funnel and get every bit of chocolate into the bottle by scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

4. Fill the silicone mold: fill the bottom of the mold with chocolate, then sprinkle in your add-ins (fruit/nuts). Fill the mold the rest of the way up.

5. Get rid of air bubbles: tap the mold on your countertop to pop any lingering air bubbles. These aren't dangerous or anything; they just make the chocolates less pretty.

6. Refrigerate until set: in my experience, this takes about 30-60 minutes. (Tidy up the kitchen and watch that old Lucy and Ethel clip to pass the time.) Then just pop the chocolates right on out, and voilà! You're done. Store these in the fridge until it's time to eat them.

Again, to store these unrefrigerated, temper the chocolate before pouring into the mold. Enjoy!

swiss enchiladas

When I was back home last weekend, my mom and I made Swiss Enchiladas. Because there are several things that need to be prepared, this type of recipe is good to do with a family member or friend (especially with a couple glasses of wine). So, together you make the filling, you fry up some tortillas, you shred some cheese, you roll the enchiladas, you pour in the milk, you bake, you eat. And then, at last, you take a siesta.

Swiss Enchiladas (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
olive oil, for cooking
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
8 oz chopped green chilies (these often come in 4-oz cans)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (we boiled it beforehand)
pinch of salt
Tabasco to taste
1 dozen corn tortillas
about 1/2 lb Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups milk or half & half

Method:
1. Sauté the garlic, onion, and celery in a small amount of olive oil.
2. After a few minutes, add the tomatoes, green chilies, chicken, salt, and Tabasco. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly fry the corn tortillas (one at a time) in a splash of olive oil, just to soften them up.
4. Shred 2 cups of Swiss cheese.
5. Fill the tortillas with the cooked filling and shredded cheese. Only use 1 cup of the cheese. (If you've never rolled enchiladas, watch this quick video.)
6. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top of the rolled enchiladas.
7. Pour milk or half-and-half over the entire dish.
8. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
9. Serve with sliced avocados and salsa, if desired. Enjoy!

quickly pickled veggies {a mini guide}

I'd always been under the impression that pickling vegetables was a long and arduous process, until I came across David Lebovitz's pickled red onion recipe and realized that it doesn't have to be. (Of the various pickling methods, these are considered "fresh pickles".) Here's what you do...

1. Pick & slice the veggies: the easiest way is to use vegetables that you can eat raw. I used one red onion (which gives it that gorgeous color) and one cucumber. If you're using vegetables that you would usually eat cooked, like beets or cauliflower, cook them first until tender.

2. Pick your spices: really, the possibilities are endless – try using spices like mustard seeds, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, red pepper flakes, or juniper berries. I used bay leaves and peppercorns.

3. Prepare the pickling liquid: in a pot, combine 2 cups white vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, and the spices (I used two bay leaves and about 25 peppercorns). Heat on high until the mixture comes to a boil, then add the veggies. Lower heat and simmer for 30 seconds. Turn heat off.

4. Pour into the jars: using the amounts above will fill six 8-ounce canning jars. Pour the veggies & liquid into the jars and let cool before putting the lids back on. Keep refrigerated.

5. Play the waiting game: surprisingly, the veggies start to taste deliciously tart almost immediately after cooking, but it's better to wait at least 24 hours before eating to get a deeper flavor.

6. Eat & enjoy: yes, okay, I admit it: I eat these straight out of the jar. But they're also amazing on sandwiches, served with cheese & crackers, and in salads. Pickled vegetables made this way will last for at least a couple weeks in the fridge. If you want to store them for a longer time, unrefrigerated, you'll need to seal the jars. Simple Bites has a good overview here on how to do so. Enjoy!

homemade pasta {a mini guide}

One of my favorite activities is making fresh pasta, because it's pretty awesome to see a mound of flour transform into something you usually buy from a store. If you're interested, I've love to share how I make it...

1. Make the dough: for each person, measure out 3/4 cup flour + 1 egg. Dump the flour into a mound on your work surface, form a well in the middle, and crack the eggs into the well. Add a splash of olive oil. Use a fork to break the yolks and gently pull in the flour until the eggs are mixed in. Start kneading the dough with your hands, adding water if it's too dry, or more flour if it's too wet. Knead until soft and pliable. (Confused? See step-by-step photos here.)

2. Roll it out: you can just use a rolling pin, but I find it extremely difficult to get the dough thin enough. I use an old Imperia pasta machine (like this one, but there are cheaper ones out there too). Basically, you just cut off a section of dough, then feed it through the machine multiple times until it's paper thin. If you roll it by hand, get it as thin as you possibly can, and then try to get it even thinner.

3. Shape the pasta: for capellini and fettuccine, either use the attachment that comes with your pasta machine to cut it into strips, or use a pizza cutter to do it by hand on your work surface. Garganelli is formed by cutting out squares and then wrapping them around a pencil. Farfalle is formed by cutting out rectangles and pinching them in the middle. Orecchiette (please excuse my funny looking ones in the photo) is formed by rolling your pasta into a rope, slicing off a little bit at a time, then pulling the side of the knife across it. Or buy a ravioli press and make a tasty spinach & ricotta mix as a filling.

4. Prevent it from sticking: as soon as you shape your pasta, toss it with flour. If you don't, the pasta will start drying and stick together, and will cook as one big, unappetizing clump.

5. Cook: bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta for 3 minutes. Test. Cook more, if needed. Drain.

6. Eat & enjoy: I always go the minimal route with fresh pasta. The other night, I sautéed some kale and shiitake mushrooms in butter, tossed it with the capellini, and topped it with shredded parmesan and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It was light and delicious – and so gratifying to eat something made from scratch.

fresh tofu spring rolls {with peanut dipping sauce}

Seattle has been getting a few sunny days here and there, and even though they've been cold sunny days, they've got me daydreaming about summer anyway. When summer does come, and when we get one of those sticky, drowsy days where cooking sounds unbearable, this is the recipe I'm going to turn to.

I love fresh spring rolls because they're refreshing, healthy, and pretty easy to make. Oh, and don't forget the peanut dipping sauce. Fresh spring rolls love dipping sauce, and they are very sad to be eaten without it.

Fresh Tofu Spring Rolls*
rice paper wrappers (some info on these here)
extra firm tofu
lettuce
cucumber
carrot
vermicelli noodles (see photo above for the kind I have)
thai basil and/or mint

1. Soften the vermicelli noodles by placing them in a small bowl and pouring hot water over the noodles. Try a noodle after about 5 minutes; once they're soft, drain over the sink.
2. Slice the tofu and vegetables into thin strips. Remove basil and mint leaves from stems. Set fillings aside.
3. Fill a large, shallow dish with hot water. Dunk a rice paper wrapper into the hot water, pressing down if it starts to float up. It won't take very long for the wrapper to soften, and the hotter the water, the faster it goes. (Don't stack the softened wrappers; they'll stick together. I make these spring rolls one at a time.)
4. Lay a wrapper onto a plate and dab off any excess water with a paper towel. Start adding your fillings on the lower third of the wrapper. Don't overfill, or the wrapper will tear.
5. Start rolling the wrapper, holding in the fillings with your hand if needed. About half-way up, fold in the left and right sides of the wrapper, then finish rolling. The wrapper should be sticky enough to "self-seal".
6. Slice your roll in half and enjoy with the peanut dipping sauce.

Peanut Dipping Sauce
adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp chili garlic sauce (I have this little bottle)
2 tbsp chopped peanuts

Mix all of the dipping sauce ingredients except for the chopped peanuts. Once the peanut butter has fully mixed into the rest of the sauce, add the chopped peanuts and stir again.

*I'm not including specific amounts for each ingredient because it can really vary based on how big the veggies are, what your ratio preferences are, and how tightly you pack the rolls. But for reference, I made about 5 spring rolls with the amounts shown in the video (with 1/4 pack tofu and 1.5 ounces of dry vermicelli noodles).

have a sweet weekend!

(Lemon tart recipe from here.)

the most important meal of the day

Do you have the same breakfast every day? I go through phases. Sometimes it's cereal for weeks. Other times it's toast with almond butter. Lately, I've been starting the day with this combo: plain yogurt, fresh blueberries, wheat germ, and a little bit of honey.

the mini brown sugar spice cakes

I've been making this brown sugar spice cake recipe a lot this winter, bringing it to family gatherings and giving it as gifts. Usually I make it as a 6" cake, but for Christmas, Stefan gave me a mini bundt pan, and I knew that I had to make this yummy cake in miniature form. So. Let's get baking...

In a mixing bowl, start off with 1 1/2 sticks of butter. It should be nice and soft, but not completely melted.

Next, add 1 1/2 cups of packed brown sugar.

Mmmm. Heavenly.

The spices are what make this cake special: 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, and 1/4 tsp ginger. Aren't those colors gorgeous?

Next, add 1/2 tsp salt into the mix...

...and the très important 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

Mix until all ingredients are well blended.

Grab three eggs and mix them into the batter one at a time until smooth. (I love cracking eggs.)

Here's what your batter should look like. We're almost done; just two ingredients to go...

...2 cups of all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup of orange juice.

Add the flour into the mixture a little bit at a time, alternating with the juice. Keep mixing.

The finished batter.

You could pour the batter into pretty much any pan, but I used a mini bundt pan brushed with melted butter.

After filling the pan with batter, bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (In this pan, it took 20 minutes. For a single deeper cake, it takes about 30.)

Here's the little cakes, straight out of the oven. Now comes the fun part. Put the cooling rack on top, flip the whole thing over, and shake them loose...

Et voilà!

So cute, I sort of don't even want to eat them.

For a little extra prettiness, dust them with powdered sugar.

Bon appétit and Happy New Year :)

happy long weekend & a question for you...

With the long weekend ahead, and lots on my to-do list, I'm signing off a little early. But first I want to say a big thank you to everyone who reads Elephantine. I truly appreciate each visit & comment!

Over the past four years, the content and format of this blog have gradually changed. So I have a question for you: what types of posts do you like and not like? I've set up a very short survey here, and would be grateful if you'd take a second to visit.

Have a wonderful rest of your week.

(Psst... the brownies are a smitten kitchen recipe.)

monday...

...is better with a loaf of freshly-baked homemade bread. My favorite recipe? Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread.

+

One of my new favorite things to do is to bake something and then give it away, like this lemon cake.

pineapple upside-down cake

There are three reasons why I love this pineapple upside-down cake. One, it's easy to make. Two, it's also fun to make, because who doesn't like making pineapple patterns or flipping a cake on its head? And three, it's delicious – dense and moist, with a little bit of crunch from the caramelized sugar.

I make this cake in a round 6-inch pan (3 inches deep), which produces six "just enough" portions or four "I really love this cake" portions. For a 9-inch pan, you should be able to simply double the recipe and use seven pineapple rings instead (not halved).

Watch the video below or here on vimeo. (Music: Threepenny Waltz by Paul Freitas.)

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (serves 4-6)
adapted from Martha Stewart

3 pineapple rings
6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and pour into a 6-inch cake pan. Tilt to evenly coat.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter.
4. Slice pineapple rings in half, then arrange in a circle in the cake pan. Set pan aside.
5. In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix. Set aside.
6. In another bowl, add eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk. Set aside.
7. In an electric mixer (or large bowl), beat remaining 3 tablespoons butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
8. Continue to mix while alternatively adding flour mixture and egg mixture. Beat until batter is just combined.
9. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to even out the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
10. Loosen the cake by running a knife along the edges. Place a cake stand (or plate) over the pan, then flip upside down. Gently shake if cake doesn't immediately come out of pan. Enjoy!

chinese almond cookies

Has it really been three months since my last food post? I apologize. There will be more videos in the future, but for now I'd like to just share the above photos and this yummy recipe for Chinese almond cookies. My version of this recipe differs from the original in two ways: first, it uses twice as much egg (an accident, but it turned out well), and second, I dusted them with powdered sugar as a finishing touch.

Chinese Almond Cookies (yields 2 dozen)
adapted from All Recipes

1 1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
24 almonds
powdered sugar

1. Sift flour into a large bowl. Mix in sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter. Add egg and almond extract. Mix well. (Note: my dough was too crumbly when I mixed it by hand, because the butter wasn't breaking up enough. I switched to my stand mixer and it fixed the consistency.)

2. Roll dough into 3/4" balls and place on a cookie sheet. Press an almond gently into the top of each cookie.

3. Bake at 325°F for about 12 minutes, or until the edges just barely turn brown. Let cool before dusting lightly with powdered sugar.

mojitos, chips, and salsa

I love a mojito any time of year, but summertime is especially perfect for this refreshing, sweet-n-tart, minty cocktail. You don't even need to buy a muddler to make a good mojito. And, because I figured I couldn't just show you a drink and call it a day, I also have recipes for fresh serrano salsa and tortilla chips.

Fair warning: the tortilla chips are a bit chewy, not nearly as crisp as store-bought ones, but that's what I like about them. And, um, a word of advice: don't indulge in a mojito until after you've made the salsa, because there's a lot of dicing involved. Let's keep those fingertips intact.

Watch the three-act video below or here on vimeo. (Music: Molino Molero by Susana Baca.)

Mojitos (serves 2)
adapted from Brandy

20 fresh mint leaves
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups ice cubes
6 tbsp white rum
1 cup club soda

Place 10 mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into each glass. Use a muddler (or the handle of a wooden spoon) to crush the mint and lime. Divide the remaining lime wedges and sugar between the two glasses, and muddle again. Fill each glass with 1 cup ice. Divide the rum between the two glasses. Add 1/2 cup club soda to each glass. Stir well and enjoy.

Tortilla Chips (serves 2)

6 small corn tortillas (I used 5 1/2" ones)
1 tbsp olive oil

Stack tortillas and slice into quarters. Place in a bowl, add olive oil, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan until they begin to brown, about three minutes per side. Remove from heat and, if necessary, blot with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

Serrano Salsa (serves 2)
adapted from Rick Bayless

6 ounces cherry tomatoes (approx 17 tomatoes)
1 serrano chile
a small handful of cilantro
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup white onion
fresh lime juice to taste (I used 1/2 lime)
salt to taste (I used 1/4 tsp)

Finely dice the tomatoes. Scoop into a bowl. Cut the chile in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds if you want (I did). Chop the chile as finely as you can, then add it to the bowl. Carefully bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and chop into small pieces, stems and all. Add to the bowl. Mince the garlic and add to the bowl. Next, finely dice the onion and add to the bowl. Mix well. Taste and season with lime juice and salt, mix again, and let stand if you have a little time, for the flavors to meld before eating.

easy rhubarb spread

Forgive me for not making a video for this recipe. I wasn't even sure if it would turn out well, so I didn't document the process. But it did turn out, wonderfully so.

A few days ago, my friend Kym gave me some rhubarb from her garden. I'm no rhubarb expert, but I do know that sugar is its best friend, and that it tastes good on bruschetta. I found a rhubarb jam recipe and adjusted it a little. It came out thick, tart, and sweet. And delicious.

Easy Rhubarb Spread (yields about 1 cup)
adapted from Chollow

10 oz chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spread thickens. Spread on crackers, bruschetta, or enjoy by itself.

the apple galette

I've always liked the "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" saying. Maybe because I eat a lot of them. Usually, I just munch on apples plain and fresh. But sometimes it's fun to dress them up, too. And the best way to do this, if you ask me? An apple galette. If you've never heard of a galette, it's basically a freeform rustic tart. In other words, it comes out looking perfectly imperfect.

I adapted this recipe from Too Much Food, who adapted it from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Alice Waters & Jacques Pepin of Chez Panisse. (I love how recipes are handed around and reshaped like that.) I made a couple changes and omitted the glaze. The glaze tasted nice, but I didn't think the extra work drastically enhanced the taste of the final dessert. Go ahead and try it from the original recipe if you like.

Enough blabbing! Let's get baking. Watch the video below or here on vimeo.

(music: Pull Yourself Together And Fall In Love With Me.)

The Apple Galette (serves 2 to 4, depending on how generous you're feeling)
adapted from Too Much Food

for the dough
1 cup flour (I used a 50/50 mix of white and wheat)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

chilled water, as needed (I used about 6 tbsp)

for the filling
2 medium apples peeled, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar (more or less depending on how tart your apples are)
turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

For the dough, sift flour in a large bowl. Mix in sugar and salt. Cut in butter, working quickly, to prevent it from completely melting. Continue until the biggest pieces of butter are roughly the size of large peas. Add chilled water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds together. Gather dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

When the dough is ready, roll out on a floured surface or on plastic wrap to a 14" circle about 1/8" thick. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400°F.

For the filling, place apple slices in a bowl with melted butter and sugar. Toss to coat. Overlap the apples in a circle 2" from the edge of the dough. Continue spiraling inward until you've reached the center. Fold over the edges of the dough, and sprinkle dough edge with turbinado sugar if desired (I do this for added texture more than for sweetness).

Bake on middle rack of oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Rotate the galette every 15 minutes for an evenly baked crust. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

the mall pretzels

When I was a teenager, I loved nothing more than going to the mall. Usually I was there with my friend Briea. After debating about what to spend our allowances on, surrendering to spontaneous fits of giggling, and bringing too many clothes into the dressing rooms, we'd saunter down to the food court and split a soft pretzel.

The mall and I don't see much of each other anymore, but I do still crave the occasional chewy, buttery pretzel. Lucky for me (and you), soft pretzels are easy to make. The secret to getting that lovely brown shade is to give them a brief baking soda bath.

Watch the video below or here. (Music: San Dimas Oasis by Coolrunnings.) Happy eating!

The Mall Pretzels (makes 6)
adapted from Jeannie Yee

¾ cup warm water (110°F)
1 ¼ tsp of active dry yeast (half of a .25 ounce package)
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (110°F)
2 tbsp baking soda (for soaking)
½ tbsp butter, melted
coarse kosher salt (or pretzel salt)
mustard, for dipping (optional)

Pour ¾ cup warm water into a mixing bowl. Dissolve yeast, brown sugar, and salt into the water. Stir in flour. When mixture comes together, dump onto a floured surface. Knead dough about 8 minutes, until smooth. Pour a few drops of olive oil into mixing bowl; place dough in and turn to coat surface. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

When dough is ready, cut into 6 pieces. Roll each into ½ inch thick ropes. Shape pretzels by forming a U, then twisting ends and flipping over onto itself, gently pressing overlapping dough to seal. Let rise for 15 minutes.

Fill a bowl with 1 cup warm water. Add baking soda and stir. Soak each pretzel for 30 seconds, flipping over halfway through if not fully submerged. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle coarse salt over top. (If you prefer sweet pretzels, use cinnamon sugar instead of salt.) Bake at 450°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. For an extra buttery flavor, brush on a little more melted butter when the pretzels come out of the oven.

the asparagus risotto

Yesterday I stumbled upon Working Class Foodies. Have you ever watched their videos? The asparagus risotto video in particular got me excited, because (a) I've never made risotto that wasn't out of a box, and (b) my CSA delivery this week included asparagus.

In addition to some tasty, tall asparagus, you'll also need onion, lemon zest, and parmesan.

Some of the other sources of flavor: olive oil, white wine, broth, and butter.

Oh...and you need rice! Duh. Arborio is usually the recommended type for risotto because it's high in starch, which is slowly released as you cook and makes the risotto creamy.

Wash the asparagus. Snap the ends off where the stalks naturally break. (I washed half of a bunch, but ended up putting some of it back in the fridge. I'd recommend only using a fourth or a third of a bunch.)

Toss the tough snapped-off ends into a pot with 2 cups of broth (you may end up needing more or less broth in actuality). Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat to keep the broth warm but not boiling. Chop up the rest of the asparagus and set aside.

Slice up 1/3 cup white onion. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a saucepan, and cook the onions until translucent.

Add 1/2 cup dry rice. Stir it to coat with the oil & butter. (Don't let the rice brown.) Get used to stirring, because you're going to be doing a lot of it.

Add 1/4 cup white wine, and let the rice absorb it. Keep stirring!

Start adding the broth a little at a time. (You're still stirring, right?) Once the rice absorbs it, add more.

Almost forgot. Throw that chopped-up asparagus in. Keep adding broth after the rice fully absorbs it.

Grate 1/4 cup parmesan. Grab a pinch of saffron threads and "bloom" them in hot water. Add both to the risotto when it's close to done.

After about 15-20 minutes of stirring and adding the broth in small amounts, your risotto should be nice and creamy. When the rice is done, it should still be firm (al dente) but also be tender.

To season, I added a little bit of lemon zest, shaved parmesean, salt and pepper, and truffle oil.

Remember, the rice expands as it cooks, so that 1/2 cup ends up making quite a generous single portion. (Although, I admit that I didn't have any leftovers.)

the baked mac and cheese

My favorite thing to eat, hands down, is noodles. Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai... whatever way you make it, I like it. But mac and cheese is high up there on the list, especially baked mac and cheese. Is there anything more comforting?

First things first: cook the pasta. I always sneak a few into my mouth after draining it. (Don't you?)

Next up: the béchamel sauce. You'll need butter, flour (mixed with salt and pepper to taste)...

...and milk. Later you'll add cheese. (I like mixing sharp cheddar and mozzarella.)

So, back to the butter. Melt it on low heat, then add the flour/salt/pepper mix.

Whisk. Whisk. Keep whisking. It will look kind of gross, but just trust me on this.

Gradually pour in the milk and continue to whisk. Bring to a steady boil. (It should be getting thicker.)

Reduce the heat, add the cheese, and keep mixing that melty-yummy-goodness.

Did someone say garlic? I love garlic. I am obsessed with garlic. Add some, and keep mixing until your sauce is very thick, about 5-10 minutes, then remove from heat.

Your macaroni is probably growing impatient. Dump it into the sauce. Toss to coat.

I've been playing this trick on myself recently: substitute a portion of the pasta with veggies. It makes the dish healthier, but you still get to indulge. (Hint: just adding veggies doesn't completely count – the point is to not eat as much of the bad stuff.)

I like using individual ramekins instead of one larger casserole dish, because it allows you to add in whatever veggies and spices you like without offending anyone else. Plus, it's cuter. Left: 100% mac and cheese. Right: 50% broccoli, 50% mac and cheese, and a dash of paprika.

The last (and most important) step: breadcrumbs. I prefer panko crumbs. They're lighter and more crispy than regular breadcrumbs.

Pop the ramekins in the oven. Find something to do for twenty painstaking minutes. Then... mac and cheese time!

The first bite. Heavenly.

(Nothing more to say. I'm too busy eating.)

Baked Mac and Cheese (serves 2)
adapted from Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

4 oz dry macaroni (if you don't have a kitchen scale, it's about 1 cup)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (I use half cheddar, half mozzerella)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup broccoli, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta until done (about 8 minutes). Drain. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
3. Add flour, salt, and pepper to melted butter and whisk together for a minute or two.
4. Gradually add milk, continuing to whisk.
5. Bring to a steady boil, then reduce heat.
6. Sprinkle in cheese. Keep stirring until cheese melts and sauce is very thick.
7. Add macaroni and stir to coat.
8. Transfer to ramekins (or a casserole dish). Mix in broccoli, if using.
9. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top.
10. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

the meringue cookies

Lately, I've developed a fascination with separating eggs. Is that weird? It's such a delicate act, and so important to get right if you're going to be whipping up the egg whites into a meringue. Say, for a souffle (which I've been practicing but haven't gotten quite right), or for meringue cookies. Mmmm.

After a lot of searching, I finally found a meringue cookie recipe that only called for a minimal amount of ingredients. Two, to be exact. Egg whites and powdered sugar. Here's the original recipe, but I'm including my slightly modified directions here, too.

Start with two eggs at room temperature. Separate the yolks from the whites. Toss the yolks (or save them for something else). Aren't empty egg shells pretty?

Measure out one cup of powdered sugar. In the right bowl are the 2 egg whites.

Whip the egg whites on a medium speed until foamy. This should only take a few minutes.

Slowly add in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time, while continuing to mix on a medium speed.

Continue whipping until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form. For me, this took about 10 minutes. The mixture should stay put if you hold the mixing bowl upside down.

Preheat your oven to 200° F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill a pastry bag with the meringue (or use a plastic baggie with a corner snipped off, like I did).

The fun part! Pipe the meringue onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

The meringue makes about 2 dozen cookies. (That's about 20 calories per cookie – not so bad.)

My makeshift pastry bag got verrrry sticky and messy. For the last couple, I used a spoon instead.

After baking at 200° F for 90 minutes, the cookies came out a pale peachy color, crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.

I'm not sure why they pulled apart along the bottom and got kinda sugary-bubbly. But I kind of like them that way, imperfectly perfect.

So yummy. But I'm also itching to experiment with flavors. Just imagine: coffee meringue cookies! Raspberry meringue cookies! Hazelnut meringue cookies!

Again, all you need is two ingredients: 2 egg whites and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Whip, pipe, and bake, and you'll have about two dozen delicious bite-sized snacks.

the potato & rosemary pizza

This has been my lunch for the past two days in a row. And, quite honestly, I wouldn't even mind making it three days in a row. I used Jules' recipe from her blog, Stonesoup, which I recently discovered and am kinda infatuated with. Photo time!

A recent investment: a kitchen scale. It makes measuring out the flour and water a cinch.

The other two ingredients are salt and yeast. Super simple.

Mixing the dough, then kneading it for 10 long, necessary, cathartic minutes.

After all that kneading, it's ready to be covered and left alone for a bit.

While the dough rests, I slice some potatoes and trying not to also slice my fingertips.

Toss with olive oil, rosemary, and red pepper flakes.

Rolling pin, meet dough. Dough, meet rolling pin.

Spread the potato mixture on the dough, and sprinkle some mozzarella on top.

Less than 10 minutes later, lunch is ready! This pizza is even better with a little feta sprinkled on top.

(Thanks, Jules, for an amazing recipe and a happy tummy.)

happy banana muffins

What do you do when you have four sad looking bananas in your fruit bowl?

You make them into happy banana muffins. And for an extra treat, add a dab of cream cheese.

(I used hannah's delicious recipe.)

the gnocchi weekend

Well, I couldn't wait. This weekend I made gnocchi and tomato basil sauce. I think gnocchi is one of those things that is simultaneously easy and hard – you only need a few ingredients, yet technique is everything. My gnocchi turned out a bit soggy, but that was easily fixed with a little olive oil and a hot frying pan. I can't bear to type out the detailed directions (not tonight, at least)... but if you're looking for a recipe, the internet is chock-full of them. (I'd love to try this, this, and this one.) Now for photos:

Well-boiled potatoes peel so easily – but ouch! Those babies are hot.

Next step: potato ricer. Mix in flour, egg, cheese, salt and pepper, and form into dough.

Roll out and cut into cute little pillows.

The fun part: rolling on the gnocchi board. (Here's someone showing how it's done.)

Boil. Fish out. Fry in a dash of olive oil to get them nice and crispy.

Prep the sauce: lots of tomatoes and fresh basil.

The sauce, after about twenty minutes.

Ta-da! The final product. Delicious.

last night's dessert...

...was this amazing pecan coffee cake and a cup of hot coffee. I recently started drinking my coffee black, after this book suggested cutting back on cream/sugar little by little until you need none. I actually went cold turkey, but the result was the same: learning to enjoy it for what it is.

The coffee cake I made last night was (of course) the perfect pairing for black coffee. But next time I'm going to make it with a wee bit more of the topping – it's too tasty to only have such a thin layer of.

beet love

I've disliked beets for most of my life, but after having them at one of my favorite restaurants and seeing these Cannelle et Vanille photos, I decided I'd give them another chance. Suddenly, I have a new favorite lunch: mixed greens, pistachios, onions, a splash of french vinaigrette, and roasted beets (slice one fresh beet, brush on about a teaspoon of olive oil, and roast at 450° for 20-30 mins).

the wondrous key lime pie

Last week I made this key lime pie recipe.

I'd always been under the impression that key lime pie was hard to make well. I don't know why. So I went into the kitchen with expectations of a wiggly mess; instead, what came out of the fridge several hours later was wonderfully smooth and rich and yummy. It's surprisingly easy to make. The hardest part was waiting for it to set in the fridge (and not eating the whole thing after it had).

last night's dinner...

...was mini spinach quiche. I started out with Smitten Kitchen's recipe, which I've made twice before in the standard "big" quiche size. The mini version is equally as tasty, but much cuter (and, bonus, there's built-in portion control!).

My notes for miniaturizing the quiche:

- Don't halve the Pate Brisee, as the original recipe instructs. Make the full amount, since you have more surface area to cover.

- I cut the crust's butter down to 1 1/2 sticks and increased the ice water slightly.

- To make the crusts, divide your dough into twelve equal sections and roll each into a ball. The dough will warm as you handle it, becoming easier to work with. Use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten the balls and work them to about 4" in diameter. Press the discs into the muffin pan cups.

- Baking time is about the same as what the big version requires, roughly half an hour.

Happy eating!

tonight's dinner + dessert...

...was gratin dauphinois (from The French Chef DVD), roasted veggies (parsnips, zucchini, red bell pepper, and onion, with olive oil and salt and pepper), and chocolate cake (dusted with confectioner's sugar and eaten with vanilla ice cream).

In an effort to cook more (and photograph more), I might start blogging about some of our homemade meals. What do you guys think? Hopefully I can recommend some good recipes along the way...

I made a baguette...

...and unlike a lot of my baking, it didn't suck. In fact, it tasted quite, quite good.

Amanda blogged about this baguette recipe last week, and I knew I had to try it. Six baguettes later, I'm hooked. There is nothing quite like bread hot out of the oven. And bread that probably only costs fifty cents to make.

(I used my KitchenAid mixer because we don't have a bread machine. If you don't have either, I'm sure it will still work with hand-mixed dough. Not that I know anything about bread.)

King Arthur Banana Bread (or, What did the banana say to the elephant? Nothing. Bananas can’t talk.)

(View this image larger on my Flickr.)

Something about Sundays necessitates baking. I had two things sitting around today that were begging to be used: whole wheat flour that I ground myself yesterday (using a very old and very heavy grinder my parents passed down to me) and a new cookbook, King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking. About an hour later, I had a hot loaf of whole wheat banana bread and a house fragrant throughout.

Easy Banana-Walnut Bread

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (I microwaved mine to soften it)
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)*
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (which I left out, since I'm not much of a nut person.)

*The recipe (as with all banana bread recipes, I assume) calls for ultra-ripe bananas, their "skins should be mottled black, and they should feel very soft to the touch". Mine weren't, so the final products wasn't as rich as it could have been.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

2. Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour and nuts, stirring until smooth.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

4. Bake for 50 minutes.

5. Lay a piece of foil gently across the top, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. (My loaf didn't need this extra 10 to 15 minutes.)

6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan to cool completely.