Chocolate Chip Trips

Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-12-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

Is it bad that I am extremely excited about the fact that I have only ONE more day of classes left for this semester? I am literally counting the days until this semester is over. To any students reading this: you think you're excited about winter break? Hah! I'll bet you anything that your professors/teachers are even more excited.

This semester has been an eye-opening experience: challenging and interesting to say the least. Today, I had a student cry in my office. Now before you start thinking that I'm a ruthless professor, I should point out that this student has stopped submitting assignments after the 3rd week of classes. Every few weeks he would send me an email about how he was sick, or his mom was sick, or how work was very busy, and how I shouldn't worry, because he he will submit everything within the next two days, really he will, he promises this time. Never happened. So of course, when he came to my office today, I told him that since he had not submitted 90% of the assignments and had not shown up to class, he would fail both courses.

I knew he'd be upset, but I was not prepared for the next part.
He began to explain to me that his mother had a stroke and paralyzed the left side of her body, so he spent this semester taking her to the doctor and to physical therapy. Also, his step father was a cruel man who treated them very badly and he was now helping his mother look for a divorce lawyer.

Honestly, I didn't (and still don't) know what to say. I want to believe him, I really do, but I have spoken to other professors in my department about this student and they tell me that it's always the same story with him: 3 weeks or so into a class, he ceases to submit any assignments or show up to class. He is in his third year of college, so is it possible that he's had these problems at home this entire time? Or is he just pulling out the waterworks in my office so he can later go home, drink a forty, and congratulate himself on once again fooling another newbie professor?...I'm not sure. If it's the former, how can I be sure he's telling the truth, and more importantly, should I be doing something to help?

It was hard for me to see him cry and wipe his tears in my office, and I sat there not really knowing what to do or say. I tried my best to show support, but couldn't help but think that I wasn't not prepared for this kind of thing. Sure, I can plan lectures, present material, and create assignments. But grad school did not teach me how to be a therapist, and more and more, I'm starting to wish that it sort of did.

Earlier this semester, I had a student email me about why she couldn't submit an assignment on time: earlier week, for the first time, she had met the man who had sexually abused her as a child. Within the same week, her suicidal ex had contacted her and needed her help. Of course I gave her an extension, but I wasn't sure how to do more than that. I assured her that she could talk to me about her problems, but she never did. And that was that. I really don't know how to bring this topic up with her, or if she even wants me to.

Wow. This is becoming a very serious (and long) post. Let me get to the most crucial matter...this cake. ;) I made it a few weeks ago when my parents and grandmother came to visit and they loved it. Me? I thought it was good but slightly on the dry side. This is probably not a fault of the original recipe, but my modifications (I always try to healthify the desserts I make for my parents). I replaced some of the oil with applesauce and some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. Next time, I will up the oil to applesauce ratio and hope for a moister cake.

Sweet Potato Cake (adapted from Epicurious.com)
Cake

* 4 8-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes(yams)
* 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 3/4 cup all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup applesauce
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 4 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
Recipe here (without the dulce de leche)

For cake:
Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Generously butter 2 9in cake pans.
2. Sift flours, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
3. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar, applesauce, and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. 4. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes.
5. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pans to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Baklava

2010-11-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

Wow oh wow. Words cannot even begin to describe how incredibly touched I was to see all the supportive comments on my previous post. Thank you so much everyone for all your kind words. Reading your comments really helped lift my spirits during a time when I was feeling very lost.

Apparently I worried a few people with my last post, and I want to apologize. I may have been a bit dramatic. I was going through a very rough patch with my teaching and I may have made it seem worse than it really is. In all honesty, I do enjoy teaching - for the most part. It's frustrating when my students slack off and show little interest in their work, especially when I think about all the effort I put into my classes - I work about 9-10 hours per day during the week and at least 6 hours per day during the weekends. Of course, I have some amazing students, who are engaged and appreciative, but it's difficult to ignore the ones who aren't. Here's an example...

A few weeks ago, I gave a midterm exam for my Operating Systems course (yes, I teach Computer Science and yes, I am a nerd). Here is one of the questions on the exam:

In the context of Operating Systems what is atomicity?

And here is the response from one of my "less-engaged" students:

Atomicity probably has something to do with how processes work with eachother (?? I dunno, maybe? I got nothing).

Uhm...OK?

Let me mention that this student comes to class everyday, sits in the front row, and...falls asleep. EVERY DAY. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I don't mean dozing off every few seconds. I mean full on sleep. Frustrating, is all I can say. Why would you even write "I dunno, maybe, I got nothing" on an exam? Why oh why?

Then there are the excuses. The (what seems like) thousands and thousands of excuses. I've been teaching for less than a semester and I feel like I've heard them all already:

-"I wanted to come to class, really I did, but I accidentally set my alarm for 8pm instead of 8am"
-"I meant to submit the homework, but somehow I just totally forgot"
-"I really wanted to hand in this assignment, but I just fell asleep instead"

These are not jokes. These are actual excuses I have gotten from students. Actual excuses. From real-life students. Frustrating.

OK, I'm done ranting for now. There will be more later, I promise.

I know I'm complaining a lot, and really I shouldn't be. There are so many wonderful things going on in my life and I too often let myself lose sight of them. Remember the BF? Well, he isn't a BF anymore, he's now an F - as in fiancé. And he's officially moving here in January. :)

Here are some random pictures...

I'm also extremely blessed to have the most amazing family in the world. Despite my everlasting grumpiness they've made the long trek from their little pockets in the country to visit me here in the middle of nowhere (Ok, it's not really in the middle of nowhere, I'm just being dramatic again). Which finally brings me to this baklava. I cannot take credit for this dish, because I didn't make it or even help make it. My sister did all the work when she visited me a few weeks ago, and I'm so glad she did. This is an amazing dessert made with wonderful ingredients: walnuts, honey, lemon, and delicate sheets of phyllo. Use a pastry brush to apply thin layers of butter or olive oil, and you actually have a (somewhat) guilt-free dessert. Thanks Didi. :)

Baklava (adapted from allrecipes)

Ingredients

* 1 pound chopped walnuts
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
* 1/2 cup butter, melted or olive oil (may not even need this much, see below)
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush with thin layer of butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

2010-10-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched Ruth Reichl's Gourmet Adventures on PBS? What an awesome show. Ruth goes all over creation trying some very unusual and interesting foods in different locations. Back when I actually had a television and the time to watch it, her show was a regular on my Saturday morning must-see lineup - right after Rick, Lydia, and 1 hour of Mr.Kimball.

In one episode, Ruth traveled to Morocco and watched the locals make an assortment of traditional Moroccan dishes. The episode inspired me - the following weekend I made this stew. This was several months ago, when I had the energy and time to cook elaborate meals, when cooking was fun and exciting, and not the stressful chore that it is now.

Do I sound bitter? It's because I am and I'm just going to say it. I'm going to bitch and whine and complain because I can. It's something I've never really done on this blog because in the past, I've always been too worried about pleasing my readers and attracting new ones...I mean who wants to read a bitchy blog, right? So my motto has been to always show a happy face.

But I don't care anymore. If I can't complain on my blog, then I can't complain anywhere. So here goes: I'm sad. I don't like teaching. I hate being away from people that I love. It's Friday night and I'm sitting at home. Very few things excite me nowadays. I feel hopeless and helpless all the time. I feel like a weakling for feeling this way, but I can't help it. I cry at least 3 times a week and usually more than that. I'm not sure what I'm doing here. Have you had enough? Good, because I'm done, for now that is.

Well, except for the recipe part, which is below. Make this stew. It's amazingly good - I made it in April and I can still remember how good it was. I have 2 butternut squashes sitting in my quiet kitchen waiting to be turned into this stew. Pray for me that they're not sitting for too much longer.

A preserved lemon that went into the stew.
Stew ingredients in pot.

Finished stew.

Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew (adapted from Aida Mollenkamp)

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
* 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound butternut squash, large dice
* 3/4 pound red potatoes, large dice
*1 bunch swiss chard, chopped (my addition)
* 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
* 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
* 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
* Pinch saffron threads, optional
* 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
* 1 cup brined green olives
* Steamed couscous, for serving
* Fresh parlsey leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
* Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

Directions

Heat butter and olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add squash, potatoes, and swiss chard, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in preserved lemon and olives. Serve over couscous garnished with parsley and almonds.

Swiss Roll Bombe

2010-09-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Wow. It has been a loooong time. Ready for my sob story? Because here it comes...
Over the last few months I've come to realize how precious is this thing that we call time. Time! What a sneaky thing you are. A few months ago I had so much of you -- almost too much. It was March and I had an offer for a job that didn't start until the end of August. I had 6 whole months to relish California while I slowly finished up my thesis. And now look at me...I barely have enough of you to sit down and write a post.

The last few months have been some of the craziest in my life. I went from being a graduate student on the verge of completely losing all motivation to an assistant professor. Sounds like a big change, but honestly, I don't think much has really changed. Sure, I'm in a different location, with a (dare I say it) real job, and a real (non-stipend) salary. But inside, I am still the same grad student -- stressing over deadlines, working late hours, and trying to hold on to every last bit of motivation I can find. It's been a challenge to say the least.

The hardest part is being away from those I love. I am in the middle of the country (literally) thousands of miles from anyone I love and sometimes I can't help but wonder if it's really worth it. Honestly, I'm still not sure. But this is what I've got myself into, so I might as well savor it while I've got it.

OK, enough rambling. I'm ready to talk food. I'm almost embarrassed to post this, but I'll do it anyway. This was supposed to be my submission for some past Daring Bakers challenge -- so long ago, I don't even remember the month, and right now I'm too lazy to look it up. The challenge was to create a Swiss bombe: basically cake-covered ice cream. That's right: Cake. And. Ice Cream. Together. Dessert doesn't get much better than this.

The swiss roll cake was really fantastic. Of course mine looked less than perfect, but the taste was phenomenal. Light and moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. I made two flavors of ice cream: vanilla bean and french vanilla (sorry, forgot which recipes I used), and added a layer of chocolate ganache. I made a mini bombe and a deconstructed version. Personally, I liked the deconstructed version better. But that's just me sometimes: disorganized and random (sshh...don't tell my students).

I also want to thank all my readers who left me the most endearing comments on my last post. After not blogging for so many months, I missed it terribly, and now I know why. Reading your comments and knowing that someone out there actually (somewhat?) cares about what's going on in my kitchen means so much to me. Seriously, your comments really touched me.
I really hope to be blogging regularly again soon.

Here are the recipes for the cake and ganache.

A Quick Note

2010-07-31T05:19:00.000-07:00

Lovely readers -- I know I've been away for a while. Things have been crazy busy around here. I've been packing, planning, and preparing for my big move across country, and it's been taking an insane amount of time. I miss cooking, posting, and reading and commenting on all my favorite blogs. I'll be moving mid-August, then starting my new job about a week later, so things will be hectic for a while. It's hard for me to say right now when I'll be blogging like the good ol' times again, but hopefully it won't be too long. I'm looking forward to catching up with you all soon.

-ms. meanie

Île Flottante (Floating Islands)

2010-07-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

I'm too cheap to pay for cable, but I always say that if the people at Comcast made me a deal where I just pay for one channel, they would have me sold. Of course, that one channel would be FoodNetwork and the one show I'd be sure to watch is Barefoot Contessa.

A few months ago when I visited my parents (who apparently are not to cheap too pay for cable), I watched Ina Garten make an Île Flottante. The dessert looked so elegant and different than anything I'd ever made, I was instantly intrigued. Fluffy meringues that are ever-so slightly baked floating on top of a rich and boozy sauce? Yes please!

This dessert was definitely interesting. I know that's not the most appetizing word to describe a dessert, but it seems the most accurate to me. The crème anglaise was fantastic: I spiked it with a touch of Pisco (a Peruvian brandy) which complemented the vanilla extract very nicely. The caramel was tasty as well, albeit somewhat tricky to work with. The meringues were a different story. They baked up beautifully, but me being the idiot that I am, decided to refrigerate them until I was ready to assemble this dessert. Yes, I know Ina would want to rip out her hair (or maybe mine) if she knew I committed this cardinal sin against meringues, but I really had no choice. I simply did not have enough time to make the entire dessert, plate it up prettily, and take pictures before the sun went down.

Despite the chewy and cold meringues, I enjoyed this dessert. I'm also pretty confident that had I not chilled the little meringues to death, it would have been the luscious dessert Ina intended it to be. Maybe the next time I have enough time (and sunlight), I will make this dessert again. In the meantime, anyone out there work for Comcast? Make me a deal, and I'll make this dessert for you (sans the chewy meringues, of course).

Île Flottante (adapted from Ina Garten)

For caramel (about 1 cup):
*1 1/2 cups sugar
*1 cup water
*1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For meringues (the recipe says this will make 12 meringues, but I got more than twice this amount):
*8 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
*1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
*1 cup sugar

For crème anglaise (2 cups):
*4 extra-large egg yolks
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 teaspoon cornstarch
*1 3/4 cups scalded milk
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1 1/2 teaspoons Cognac or brandy

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a baking sheet.

2. For the caramel , heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat until the syrup turns a warm caramel color. Don't stir, just swirl it in the pan. Off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla; be careful, the syrup will bubble violently. Stir and cook over high heat until the caramel reaches 230 degrees F (thread stage) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.

3. For the meringues , beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy. Turn the mixer on high speed and sugar. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla. With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

4. For the crème anglaise , beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs. Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened. The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, add the vanilla extract, Cognac or brandy, and chill.

For serving, pour creme anglaise on the bottom of individual plates. Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce, and serve.

To make a day or two ahead, leave the caramel at room temperature and refrigerate the creme anglaise. Reheat the caramel and bake the meringues before guests arrive and assemble the desserts just before serving.

This dessert is also my attempt to make up for missing last month's Daring Bakers challenge. I know it is not the Chocolate Pavlova challenge hosted by Dawn, but it does consist of a few of the same components: baked meringues and creme anglaise. Click here to see the actual Daring Bakers creations for June.

Garlic Hummus

2010-07-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

Homemade Hummus. Did you see this coming? After making tahini sauce, it was only natural to use it in a hummus recipe.

As a vegetarian, I always find it a challenge to come up with different fillings for sandwiches. Hummus, my friends, is the ultimate solution. It is easy to make, delicious to eat, and packed with protein. I made a big batch of this stuff almost 2 weeks ago, and I've been eating it ever since. Just freeze it in portions and let it defrost the day before.

The raw garlic in this recipe gives the hummus a nice kick. Be warned however, that this means you will have garlic breath. I have garlic breath almost every single day, so I'm now used to it, the BF is too. Not having to worry about garlic breath -- one of the best things about a long-term relationship.

The measurements here are estimates. The great thing about this recipe is you can add more of this and less of that depending on your tastes. Add some heat with a bit of cayenne, richness with more oil, or (my favorite) an extra kick with more garlic. Mmm...garlic breath.

Hummus Recipe (adapted from Simply Recipes, makes about 2 cups)
* 3 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed
* 1 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed, OR about 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (keep can or cooking liquid)
* 1/3 cup of tahini
* 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/4 cup liquid from can of beans or cooking liquid from beans (I threw this out by accident so just used water)
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon of salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth. Add more olive oil if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Homemade Tahini

2010-07-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Some things just do not photograph well. Let me rephrase that -- there are some things which I just cannot photograph well. Like homemade tahini. I know this looks like a pile of slop, but try not to focus on that part. Instead, direct your attention to my brand new mortar pestle (oooh, ahhh). You like?

I've used store-bought tahini once in the past for making hummus. Although it was tasty and all, I had to buy a whole can of it when I needed only a few tablespoons. Sadly, much of it went to waste, which pains me because this stuff ain't cheap.

So this time, I decided to make it myself and it was surprisingly simple. Yes, mashing it up in the mortar pestle requires a bit of elbow grease...but that's why we work out, no? To be better cooks, right? Of course!

Step 1. Get out some sesame seeds and toast them until nice and well, toasty.

Step 2. Put them, along with some olive oil, in your lovely new mortar pestle. No picture here, sorry, got a bit anxious.

Step 3. Mash the bejeezus out of them.

Since I used a small amount of sesame seeds (about 1/4 cup) I made this in a mortar pestle. For a larger batch, you could certainly save some time and effort and make this in a food processor.

Homemade Tahini (adapted from Joy of Cooking and here)
* 1/4 cup sesame seeds
* 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Check often and make sure they do not burn!! Cool for 10 minutes.
2. Mash the seeds and oil with a mortar pestle until mixture is somewhat smooth and thick. The mixture will still be slightly lumpy.

Homemade Crème Fraîche

2010-06-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick post with a simple recipe. Crème Fraîche is a thickened cream that has recently gotten much press throughout the food blogosphere. It is similar to sour cream, but less tangy with an amazing but subtle nuttiness. Grocery stores like to overcharge you for this stuff, which is silly to me, since it is very simple (and kind of fun) to make at home. After making this recipe and tasting how delicious the homemade version is, I will never consider buying this from a store.

I have also tried this other recipe that calls for heating the heavy cream, and it did not work for me. Instead of crème fraîche, I ended up with sour heavy cream - definitely not good eats. Below is the simplest recipe I have found for homemade crème fraîche, and it comes out beautifully. No heating, no fear of burnage, just mix, wait, and enjoy.

Homemade Crème Fraîche (from Dorie Greenspan)

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used yo

1. Put the cream and buttermilk or yogurt in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the jar and shake for a minute or so.
2. Put the jar on a counter in a warm location (I placed it on top of my water heater) and leave it for 12 to 24 hours, or until the cream thickens slightly.
3. When the cream thickens, place the jar in the refrigerator and let it chill for 1 day.

Applesauce Spice Cake

2010-06-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Can you tell I've had some free time on my hands? After making all the edits on my thesis, filling out a hundred forms about my graduate school experience, and setting up my meeting to officially submit my thesis (tomorrow at 10am!), I spent a few hours pimping up this blog. You like? Suggestions anyone?

I also thought and thought about what to write for this post. I know I have been trying to advocate local and seasonal recipes here on CCT, and as much as I try to eat locally and seasonally, I have a little confession everyone. Here goes...I eat apples. Every. Single. Day. Of the year. Just about. Fall? Yes, of course. Winter? Sure, cold storage apples are pretty awesome too. But then, I also eat apples in the spring...and summer (gasp!). Not sure why -- just trying to keep the doctor away, I guess.

And hence, the apples in the background of this picture. But here's the thing about this recipe...it doesn't call for apples, it calls for applesauce. So even if you abide by all the local and seasonal rules, you can still enjoy this cake all year long.

I'm not sure what prompted me to make this very autumn-esque cake in the middle of June. I was craving something sweet and spicy and nutty, and this just fit the bill. Maybe it was the countless number of yummy looking cake recipes I've been seeing on Grace's lovely site. Maybe I was just longing for Fall. Maybe I'm trying to use up what seems like hundreds of jars of Trader Joe's applesauce before I prepare for my big move across the country. Whatever the reason, I made this cake, and it made me happy.

Applesauce Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from Joy of Cooking, makes about 12 servings)

*This cake was very spicy and moist, but a bit dense. I think next time I will increase the oil to 1/2 cup and reduce the flour by about 1/4 cup.

For cake:
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sifted whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil (I used canola)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt (I used a mix)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup chopped walnuts

For Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8oz package cream cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted flours, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat together the oil and sugar for about 3 minutes.
4. Set the speed to low, and beat in the egg. Stir in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the applesauce. Do not overmix. Finally, stir in the walnuts.
5. Scrape batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once cool, top with cream cheese frosting.

To make frosting:
In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract.

(Lighter) Spinach Artichoke Dip

2010-06-13T22:50:00.001-07:00

I can't even remember the last time I've had spinach artichoke dip at a restaurant - it must have been at least 10 years ago. So I guess I can't completely attest that this version of the popular dip will be exactly like the kind you find at the restaurants, but I will say that this dip is truly delicious.

The flavors of this dip are so robust. The tart from the sour cream and the salty from the cheeses create a delicious contrast; the spinach and artichoke play so well together, you almost want to give them an award.

Below is my lightened version of this classic dip, which I think is just as good as the full-fat version. I say "lightened" instead of "light" because this dip is still rich, creamy, and cheesy. Use it as an accompaniment for bread, crackers, and carrot sticks, or do what I do: slather it on two pieces of good wholesome bread, add some sliced tomato, and call it lunch.

(Lighter) Spinach Artichoke Dip

* 1 1/2 cups thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts
* 1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
* 1/2 cup sour cream (I use low-fat)
* 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (or combination of the two)
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a 8x8 inch baking dish*, mix together artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan and pecorino cheese, and garlic.
3. Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove dish from oven and set oven to broil. Spread an even layer of mozzarella cheese over the top. Return to oven and broil until top is lightly browned and bubbly.
5. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

*I baked this is a 8x8 inch dish and later transferred some to ramekins shown in the photos.

Whole Wheat Focaccia

2010-06-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

I think I've had this blank document up for about 2 hours now, trying to write this post. In the meantime, I've read the news, listened to a Christmas song, bought new running sneakers, and watched an episode of Sex and City (why, oh why can't the movies be as good as the show??). But write this post I did not. So since I could not come up with anything to write, I decided to write about how I could not come up with anything to write.

Truth is, I think I'm all writed-out. Yesterday, after ~~weeks~~ months of writing, editing, writing, editing, and even more writing and editing, I FINALLY submitted my thesis. Hallelujah is all I can say. For now that is. Until my committee members read it, find a million things wrong with it, and ask me to re-write it, edit it, rewrite it and edit...(please pray for me that this doesn't happen).

I now have a new respect for book writers and editors. How do they do it? More times than I'd like to admit, I'd get ready to proofread, red pen in hand, only to find myself...asleep. Face down. On my thesis. With a red ink stain on my cheek.

Don't get me wrong, I am in no way putting down my writing or my research, it's all very interesting (to me at least), but I find few things more boring than reading and re-reading something that I have written, read and re-read about a gazillion times. I'm just saying.

I have been wanting to post about this recipe for a while now - ever since Nancy was here (yes, that long!). It's probably the simplest yeast bread you can make and super tasty. The best thing about it, is the countless ways to flavor it with various combinations of herbs, cheese, and other fixin's: thyme and roasted garlic, caramelized onions and gruyere, or whatever else you fancy. This bread is a palette for your culinary imagination. Start painting!

Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread (adapted from allrecipes)

1 tablespoon honey
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit more as needed
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt

1. In a large bowl, dissolve honey in the warm water, then sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to foam. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onions, and flour and form into a dough. Knead on a well floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
2. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F (215 degrees C).
4. Place dough onto oiled baking sheet, and flatten to cover the whole sheet evenly. Use the tips of your fingers to make indentations all over the dough spaced about 1 inch apart (I forgot to do this). Drizzle the focaccia with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over the top. Let rise for 10 minutes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes until golden brown.

Daring Bakers Piece Montée (Croquembouche)

2010-05-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

I wanted to make this dessert for one of my best friends (hi Nancy!) who was visiting a few weekends ago and my goal was to minimize the amount of work I had while she was here. Since there were several steps to this recipe, I started early -- made the pastry cream 3 days in advance, baked the pâte à choux the day before, and filled and froze them overnight. The next day, I assembled the Croqembouche while the choux were still frozen. I think freezing them actually made the assembly easier. The choux were much easier to handle, and the glaze hardened quickly which helped them stick together. Nancy is a fan of fruity desserts and chocolate, so I filled the choux with a banana pastry cream and assembled the Croquembouche with a chocolate glaze.

I had never made a pâte à choux before but had been longing to try it for some time. Cat's recipe for the choux was absolutely perfect. These little babies puffed up so beautifully I almost couldn't believe I actually made them. I ate one right out of the oven - no filling, no frosting, completely unadorned, and it was simply amazing. Like the most delicious fluffy little pillow you could ever eat.

For the pastry cream, I started with Kat's recipe for vanilla pastry cream, reduced the sugar a bit, and added a mashed banana. The cream was good but not spectacular. It was a bit too sweet and not very flavorful. I scraped in some vanilla beans, which helped enhance the flavor a bit, but I still wasn't in love. I would have preferred a creamier, maybe even gooier, filling for the choux.

Assembling the Croquembouche was probably the step I was most intimidated by, but it actually turned out to be much simpler than I had imagined. As I mentioned, I think working with frozen choux made it much simpler, and my Croquembouche came together pretty easily.

All in all, I really enjoyed making, and even more so eating, this dessert. Cat's pâte à choux recipe has opened up a world of possibilities -- I've been dreaming about eclairs, cream puffs, and profiteroles. This will be my go-to recipe the next time I want to make a pâte à choux, and there definitely will be a next time.

Piece Montée (Croquembouche)

For the Banana Crème Patissiere:
*1 cup (225 ml) whole milk
*2 tablespoons cornstarch
*6 tablespoons (100 g) sugar
*1 large egg
*2 large egg yolks
*1 small banana, mashed
*2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.

Beat the whole egg, then the yolks into the cornstarch mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not begin to cook.

Return the remaining milk to boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, continuing whisking.

Continue whisking (this is important – you do not want the eggs to solidify/cook) until the cream thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed banana, then beat in the butter and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir in to combine. Finally, for a smooth consistency, strain the creme through a sieve.

For the Pate a Choux (Yield: About 28)
*¾ cup (175 ml.) water
*6 Tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter
*¼ Tsp. salt
*1 Tbsp. sugar
*1 cup (125 g.) all-purpose flour
*4 large eggs

For Egg Wash:
*1 egg and pinch of salt ( Instead of egg wash, I brushed the choux with a bit of milk)

Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

To prepare batter: 1. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly. Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.

To Pipe:
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide. Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.

Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with pinch of salt) or milk.

To Bake:
Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.

Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.

To Fill:
When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.

For Chocolate Glaze:

*8 ounces/200 g. finely chopped semi or bitter sweet chocolate (use the finest quality you can afford as the taste will be quite pronounced)

Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning. Use immediately.

Assembling the Piece Montée:
You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.

Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze (careful it may be still hot!), and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.

Panzanella Salad

2010-05-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

My lovely readers, I know I have been away for a while. I have been traveling on a road trip for the last week with no internet access and therefore have been unable to update this site and read up on all my favorite blogs. I finally have internet access (woot!) now and I promise I will catch up on all the posts I have missed.

I also have some news...I got a job! Yes, in a few months, I will be finishing up graduate school and moving to the Midwest to teach at a small liberal arts college. I am excited and terrified at the same time. Happy and sad. Relieved and nervous. I'm definitely feeling a mix of emotions right now and this is only the start. It is crazy for me to think about how remarkably different my life will be in a few months, how so many changes are about to take place. And as excited as I am about this opportunity, I sometimes wish things wouldn't change.

I've spent the last 5 years of my life in California, and although I'm ready for a change, I know there are many things I will miss about this place. I've mentioned before how great the local farmer's market is here, and I feel almost at a loss when I think about not being able to have fresh and local produce all year long. The best thing about this farmer's market is the variety of produce stands avaialble. Sure there are the ridiculously pricey vendors who try to sell you a tiny basket of organic strawberries for $7, but there are also several vendors that sell pesticide-free produce at prices that are reasonable even for a cheap and poor graduate student like me.

Shopping at the farmer's market gives me opportunities to make things like this panzanella salad which was inspired by one of my favorite food sites. The original recipe called for asparagus and leeks, but I substituted spring garlic for the leeks and added fava beans. That is the beauty of this salad. It can be easily tweaked to accommodate whatever vegetable you're craving or, in my case, happens to be on sale!

Spring Panzanella Salad (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
For the croutons:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 cups day-old bread, crust removed, cubed (I used whole wheat)
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette:
Half a red onion, finely diced
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the salad:
2 cups shelled fava beans (from about 2 lbs of unshelled beans), steamed or blanched
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 bulbs spring garlic (optional)
1 19-ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To make bread cubes:
Mix the bread cubes with the garlic, olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat well. Transfer bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

To make vinaigrette:
Whisk together red onion, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and mustard in a small bowl.
Set aside.

To prepare salad:
Combine the beans, asparagus, spring garlic (if using), and white beans in a large bowl. Mix in bread cubes, pour in vinaigrette, and toss well.

Classic Yellow Cupcakes

2010-05-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness me. Can someone teach me how to frost a cupcake? Apparently, I suck at this. These cupcakes were so cute out of the oven, and then I pulled out my piping bag, tips and all. Next thing you know, there I was, "piping" globs of frosting on them, desperately trying to maintain some coherent design, but really just creating what I can only describe as poo-like piles. Sorry for the description, but I need some pointers! Fellow bakers, how do you frost your cupcakes so beautifully, and why do mine always look so...strange? I read all the tips in Joy of Baking, even watched some videos, but something always goes astray. Either I pull away too quickly and end up with skinny tubes, or pipe for too long and end up with big puddles. Maybe I just need a different piping tip. Yup, that must be it. Blame it on the tools, not the handy ~~man~~ woman.

Luckily, I was able to somewhat salvage these cupcakes by using the frosting as more of a glue and sticking on some little chocolate chips (another reason why I love chocolate chips!). And in all seriousness, these cupcakes were rich, moist, and just sweet enough with a subtle hint of vanilla. Utterly delicious - botched-up frosting and all.

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, makes about 18 cupcakes)

*2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 cup sugar
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*pinch of salt
*6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
*1 cup whole milk
*2 eggs
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
* 2 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
* 8 Tb cocoa powder
* 6 Tb butter, at room temperature
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 2 Tb milk

1. In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
2. In another large bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add in one quarter of the sugar mixture, 2 Tb at a time. Add in all of the vanilla, then another quarter of the sugar mixture, two tablespoons at a time. The mixture should be firm. At this point, gradually add the milk, about a 1/2 tablespoon at at a time, alternating with 2 tablespoons at a time of the rest of the sugar mixture.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a hand-held electric whisk) and beat on slow until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
3. Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour the mixture into a muffin pan lined with paper cases until two thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched (smaller cupcakes will need 3-5 minutes less baking time).
5. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
6. When the cupcakes are cold, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting. To

Vegetarian Cassoulet

2010-05-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

One of the most rewarding perks of living in California is the amazing produce we can get pretty much all year round. Many Californians are fortunate enough to have year-long farmers markets that are fully stocked with fresh and local fruits and vegetables. So it's not surprising that one of my main goals for this blog was to post recipes for foods prepared with these seasonal ingredients. Sounds simple right? Maybe for some, but for me? Not so much. Things come up. Interviews, presentations, deadlines. A certain advisor sends a certain angry email regarding a certain thesis that should have been finished some three weeks ago. See, things come up, and although I made this cassoulet a while back, when it was more probable to find fresh local leeks, here I am weeks later finally posting about it, and guess what?...my thesis is still not done (ssh...don't tell the advisor!)

I have been fascinated by cassoulets ever since I saw a Julia Child recipe in her Menu Cookbook. Julia's recipe is definitely not for the faint of heart. It requires 3 types of meat- pork, sausage, and goose (I'm not even sure I know where to buy goose from). The recipe also states that it requires more than 4 hours of cooking time (plus more for preparation). That's the required time for normal people, so for someone like me, this recipe would take oh, roughly...4 days. Yup, that sounds about right.

One of these days (I'm thinking maybe sometime around retirement?) I'll try Julia's recipe, but until then I will definitely be making this simpler vegetarian version often. It takes about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish - including preparation (and yes, even for me!) and is so delicious and hearty that even my carnivorous BF didn't miss the meat. Although I'm sure a few chunks of chicken or sausage wouldn't hurt a thing, and would certainly bring you one tiny step closer to Julia's version.

Vegetarian Cassoulet (adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Gourmet)
For cassoulet:
2 medium leeks (spring leeks work well, white and pale green parts only)
1/2 large onion, diced
4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
3 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4 thyme sprigs (I used home-dried thyme sprigs)
4 parsley sprigs
2 Turkish or 1 California bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 (19-ounce) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained or 4 1/2 cups cooked dried beans
1 19-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 quart vegetable broth

For garlic crumbs
4 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley

To make cassoulet:
Halve leeks lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, then wash well and pat dry.

1. Cook leeks, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herb sprigs, bay leaves, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, then stock, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.

To make garlic crumbs while cassoulet simmers:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toss bread crumbs with oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated. Spread in a baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once halfway through, until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crumbs in pan, then return to bowl and stir in parsley.

To finish cassoulet:
Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Mash some of beans in pot with a potato masher or back of a spoon to thicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with garlic crumbs.

Swedish Visiting Cake

2010-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'd seen this cake made by the Tuesdays With Dorie group a few weeks ago, and I just could not resist. Maybe it was the simplicity of the recipe, or the rustic but oh-so-pretty pictures in Dorie's book, but something about this cake just called out to me.

This cake is seriously one of the most delicious cakes I have ever made and it probably took me about 15 minutes tops to prepare. Am I tooting my own horn? Sure, maybe a little, but not really, since the deliciousness of this cake is not a reflection of the baker, it is a reflection of the recipe. It is so simple to make and just wonderful to eat. Butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, and almonds...how can you go wrong? Plus, the batter is easily prepared in one bowl and doesn't require a mixer.

Best of all, this cake is just a blank canvas for so many variations I have in mind - maybe adding a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, or topping it with a fruit compote, or folding in a handful of... chocolate chips (bet you didn't see that one coming). So rebellious yet so delicious too. The possibilities are seriously endless.

Swedish Visiting Cake (from Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours)

*8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
*1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
*Grated zest of 1 lemon
*2 eggs
*1/4 tsp salt
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*1/2 tsp almond extract
*1 cup flour
*1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)
*powdered sugar (optional, for serving)

1. Center a rack in oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy oven-proof skillet, a 9-inch round cake pan or even a pie pan.

2. Pour sugar into a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and blend zest into sugar with your fingers until sugar is moist and aromatic. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Whisk in salt and vanilla and almond extracts.

3. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in flour. Finally, fold in melted butter. Scrape batter into prepared skillet or pan and smooth top with rubber spatula.

4. Scatter sliced almonds over top and sprinkle with sugar. If using a cake or pie pan, place pan on baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and a little crisp on outside; the inside will remain moist. Let cook slightly, and sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar before serving.

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

2010-05-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

Boyfriends are fun to mess with. Especially mine. I have a simple trick that I like to play on him: I take some of our favorite dessert recipes, make some healthy substitutions (without him knowing of course), and innocently watch him to see if he notices any differences. Yes, he is the official guinea pig of MsMeanie's Test Kitchen.

I'll admit it though, some recipes don't fool him, and he can detect a hint of healthy, but these oatmeal cookies? They get him - every, single, time.

The first time I made these cookies, I followed the recipe exactly and they were amazing - rich and chewy and just sweet enough. A few weeks later I made them again, this time with a few healthy tweaks, and guess what? They were STILL amazing. Deliciously rich from the chocolate and pecans, with a balance of crispy on the outside and chewy in the center. My tastebuds loved me, my arteries thanked me, and my test kitchen guinea pig devoured them without suspecting a thing. Now, that to me is cookie perfection.

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Smitten Kitchen and David Lebovitz, makes about 36 cookies)

*4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
*4 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
*3/4 cup white sugar
*1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*2 large eggs
*1/2 cup all purpose flour
*3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
*2 cups chopped pecans
*12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and applesauce in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about three minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time.
3. Sift together the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir in half of the flour mixture to the butter. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips.
3. Place a small piece of plastic wrap over the dough and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours (at least 1 hour). This step gives the cookies a great texture and really enhances the flavor. The longer the cookies are chilled, the chewier and more flavorful they will be.
4. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack.

Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach and Cheese)

2010-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Palak Paneer. Funny sounding but yummy tasting. Palak paneer (or spinach and cheese) is a quintessential vegetarian dish of North India. It is the vegetarian dish that even meat-lovers crave. My mother makes some of the best palak paneer I have ever had. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to get the recipe from her since, well, she doesn't have one. Her technique is to add some of 'this' and 'that' until the taste and texture is perfect. Measurements are a mystery. See, my mother doesn't use measuring spoons for adding spices. I don't even think she uses spoons. She uses her hands and her fingers and her tastebuds. As I stand in my kitchen, measuring out ingredients, desperately trying to replicate her "recipes", I imagine what she'd think if she saw me there. She'd be proud for sure, but she'd probably be laughing too.

My (many) previous attempts to replicate her palak paneer have left me with a dish that was either too bitter, too sour, or lacking of a robust spinach flavor. Until now. This palak paneer has a great creamy spinach flavor, without the bitterness that many spinach dishes tend to have. The addition of spices also gives it a nice kick, so you know you're not just eating creamed spinach. The paneer is firm enough that it won't lose its form but soft enough that it almost melts in your mouth. I think Mama would approve.

Palak Paneer
*10 cups of chopped fresh spinach or 10 oz of frozen spinach
*2 tablespoons tomato paste
*2 teaspoons grated ginger
*3 cloves garlic
*1 tablespoon oil
*1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
*1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
*1 teaspoon coriander powder
*1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
*1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
*1 teaspoon sugar
*1/3 cup heavy cream or (not skim) milk
*2 tablespoons flour
*salt and pepper, to taste
*1 1/2 cups of paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1. Place the spinach, tomato paste, ginger, and garlic in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil until hot, then add the cumin and caraway seeds. Fry the seeds for about 30 seconds. Add the coriander, turmeric, and chili powder, and cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the spinach, sugar and milk. Stir to combine. Stir in the flour and season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and (with a rubber spatula) gently fold in the the paneer.

Homemade Paneer

2010-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post about making paneer pretty much since I started this blog, more than a year ago. Paneer is traditional Indian cheese, similar in taste and texture to ricotta. While ricotta is traditionally made from whey, paneer is made from the curds produced from adding an acid to boiling milk. It is a very mild cheese that is popular in many savory and sweet Indian dishes. It is also not very difficult to make at home.

Here are the two most helpful tips I can give about making paneer. (1) Milk is not as innocent as it seems: it can go from hot, to boiling to burnt in a matter of seconds. (2) To achieve a nice, firm, paneer like the kind you can buy in Indian grocery stores, you must drain out ALL of the water from the cheese. The easiest way is to press the paneer under heavy weight.

To prepare, place a colander lined with cheesecloth in the sink.
Then begin heating a gallon of milk in a large heavy-bottomed pan. The milk must be heated slowly and stirred constantly until it comes to the boil. Be very careful to heat the milk slowly, and stir constantly to prevent it from burning.
Once the milk reaches a boil, stir in a half cup of lemon juice or vinegar. The milk will immediately begin to separate into a liquid (whey) and curds. Continue stirring for another minute or two.

Now carefully pour the contents of the pot into the lined colander. Be very carefully since the liquid will be extremely hot. Every time I do this step, it breaks my heart a little to have to throw out the whey. But even after lots of google searching, I still have not found a use for it.
Rinse the paneer with a bit of cold water just so it is warm enough to handle. Then try to squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can using your hands.

The paneer needs to be drained of its liquid, and depending on how firm you'd like it, this could take anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. Most savory Indian dishes require a firm block of paneer, but many desserts call for a softer paneer that can be achieved with 2-3 hours of draining.
My go-to method for draining is to place the paneer (still in the cheesecloth) on a cutting board that is slighty hanging over the sink. Then on top, I place as much weight as possible as I can -- some iron skillets, cans of tomato sauces, textbooks that I don't feel like reading, etc.

This is what the paneer should look like after being drained overnight. The texture will be just like the kind you find in the Indian grocery stores, but the taste will be at least 10 times better.

Here is what it looks like cut up. Anyone want to take a guess as to what I made with this?

Homemade Paneer

* 8 cups (half gallon) milk
* 1/2 cup lemon Juice or vinegar

1. Place a colander in the sink and line with a large piece of cheesecloth.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat, cook the milk, stirring occasionally, making sure not it does not burn.
3. As the milk comes to a boil, gradually stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. The curd will begin separating from the whey. Cook for an additional minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
4. Pour the liquid into the prepared colander. Wrap the curds in the cloth and gently rinse under cold water for a few seconds. Then, using your hands, squeeze the cloth to remove the excess water. This also helps to remove some of the sourness from the lemon juice/vinegar.
5. To drain the liquid, place the curds wrapped in the cheesecloth on a cutting board. Place a heavy pan (cast iron works well) on top. Then place a few cans in the pan. Drain for at least 2 hours and at most overnight. The longer the cheese is drained, the firmer the final product.

Artichoke and Mushroom Pasta

2010-04-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

This post was supposed to contain a lovely display of photos from my local farmer's market. Photos of the dozens of colorful produce stands, appetizing baked goods, fresh cheeses, and local wines. Photos of the energetic bands performing, the happy food vendors, the strangely-dressed man making balloon animals, and the tons of smiling families enjoying their Saturday morning. See, last weekend I had this great idea of bringing my camera to the farmers market to take a bunch of photos and post them on this site. Instead, my morning went like this: Spend 30 minutes safely packing camera for bike ride to market, arrive at market, unpack camera, point, focus, click. Nothing. Camera. Battery. Dead. Oof.

So although I can't share photos of the Farmer's Market, I can share photos of a pasta - made with ingredients from the farmer's market. That's almost the same, right?

As much as I love all things artichoke, I've always had a lingering fear of using fresh artichokes. Maybe it's their thorns or their shell-like exterior, or their hefty price tag, but something always scared me away.

But I've now discovered that there's no reason to be afraid - fresh artichokes are super simple to prepare. And although I'm in no way surrendering my lovely canned and frozen artichokes, I do love how fresh artichokes taste so, well...fresh.

Sorry, I think all this thesis writing has erased my culinary vocabulary. All I can think of are words like 'methods', 'results', 'significant'. And "I love how fresh artichokes taste so significant" just doesn't sound right to me.

For this pasta, I used about a pound of baby artichokes, which are much better suited for pasta-type dishes since the entire leaf can be eaten. Preparation is simple: rinse the artichokes, cut off the stems, and remove the outer (tougher) leaves. Ideally, you should keep the cut artichokes in a bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. As you can see, I forgot this step, hence the already browning artichokes.

There are many ways to cook the artichokes. They can be boiled, grilled, sauteed, baked, or steamed. I steamed mine before adding them to this pasta.

Artichoke and Mushroom Pasta
*1/2 lb linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, or other pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
*2 Tbsp olive oil
*1 shallot, minced
*1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, chopped
*3 Tbsp prepared basil pesto (I used this recipe)
*1 cup frozen peas
*1 lb baby artichokes, quartered
*salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta as directed on package. Keep it slightly al dente since it will cook a bit more with the other ingredients.
2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until slightly translucent (1-2 minutes).
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until slightly softened.
4. Add the pasta, pesto, peas, and artichokes, and gently (tongs are great for this) toss everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The Baked Brownie

2010-04-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I want to thank you all for your well wishes and kind words in my last post. I was amazed at the amount of support I received in the comments and I have come to realize that I have the BEST blog readers ever! :)

Now, let's talk brownies. I know what you're thinking - "another brownie recipe? Doesn't this girl get tired of chocolate, like ever?". The answer is "No. I don't." I am on a mission to find the best brownie recipe, even if that means baking a new batch every month and posting about them. A few weeks ago, I made the highly coveted King Arthur Flour brownies, and although I really enjoyed the texture of these - dense and fudgy, I felt they were a bit lacking in chocolate flavor. But since so many of my favorite fellow food bloggers love this recipe, I blame myself, and not the King, for their shortcomings. I will definitely try these brownies again, with a few changes, but in the meantime, I wanted to share another brownie recipe.

This one is the famous Baked brownie, created by the people at Baked bakery in Brooklyn, New York. These brownies were AMAZING. I brought one of these to work for an after lunch treat; one bite and I almost fell out of my chair - they were that good. They are rich, dense, and fudgy, and the brown sugar and espresso powder give them an unbeliveably delicious chocolate flavor. If you are looking for the perfect brownie, I highly recommend you try this one. You will not be disappointed!
Baked Brownie (from Baked – New Frontiers in Baking)
*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
*11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
*1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
*1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
*1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
*1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
*5 large eggs, at room temperature
*2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 glass or light-colored metal baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
3. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve. Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Crustless Asparagus Quiche

2010-04-07T19:14:00.001-07:00

Phew...finally, I'm back! I know I haven't posted in a while, and it's because things have been pretty busy here. After 5 long years, I am (finally) getting my PhD, so the last few months have been: applying for jobs, interviewing, and now waiting for offers. In the middle of all this, I am writing my thesis and still working on papers and presentations. I know, I know...none of this is as important as blogging about food, but unfortunately I can't convince my thesis committee of that.

Maybe they would be convinced, however, if they tried this quiche. Full of asparagus and mushrooms, and a combination of three cheeses, it is amazingly tasty and very satisfying. It almost makes you forget about nerve-wrecking interviews, impending deadlines, and (what feels like) the thousands of hours of writing and editing that await you. Almost.

This recipe is for a crustless quiche, and it so simple to make, it can easily be a weekday dinner. Perfect for days full of nerve-wrecking interviews, impending deadlines, and lots of writing. Yup, I think it’s pretty clear I will be making this dish often in the months to come.
Crustless Asparagus & Mushroom Quiche (adapted from Smitten Kitchen and allrecipes)
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*1/2 shallot, diced
*1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
*1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
*4 large eggs
*1/4 cup milk
*1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
*1/3 cup gruyere, grated
*1/3 cup Pecorino, grated
*1 tablespoon flour

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet, add shallots, and cook until just translucent.
2. Add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Pour into pie pan.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, and flour. Pour over asparagus mixture.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Sooji Halwa

2010-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

"Everything in moderation, including moderation." --Julia Child

This is my favorite quote from one of my favorite chefs, and pretty much sums up my attitude towards food. Yes, I know that moderation is the key to staying healthy and still being able to enjoy rich foods and sweet desserts, and I'm all for it. But sometimes a girl (and by girl I mean me), just needs to sit down and pig out on dessert, and not feel like she's committed a sin. I know they say to eat until you are just satisfied, but sometimes I'm not satisfied until I know I'm over-satisfied. Sometimes I'm not full until I'm over-full. Sometimes moderation just does not cut it.

Sooji halwa is a very popular Indian dessert, often translated as 'semolina pudding'. It is the kind of dessert that you can eat a whole lot of without feeling the need to throw up or run a marathon afterward. It is light but extremely satisfying, sweet but not overly so, creamy but not too rich - all in all, the perfect dessert for assuaging all those sweet cravings that beg for more than just a few little bites.

Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding)
*1/4 cup butter
*1 cup semolina (cream of wheat)
*2 bay leaves
*1 cup sugar
*pinch of salt
*1/2 cup water
*1 cup milk
*1/8 teaspoon ground cardamon
*1/2 cup raisins
*1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashews (or a combination)

1. In a large skillet (cast iron works well), melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the semolina and bay leaves, and cook for about 7-8 minutes until the semolina is reddish-brown in color but not burnt! Stir constantly, being careful not to burn it.
3. Add the sugar, and stir for about 15-20 seconds. Add the salt, water, milk, cardamom, raisins, and nuts, and stir for about 2 minutes. The mixture should still be somewhat wet.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw

2010-03-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover the greatness of cabbage. It is so versatile, extremely healthy, and amazingly cheap. Last week I found cabbage for 33¢ a pound. 33¢!! I was very excited. I made a Indian-style cabbage and potato curry, and this tri-color coleslaw.

The original recipe is from Cooks Illustrated, and although the texture was great, I felt it was lacking a bit in flavor. So I increased many of the ingredients -- a few more spoons of mustard, vinegar, and sugar, and used a mix of green and purple cabbage, and ended up with a deliciously creamy, flavorful, and colorful coleslaw.

I think this recipe begs to be tweaked according to taste. My suggestion is to start with the original and add more of this and that depending on how flavorful you like your slaw. Since I made so many changes to the original recipe, below I give both the original and note my changes.Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw (adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

*2 pounds cabbage (about 1 large head), red or green (I used a combination of the two), shredded fine
*salt, to taste
*2 medium carrots, shredded
*1 cup buttermilk
*1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used low-fat)
*1/4 cup sour cream (I used ½ cup yogurt)
*2 small shallot, minced (I used red onion)
*4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
*1 teaspoon cider vinegar (I used 4 teaspoons)
*1 teaspoon granulated sugar (I used 4 teaspoons)
*1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I used 4 teaspoons)
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water. Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Place wilted cabbage and carrot in large bowl. (The folks at CI recommend doing this to prevent a watery coleslaw. Unfortunately, I was in a rush so I skipped this step, but will probably do it next time as my coleslaw was a bit watery the next day).

2. Stir buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt (to taste), and pepper together in small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and carrots, and toss to combine; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

2010-03-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

I hate flying. Hate it. Love traveling, but hate flying. This is a difficult feeling to manage when you live 3000+ miles away from all of your family and most of your closest friends. Almost every year, I swear to myself that I will not fly home for the holidays this year, just to find myself frantically searching for flights come December. The worst part about flying to New York from California is having a lay-over in some city which will inevitably have some sort of weather problem. Yes, I know there are direct flights from California to New York, but I am too cheap for those (please see profile: graduate student=no money).

My worst trip home was a few years ago when two days before Christmas, during my layover in Indiana, my flight was canceled, and I had to spend the night in an airport hotel. The compensation from the airlines was a $15 food voucher to buy dinner from any airport restaurant. As appetizing as fast food and greasy pizza sounded, I opted for another airport classic: a giant cinnamon roll from no other than Cinnabon.

What is it about a cinnamon roll that is so comforting and satisfying? The soft and warm bread slathered in cinnamon and butter, and topped with gooey, tangy, and sweet frosting. Yum. Luckily, you don't have to be stuck in an airport to enjoy this warm, gooey goodness - delicious cinnamon rolls are pretty simple to make at home. I have made cinnamon rolls using all purpose flour in the past, but this time wanted to try whole wheat. I used white (rather than regular) whole wheat, and the results were amazing -- taste-wise, these rolls are just as delicious as their all-purpose cousins. Visually, they were a bit browner, and therefore require a bit more care to make sure they don't overcook.

Once the dough is mixed up, it must rise for at least 2 hours. Then it is rolled
into a large rectangle and sprinkled with butter and a generous helping of
cinnamon sugar.

The dough is then rolled up and cut into individual rolls. Using thread
(or unwaxed dental floss) to cut the dough helps prevent it from sticking
to itself.

I baked the ends in a ramekin - a trick I learned from here (woops, somehow I ended up with 3 ends instead of 2).
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls (Adapted from Molly Wizenberg’s recipe in Bon Appetit, March 2008 via SmittenKitchen).

Dough:
*1 cup whole milk
*3 tablespoons unsalted butter
*3 1/2 cups (or more) white whole wheat flour, divided
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 large egg
*2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise or instant yeast (from 1 envelope yeast)
*1 teaspoon salt
*Nonstick vegetable oil spray or butter, for greasing bowl

Filling:
*3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
*2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
*1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
*Pinch of salt

Glaze:
*8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
*1 cup powdered sugar
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough: Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, about 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add additional 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. (You may also use a KitchenAid’s dough hook for this process.) Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray or thin layer of butter. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling:

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar, then walnuts, evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, trim ends straight if they are uneven (bake separately in ramekin), and cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Almond Brittle

2010-03-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

The local co-op in my town has one of the largest bulk sections I have ever seen in a grocery store: two large walls FULL of containers of various flours, nuts, grains, spices, and so much more. Walking through this aisle, I feel like a kid in a candy shop or a Carrie Bradshaw in a Mahnolo Blahnik store. Have you ever walked out of a shoe sale and painfully wondered how you just managed to spend hundreds on a pair of strappy stilletos or knee-high boots? Well, I haven't, but too many times I have walked out of this co-op wondering how I spent $50 on a bunch of groceries, most of which cannot be eaten without first being baked or cooked.

Although my main weaknesses are the bulk flours and grains, I also cannot resist the bulk almond brittle. 8 bucks a pound will get you the yummiest locally grown almonds, roasted, and smothered in a sugary-buttery caramel coating. Oh. My.

This here is my attempt to recreate this almond treat; because although kids can't make candy (not any that I know of, anyway) and Carrie Bradshaw can't make shoes, I CAN make almond brittle, and I did.

Although this brittle is a bit different than the one at my co-op (their's is more like caramel-covered almonds than brittle), I think it is just as good (maybe even better). It is sweet without being overly so, crunchy and not at all chewy, and extremely satisfying. Now, if only I could make my own flour, I'd be set!
Almond Brittle
*1 cup white sugar
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup butter
*3 tablespoons water
*3 cups whole almonds (or use 3 cups peanuts)

1. In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sugars, butter, and water. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent scorching. Using a candy thermometer and medium heat, bring the mixture to 300 degrees. Do not stir. The temperature will rise as the water is boiled off, and this can happen quickly, so be prepared to lower the heat or remove the candy from the heat as needed.
2. As soon as the mixture reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the stove and add the nuts. Mix until all nuts are coated. Pour the nut mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and separate the nuts. Let cool for at least 15 minutes, then break into pieces.

King Arthur Brownies

2010-03-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

My BF tells me that I quantify things too much. Maybe he's right. Maybe it has something to do with my mathematics background, but there is definitely something that just feels right about quantifying things, especially when it comes to food.

After preparing a bunch of different dishes for dinner, my first instinct is to mentally rank them, and then of course, to ask him to rank them. Whenever we go out to eat or even attend dinner parties, I mentally rate everything I taste, and then of course, ask him to do the same. I also keep several mental lists: favorite restaurants, favorite types of cuisines, favorite savory foods, and my favorite favorites list: desserts. Unfortunately, this is a difficult list to maintain because it changes frequently and often based on my moods (certain times of the month,etc.). Often times, I find two contenders on this list battling it out for first place: chocolate cupcakes and the ever-popular chocolate brownies. They both hold a special place in my heart, but today brownies is number 1 on my list.

I am definitely a chewy fudgy brownie person. To me, the fate of a cakey brownie is to be melted down, combined with more butter and chocolate and turned into a chewy fudgy brownie. I have tried a few brownie recipes including Dorie Greenspans classic brownies (me likey!) and another recipe I have taped to my cabinet (no joke) but forgot where I got it from. This time I decided to try the highly coveted King Arthur Flour brownies.
The verdict? These brownies get an A (here's me quantifying again) for texture: they were very chewy and fudgy and not at all gummy. Unfortunately, they get a B+ for flavor. To me, these brownies did not yield a profound chocolate flavor, I actually found the chocolate level to be rather mild and disappointingly flat. I thought that they would improve over time, but 2 days later they were still a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong -- they are not bad brownies, just not the sublime ones I was hoping for. Ok, so maybe it was my fault: I didn't add the optional espresso powder, and I'm not sure if the cocoa I used was Dutch processed. I will definitely try these brownies again with those changes, but next on my list is the Baked Brownie. If you've tried it, I'd love to hear how they turned out for you.
King Arthur's Fudge Brownies (adapted from here)
*1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
*2 1/4 cups sugar
*4 large eggs
*1 1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
*1 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*2 cups chocolate chips

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
2. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
3. While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth.
4. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.
5. Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.
6. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan.
7. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Daring Baker's Tiramisu

2010-02-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

I LOVE tiramisu, and had previously never made it, so when I saw the February challenge, I was definitely excited. For this challenge, we were to make tiramisu from scratch -- meaning all of the components had to be made from scratch, including the lady fingers and the mascarpone cheese.

There were many components to this recipe. From experience, I've learned that for the sake of my mental health, I should never expect to complete a Daring Bakers challenges in one day. This dessert consisted of lady fingers, mascarpone cheese, zabaglione (Italian custard), pastry cream, and whipped cream. So, for this challenge, I split up the work over a span of a few days, and it worked out very nicely. I made the lady fingers and mascarpone one day, the zabaglione, pastry creams, and whipped creams 3 days later, assembled the dessert the following day, and let it chill overnight.

What I really loved about this recipe is that although there were many components, I didn't find any of them to be too difficult, just a bit time consuming. The lady fingers were pretty simple and very good, although next time I may add a bit of vanilla to give them more flavor. Since I had made mascarpone once before, this time around was definitely easier.

For my version of this decadent dessert, I made an extra chocolate layer by spiking the pastry cream with about 6 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate, and topped it with some shaved chocolate. I have a hard time saying no to chocolate. Sorry, it's a weakness.

Please check out Aparna's or Deeba's blogs for the recipe.

Indian Cauliflower Curry (Gobi) and Raita

2010-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

OK, I feel so badly about not putting a recipe on yesterday's post, that I decided to do another post today complete with not just one, but TWO recipes (oooh, ah). I made this cauliflower (or gobi) curry along with the Chicken (and Chickpea) Makhani when my friend E was over.

I was very proud of this dish because in the past when I've tried to make this, it always ended up not as cauliflower curry, but more like cauliflower mush - curry flavored cauliflower mush, to be exact. But this time was different. I made sure not to cut the cauliflower too small, cooked it for much less time, and tah dah! -- curry not mush. Woot!

What's the white stuff on top you ask? It is a Indian yogurt-based sauce called raita. It is traditionally used as a dip but I say dip shmip; I eat this stuff with just about everything. It has a mild tang that complements the heat of many Indian dishes, and it is served cold as to complement the heat (different "heat" this time) of many Indian dishes. Try it with the Makhani too. It won't disappoint.

Cauliflower Curry

*2 tablespoons olive oil
*1 large onion, chopped
*1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into 3 inch pieces
*3 cloves garlic, chopped
*1 cup water
*1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
*1/2 teaspoon coriander
*1/4 teaspoon (or more if you can handle it) crushed red pepper
*1/2 teaspoon sugar
*1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas (I used frozen; if using frozen, do not thaw)
*salt, pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add water, and stir in ginger, cumin, tumeric, and coriander, and red pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Pour contents of skillet into a separate bowl. Do not discard any remnants in the skillet.
2. Add the cauliflower to the same skillet and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the water mixture and stir to coat the cauliflower evenly. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes until the cauliflower is softened.
3. Stir in the sugar and peas. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Raita
* 1 cup plain yogurt
*1 tablespoon water
*1/2 large cucumber chopped
*1/4 red onion, finely diced
*1/2 teaspoon cumin
*1/2 teaspoon salt (or more if you like)
*couple of grinds of fresh ground pepper

In a medium sized bowl, mix together yogurt and water until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Whole Wheat French Baguette and an Award

2010-02-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

This bread brings back memories of my trip to Paris a few years ago. Out of college, with no job, a friend and I backpacked around Europe for a month, and Paris was our last stop. At this point in the trip, I was exhausted and almost ready to go home, so honestly, I did not have high hopes for this city. But I was totally wrong - there was something very unique and comforting about Paris and I LOVED it.

Our budget was tight, so we stayed at a less than pleasant youth hostel. Till this day, there are two memories that still stick with me about this place: 1) the awful co-ed bathrooms - these were so gross that I seriously could not spend more than 5 minutes in the shower, and 2) the free breakfasts: a cup of orange juice, a small plastic container of jam, and a mini french baguette. The bread was so simple, yet SO amazingly delicious. It was seriously some of the best bread I'd ever had: warm, chewy, crusty, and perfect with that small amount of jam.

The recipe for this bread is in Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice. As much as I want to share this recipe, I won't out of fear of the copyright police coming to get me. Seriously, there must be some top-secret law that prohibits food bloggers from posting recipes from this book because I cannot find any of these recipes online. Try for yourself: do a Google search on Bread Baker's Apprentice French Bread -- see? lots of nice posts and pictures but NO recipes. Coincidence? I think not!

I cannot take credit for this bread, as much as I want to. Last week as I was visiting the east coast, BF discovered my Bread Bakers Apprentice book and made this bread. He followed the recipe for French baguette and replaced all of the bread flour with whole wheat (yes! I've taught him well). The result was a chewy, crusty and hearty french bread that is unbelievably good for sandwiches.
Now, on to the award...A while back, Jill from JilliciousDiscoveries, awarded me the Honest Scrap award. Jill is a fantastic baker and a master cake decorator (a skill I clearly lack). She has also been very supportive of my blog by taking the time to leave thoughtful comments on so many of my posts. Thank you for your support Jill!
I'd like to pass on this award to some other fabulous food bloggers. Since there are so many fantastic food blogs I've discovered within the last few months, it was really difficult for me to decide which blogs to choose. Honestly, I think they all deserve an award. In the end, I realized that it has been almost a year since I started this blog, so I decided to pass this award along to relatively new bloggers who have been blogging for less a than year (my apologies if you have already received this award, you still deserve it!):
1. Memória at Mangio da Sola - a gorgeous blog with beautiful photos and fantastic recipes like homemade tamale and chocolate mousse cheesecake (oh my!).
2. Marcellina at Marcellina in Cucina - lovely blog with a great mix of savory and sweet recipes
3. Rebecca at CakeWalk - tons of tasty and interesting recipes with an emphasis on using healthy and all-natural ingredients.
4. Valerina at Une Gamine dans la Cuisine - delicious photos and recipes with an emphasis on sweet treats.
5. Ju at The Little Teochew - always a fun read, lots of unique recipes and culinary stories.

Congratulations!

Easy Chicken Makhani

2010-02-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

Last weekend a friend of mine (hi E!) came over for dinner. The plan was to cook some Indian dishes together so she could learn some new things about preparing Indian food. Unfortunately, I think I am about the worst person to learn from in the kitchen. I could never have my own cooking show (as much as I like to pretend that I already do) because I rarely have any idea what I'm doing. Mostly, I just add ingredients and taste along the way. I never make a dish without tasting it about a gazillion times in the process. I never make one of those meals where you have the first bite and say "WOW. I can't believe this is so good." Because before I sit down to eat, I already know how good it is or how much it sucks. Of course, this is definitely not true for baking. But that's another story.

Since I'm pretty sure that E learned nothing from our cooking "class", I am dedicating this post to her -- complete with actual recipes for some of the dishes we made.

The first recipe is for Chicken Makhani - a popular north Indian dish of chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. Traditionally this dish is rather artery-clogging, so I lighten it up a bit by using milk and yogurt to replace most of the cream. I also made a vegetarian version for myself, using chickpeas instead of chicken - chickPEAS, chickEn - they're practically the same thing, no?

Chicken Makhani

For chicken
*1 Tb butter
*1 Tb olive oil
*2 lbs, boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (see below for vegetarian version)**
*1 onion, sliced
*4 cloves garlic, chopped
*1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
*1 tablespoon cumin
*1 teaspoon coriander
*2 teaspoons paprika
*1 teaspoon garam masala (how to make your own)
*2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

For sauce
*2 cups tomato puree
*2 Tablespoons milk
*1/4 cup plain yogurt
*1 tablespoon heavy cream
*1 or 2 dried chili peppers (optional)
*1 tablespoon sugar
*salt, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pan, melt the butter and heat the oil. Add onions and cook until slightly softened.
2. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, garam masala, and crushed red pepper, and continue cooking chicken until outsides are browned (chicken will finish cooking later in the sauce). Remove just the chicken pieces from pan (LEAVE onions, garlic, and spices).
3. In the same pan, add tomato puree, milk, yogurt, and cream. Cook over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. Return chicken back to pan along with the dried chilis, sugar, and 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is completely cooked.

**For vegetarian version, substitute chicken with 2-3 cups (depending on how saucy you like it) cooked chickpeas. Follow step 1 above. Add garlic, ginger, and all spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Follow step 3 above adding the chickpeas instead of chicken.

Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-02-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned a few times on this blog, I am a lover of all things desserts. Brownies, cookies, and pies are high up on the list, but my all time favorite dessert is chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. OK, I know it's not the most exciting dessert, but something about the contrast of the rich chocolate and the creamy sweet frosting is incredibly satisfying.

This is the chocolate cake recipe that I always make. Although Ina Garten is a culinary genius, she is not known for making low-fat recipes (take a look at this). But as I was preparing the batter for these cupcakes, I realized they are actually relatively low in fat: 14 (unfrosted) cupcakes require just 1 egg, and only 1/4 cup of oil. So that's 1/14 of an egg and .85 teaspoons (NOT tablespoons) of oil per cupcake. The frosting is a bit more sinful, but only a small amount is needed per cupcake. Me? I start with a small amount, but always have more on the side for dipping. Yum.

I'm not a big fan of sprinkles, but since I was making these cupcakes for a birthday party, I decided to be festive.

Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Ina Garten)
*3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
*1 cups sugar
*1/4 cup + 2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken
*1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
*1 egg at room temperature
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup strong brewed
*sprinkles (optional)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

*2 cups confections sugar
*1/2 stick butter, at room temperature
*1/2 tablespoons milk
*1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make the Frosting:
1. Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.
2. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add 2 more tablespoons of the confectioners sugar, one at a time. Drizzle in the milk, and mix it until combined. Add one more tablespoon of the sugar, then drizzle in the vanilla and mix until combined.

To make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add salt. Mix with an electric mixer (if using stand mixer, use paddle attachment) on low speed until combined.
3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Place cupcakes out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
5. Frost with vanilla frosting and top with sprinkles.

Winter-Time Tamale Pie

2010-02-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about living in California is the plentitude of local fruits and vegetables we can get pretty much all year round. In the summer time, the farmers market in my town is THE place to be. The stands are always stocked with tons of zucchinis, peppers, and tomatoes. The winter months are a bit quieter, but offer a whole different array of produce – colorful squashes, tons of leafy greens, and lots of citrus. As much as I enjoy the summer produce, I actually think I enjoy Winter's creations even more. Something about those squashes and greens is so hearty and satisfying, especially when they mingle together in a warm dish.

I usually make this tamale pie with zucchini and peppers, but this time I decided to try a variation: butternut squash and kale; and let me tell you: this is better than the summer version. A key component of the deliciousness of a tamale pie is the cornbread-like topping, but I could seriously eat just the filling and call it dinner, happily.

Butternut Squash and Kale Tamale Pie

Filling
*1 large butternut squash, peeled, and cut into 1 inch cubes
*2 Tb olive oil
*1 large onion, diced
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*1 bunch kale, with large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
*3 cups (or 2 15 oz. cans) cooked beans (pinto, black, kidney, I used pinto)
*1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
*1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
*1 tablespoon cumin
*2 teaspoons coriander
*1 teaspoon dried oregano
*salt and pepper to taste

Topping
*1 1/2 cup cornmeal
*2 Tb flour
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*2 eggs, beaten
*1 cup buttermilk
*2 tablespoons melted butter

For the Filling:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking pan. Add the squash and toss to coat. Roast the squash 35 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onions, and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add the kale and cook for about 2-3 minutes until tender. Add the roasted squash and cook for about 3 minutes. Add beans and diced tomatoes. Stir in cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Heat for about 3 minutes.
4. Spread filling into lightly oiled 9x13 glass dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.

For the Topping:
1. Mix cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
3. Evenly spread the batter over the filling.
4. Bake 20 min or until top is lightly browned.

Banana Crumb Muffins Take Two

2010-01-31T16:07:00.000-08:00

I'm the kind of person who needs to have something sweet with every meal I eat. Breakfast is usually cereal, so that doesn't need dessert, but lunch and dinner is always supplemented with at least a piece of chocolate. I can't help it. This is me, and I need sweets. I've tried to change it, but now I just accept it. We are who we are, right? And I'm a dessertaholic. Anyone else in this club? Allowing myself at least a small treat with every meal prevents me from eating a whole pan of brownies in one sitting, something that I used to do often before I started this treat-a-meal approach.

I like to make these muffins when I need a break from some of the richer desserts I make often (cookies, brownies, cakes, etc). These muffins are satisfying in many ways -- they are made with whole wheat pastry flour and studded with walnuts, which makes them filling and they are topped with a sweet and crunchy crumb, which truly makes them dessert and not breakfast. I usually add chocolate chips which definitely satisfies my chocolate cravings, but this time I added white chocolate and dried cranberries. Some people complain about white chocolate not being "real chocolate", and I say "sure" - that just means more for me!

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Muffins (adapted from allrecipes)
(Makes 12 muffins)

* 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/6 cup canola oil
* 1/6 cup applesauce
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

Crumb Topping

* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* pinch of ginger
* 1 tablespoon cold butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 3/4 cups all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, oil, and applesauce. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

2010-01-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Wow. So simple yet so utterly delicious. This was one of my favorite Daring Baker's challenges for three important reasons -- 1) I didn't lose sleep over it 2) I didn't almost destroy my kitchen in the process of making it, and 3) it was super delicious.

This month we made Nanaimo Bars, a classic Canadian dessert created in Nanaimo, British Colombia. The bars have 3 layers: a base containing graham crackers, cocoa, coconut and nuts, a middle custard layer, and a topping of chocolate.

We had the option to make gluten-free graham crackers, but I stuck to original (flour) graham crackers (sorry, I forgot to take pictures of them). I wanted to make these desserts for the BF's birthday, and since he is a peanut butter fanatic, I swapped the traditional vanilla flavored custard for a peanut butter layer. I also swapped the almonds in the bottom layer for salted peanuts, and replaced some of the butter with peanut oil.

And OMG. The result was amazing: a bottom chewy yet crunchy layer of chocolatey goodness, a creamy and sweet peanut butter filling, and a hard chocolate shell on top -- AMAZING. Initially, I thought these bars were going to be just like the many American dessert bar recipes that I do love, but have tried several times. But no -- they were really different. The coconut in the bottom layer really added to taste and texture of these bars, making them very different than other bar recipes I've had. The addition of the peanut oil really added a lot of peanut flavor to this recipe, but of course can be replaced with butter.

The original recipe can be found on Lauren's lovely (and gluten-free) blog. Below is my peanut butter version.

Peanut-Butter Nanaimo Bars (loosely adapted from here)

Ingredients
Base

1/4 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) shredded sweetened coconut

Filling

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Glaze

5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped baking chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, oil, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.
2. For Middle Layer: Cream together peanut butter, butter, and oil until smooth well. Add the cornstarch and continue creaming. Gradually add half of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time until smooth. Add vanilla. Continue adding sugar and milk, alternating 2 tablespoons at a time of each. Spread over bottom layer. Spreading this will be a bit difficult at first, since the mixture is very sticky. I let the mixture sit for a while and used a offset spatula to spread it.
3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard Lasagna

2010-01-16T21:32:00.001-08:00

Oh my. Butternut Squash Lasagna. Where have you been my whole life?

Since I am a lover of all things tomato sauce, tomato-based lasagna is one of my favorite foods ever. So, when I heard about this butternut squash lasagna, I was skeptical. But I was wrong. This lasagna was fantastic. The butternut squash adds a sweetness much like tomato sauce does in traditional lasagna. The cheeses add a great savory contrast to the squash, and everything is enlivened with the addition of the herbs. I added some swiss chard to give it some more texture and increase the healthiness factor. I also used sage and a bit of rosemary instead of basil because I think they complement the squash better. I also roasted the squash instead of boiling it as I think that enhances the sweetness more. I added some tofu and cottage cheese to the cheese mixture to give it some extra protein.

This dish is so hearty and flavorful, and it is great with a side of toasted garlic bread which helps to sop up the yummy sauce. This will definitely be a staple winter-time meal at our place.

Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard Lasagna (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
2 Tb olive oil
2 Tb butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
Pinch nutmeg (freshly grated)
3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh sage leaves
2 1/2 Tb fresh rosemary, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup grated Pecorino
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup firm tofu, chopped into small pieces
2 cups (lightly packed) chopped swiss chard
12 lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente

1. Lightly oil a baking pan. Add the squash and toss to coat. Roast the squash at 350 degrees for 35-40 min, or until softened. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash, along with 1/4 cup water to a food processor. Puree the squash, and season the puree, to taste, with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the 2 Tb of oil and melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the sage and rosemary and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Mix together 2 cups of mozzarella with the Parmesan, Pecorino, cottage cheese, and tofu. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Spread a layer of the chard. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering 3 more times.

5. Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

New York Times CCC Again!

2010-01-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

Change is a difficult thing. I'm always wanting to try new recipes, new desserts especially, but every time I contemplate which dessert to make next, I find myself craving the ones I'm most familiar with: brownies, chocolate cake, banana muffins, and of course -- chocolate chip cookies. I don't think there is ever a time when I don't want a chocolate chip cookie. Morning? Check. Before lunch? Check. After lunch? Check. Anyway, you get it...always!

If you are a food blogger or if you read food blogs, I am sure you have heard of the famous Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe published by the NY times last summer. I made the cookies shortly after the article was published, and unlike the other 4, 982, 623 food bloggers who have made this recipe, I was underwhelmed. The cookies were just too crispy for my taste, I prefer a soft, chewy cookie. Back then, however, I did not own a stand mixer (something the recipe calls for), and I complained a bit about recipes that required special ($200) appliances. Anyway, after all that complaining, I broke down, and bought myself a Kitchen Aid mixer a few months ago.

I tried these cookies again, this time of course using my KA, wondering if it would make a difference at all. And the verdict? YES this time around, I enjoyed the cookies much more. The texture was what everyone raves about. The cookies were much chewier than the first time, and they had the signature crisp edges that give away to a soft chewy center. BUT...I should point out that this doesn't necessarily mean that a stand mixer is essential for making these cookies properly. There is the hopeful part of me that believes that maybe these cookies were better because, well, maybe, just maybe, over the course of a year, I've gained some useful experience in the kitchen. Let's just say that's true.

So like the 4, 982, 623 others, I agree, this is a fantastic chocolate chip cookie. However, since I am a bigger fan of the chewy-all-over CCC, I personally prefer this cookie.

Here is a link to the recipe.

Vegetarian Gumbo

2009-12-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

Gumbo is an extremely satisfying winter time meal. It is a thick stew, originating from louisiana, and often made with sausage, chicken, and seafood. Although I cannot attest for the meat version of this dish, the BF loves it, and I can't get enough of the vegetarian version. Even in the vegetarian version, the flavors are so complex, I often stop and think about all the ingredients while I'm eating it. There is the warmth from the vegetable broth, the kick from the spices, and the subtle sweetness from the Worcestershire sauce. To me, this gumbo is even better than what I've tried in New Orleans.

The BF and I have made this gumbo a few times, and although it is time consuming, much of the time is spent just waiting for it to simmer. There is a bit of work making the roux and cooking the vegetables, but after that it is almost 2 hours of just simmer time. I can be pretty impatient in the kitchen, but I will honestly say that this gumbo is worth every minute of preparation time...it is that good!

The original (meat-friendly) gumbo recipe comes from Paula Deen (but suprisingly doesn't have much butter). Below is my vegetarian version.

Vegetarian Gumbo (adapted from Paula Deen, 10 servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic minced
2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I omitted this)
3 stalks celery chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (vegetarian recipe below)
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
4 cups hot water
4 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 (14-ounce can) diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups frozen sliced okra
1/2 lb tofu, well drained and diced into cubes

1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.

2. Return the pot to low heat and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Add the (vegetarian) Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

4. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions and remaining chopped parsley.

Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce (about 1/4 cup)

1 1/2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses or tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
a pinch of onion powder
a pinch of powdered cloves or pumpkin pie spice

Stir together all ingredients.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

2009-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

These cookies are seriously amazing. Six ingredients (one of them is salt), no eggs or leavening, and they taste amazing. They are extremely easy to make and too easy to eat. The BF made these to bring to my family back in NY, and I think we will be making these every year now.

Mexican Wedding Cakes (also called Snowballs or Russian Tea Cakes; adapted from Joy of Cooking) makes 30 cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted, and finely ground
1 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.
2. Beat the butter, 1/4 sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl until blended.
3. Stir in the pecans. Stir in the flour until well blended.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls and arrange about 1 1/4 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake each sheet at a time, for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Let stand for about 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool.
5. Roll the cooled cookies in 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

I discovered these cookies on Joy the Baker's wonderful website about a month ago. Since then I have made these cookies 3 times. That's saying a lot for someone like me, who gets bored of the same desserts after about...a day. But there's something really satisfying about these cookies. They are soft from the pumpkin, chocolatey from the chips, and cruchy and wholesome from the walnuts - a perfect mix of three great cookie traits.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Joy the Baker) (makes about 14 cookies)

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two baking sheets.
2. Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix the butter, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips and walnuts.
4. Scoop about 1/4 cup mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart.
5. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Homemade Mascarpone

2009-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

As part of last month's Daring Bakers challenge, I made mascarpone cheese to fill my cannoli. Homemade mascarpone is really simple, and I think much simpler than homemade paneer (or ricotta). The reason is that mascarpone is made with heavy cream (as opposed to whole milk) so it is much more resilient to heat. The first time I made paneer I burned a whole gallon of milk. Not fun.

These pictures are not so good as I made this at night, but hopefully they will explain the process.

You start with some heavy whipping cream and heat it in a double boiler (I use a make-shift double boiler by placing one saucepan on top of another) until it reaches 190F degrees (this took about 25 minutes for me):

In case you're wondering, yes, that is a thermometer clipped on with a clothespin (the BF's idea). Once the cream reaches 190F degrees, add fresh lemon juice and stir. The cream will eventually thicken, enough so that it coats the back of a wooden spoon:

Let the cream cool for about 20 min. Then pour it in a sieve lined with cheesecloth, and refrigerate. Before the refrigeration, the cream is still well, creamy, and not as thick as you would expect a cheese to be, but don't fret. Refrigeration is key - after a night of refrigeration, you will have mascarpone. And it will taste divine!
Homemade Mascarpone (adapted from Baking Obsession)
Makes about 12 oz

500 ml whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Prepare a double boiler OR make your own by placing about 1-2 inches of water in a saucepan, then placing another saucepan (or bowl) inside the first. The bottom of the second saucepan should NOT be touching the water.

2. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into the top saucepan.

3. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 25-30 minutes.

4. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly.

5. Remove the top saucepan from from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

Daring Bakers Cannoli...Yes, it's Late

2009-12-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

This is my first time posting late for a Daring Bakers Challenge. I'm sorry! I am hoping that my tardy posting will prevent me from getting kicked out of this group that I am actually really honored to be a part of. These are some seriously DARING Bakers. This month (or I guess last month) however, they were Daring Fryers, as the challenge recipe was Cannoli.

Mmm...Cannoli. I remember those little rolls of deliciousness from my school days back in Queens NY. Every once in a while I would walk into my favorite pizzeria on my way back from school, and treat myself to one of these babies. The fried crispy shells filled with white yummy filling (which is what I knew it as back then since I had never even heard of ricotta or marscarpone), speckled with mini chocolate chips. It was heaven! Unfortunately, these "cannoli" I concocted last weekend, were not :( .

I'm not sure if it was my fault or the fault of the recipe (I'm guessing its the former since others had good turnout with this recipe), but my cannoli shells were pretty awful. Firstly, the recipe said to fry for 1-2 min, but doing this caused major burnage for my shells -- so much that I was frying for about 30 seconds tops to make sure they didn't burn. Secondly, they were bland! I tried the suggested recipe for chocolate cannoli thinking chocolate anything has to be good -- but no, they were just chocolate blandness. And lastly, probably the saddest part of this challenge -- my shells did not stay crispy. The morning after they had basically become...tortillas. OK, maybe not as flimsy as a tortilla, but maybe something more like a pita. No joke!

Anyway, my favorite part about this recipe was a homemade chocolate mascarpone filling that I made to fill the cannoli (will post about it next). I was really surprised at how easy it is to make mascarpone at home! I would say it is even easier than paneer (or ricotta), since the first time I did that, I ended up burning the milk. Cream, on the other hand, is much tougher, and requires much more carelessness to burn. YES to burn-resistant ingredients!

Please check out Lisa's fantastic blog for the cannoli recipe. Her cannoli are seriously stunning and I'm sure much tastier than mine!

Blondies and My First Award

2009-12-04T21:06:00.000-08:00

Wow. I know it has been too long since I've posted. And I've wanted to so much, but really have had no time this last month. I am teaching a class in my university, and I am really enjoying it but it is extremely time consuming. From preparing all the lectures, exams, and home works, grading, and holding office hours, I have found so little time to do other things I enjoy, including cooking. I've made a few interesting things here and there (mainly for Thanksgiving), but they were all either made at night (not good for photos), or eaten right away (too hungry to stop for pictures). So sadly, I have not been able to post, and really, I missed it so much. There is something so exciting about seeing comments on your postings, it really makes it all worth it. Thank you so much to my commenters! You all rock.

A while ago, I posted about whole wheat peanut butter cookies, and a whole wheat challenge where I was baking some of my favorite recipes by replacing some (or all) of the all purpose flour with whole wheat. I got a request from lucysmom for whole wheat blondies, so here they are!

This is the blondie recipe I ALWAYS make. It is fantastic -- the result is a soft, chewy, toffee-flavored, blondie loaded with chocolate chips (I also often put walnuts and pecans). I have always made it with all purpose flour, but a while back I tried replacing all the all-purpose with whole wheat pastry and I seriously cannot tell the difference. I guess the amount of butter and brown sugar in the recipe takes away the healthy tastes of the whole wheat (woot for butter and brown sugar!) If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour, I've also replaced half the all purpose with regular whole wheat and the result was just as good.
A few weeks ago, Memória from Mangio da Sola (a very lovely blog that I read regularly) gave my blog this award.
I am so grateful to her for recognizing my blog. I also really appreciate her generous and thoughtful comments on my blog. Thank you Memória!
In honor of this award, I will pass it on to two other drool-worthy blogs that I like to read regularly: Dolce at Confessions of a chocoholic and Jill at Jillicious Discoveries. Congratulations! :)

Whole Wheat Blondies

6 tablespoons butter, melted (preferably on the stove top)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or 1/2 cup whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter (I usually do this by hand). Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just incorporated.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Pour into 8x8 in pan and bake for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Acorn Squash Quesadillas with Apple Salsa

2009-11-10T14:27:00.001-08:00

I love making quesadillas. They are super versatile since you can fill them with pretty much anything and they are just gosh darn tasty. The gooey warm fillings combined with a crisp exterior is just perfect with some cool salsa. I make quesadillas often in the summer time since there are so many awesome summer vegetables to stuff them with, plus yummy tomatoes for pico de gallo (aka salsa). This time, I wanted to try a more autumnized version of quesadillas, because hey, Fall has some great vegetables to offer too. I went with acorn squash and spinach. I also wanted to make a yummy autumnized salsa so I decided to make a sweet, spicy, and tangy apple salsa.

This combination was fabulous! The quesadillas rocked (as expected) but the salsa was AMAZING. No joke -- I seriously made a bunch of extra salsa and just ate it all on its own, it was that good. If you don't want to make the effort to make these 'dillas (although they are not difficult) you should still try this salsa. Even if you end up eating it out of the bowl like me.

Acorn Squash and Spinach Quesadillas with Apple Salsa
(makes 2 servings)
For the Quesadillas:

1 Tb olive oil
2 cups acorn squash, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked beans (pinto, black, kidney)
1/2 tsp cumin
salt, pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 large tortillas (I used whole wheat)

For the Apple Salsa:

1 medium crisp apple (I used fuji), diced
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
salt, pepper to taste

For the Quesadillas:
1. Roast the acorn squash in the oven for about 20 min, until softened, but not mush.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the onion for about 5 min. Add the squash, spinach, and garlic, and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, cumin, and salt and pepper. (Here's a secret: I also do this step in...the microwave! Yes, when I don't have the patience to stand over the stove, I put all these ingredients in a bowl and nuke 'em for about 2 minutes. And you know what? I can't tell the difference).
3. Add a few drops of oil to a hot skillet. Place a tortilla on the skillet and add to one side half the squash mixture and half the cheese. Fold over and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until crispy and browned. Repeat for other tortilla.

For the Apple Salsa:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Pecan Tartelettes

2009-10-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

Since the first time I tasted pecan pie it has been my favorite Thanksgiving dessert, and one of my favorite all time desserts -- which is pretty hard to believe considering it has no chocolate. Something about the gooeyness and nuttiness...yum. I've always used a simple recipe I found online for pecan pie, but after all this recent talk about the evil that is corn syrup, I decided to replace some of the corn syrup with honey. I also made them in a muffin pan, which allowed them to be super cute. Its funny how you can take any standard dessert, make them in a small pan, and all of sudden, cuteness.

For the crusts, I used my go-to pie crust recipe, but continuing with my whole wheat challenge, I swapped the regular flour with whole wheat pastry. The result was still good, although I have to admit that I could taste a difference in the pie crust. The whole wheat definitely tasted more wholesome, which is not necessarily bad, but not as good as the standard buttery pie crust. Maybe more butter would help. Or maybe a half and half mixture. Otherwise these little tartelettes were pretty awesome. Sweet, gooey, nutty all wrapped in a cute little package.

Pecan Tartelettes

2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 unbaked pie crust (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
2. Using a 2in diameter cookie cutter, cut 16 rounds of pie dough. Lightly press into a buttered muffin pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, syrup, sugar, flour, salt and vanilla. Pour about 2-3 Tablespoons in each mini pie shell. Be careful that the filling doesn't flow over the shell.
4. Spread 2 Tb pecans in each shell.

Bake at 375 deg F. for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Remove each tartelette onto cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust (adapted from Land O'Lakes)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter
2 to 3 Tbs ice cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened.
2. Shape dough ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap ball in plastic food wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-10-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm trying something new here. Lately, I've been making my favorite recipes by replacing the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. A few weeks ago, I made chocolate chip blondies (yum!) using only whole wheat and I was seriously amazed. I could not tell the difference AT ALL! Even the BF who hates my healthy replacements had to admit (hah!) that he could not tell a difference. I really wanted to blog about those blondies but unfortunately I ate them all before I could. Oof. This time, I had some restraint and photographed these lovely whole wheat peanut butter chocolate chip cookies before I could eat them all. Not that they weren't worthy of being eaten in one day. These cookies were amazing! So so good and again -- I could not tell the difference between these and the original recipe that used all white flour.

So now I've decided to do a test -- I will try to remake some of my favorite all-purpose flour recipes (I'm thinking chocolate chip cookies, brownies, pie crusts) by replacing some (or all) of the all purpose flour with whole wheat. And...I'll take requests for recipes too! I'll be your guinea pig. So send me a recipe that you are curious about and I'll take the whole wheat test and report the results. In the meantime, make these cookies!

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.
2. Whisk together:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 whole wheat (pastry) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3. Beat in a large bowl until well blended:
1/3 cup (5 1⁄3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4. Beat in:
1 large egg
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
5. Stir in the flour mixture until blended. Shape into 1-inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Press in some extra chocolate chips on top. Bake 1 sheet at a time, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

Tres Leches Cake

2009-10-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

On our way back from Peru last month, we had a 14 hour lay over in Mexico City. After we visited the lovely Chapultepec Castle, we walked downtown searching for a good authentic Mexican meal. While the BF was thinking about burritos and tacos, I was dreaming about dulce de leche, tres leches, flan and other types of creamy, milky desserts. So after lunch, I was on the hunt for a cute, authentic bakery that would satisfy all my creamy milky cravings. So we searched, and searched, and although we did find some cute bakeries, we could not find these authentic desserts that I had been dreaming about. We did find brownies, cookies, cheesecake, and apple pie. But nothing that seemed downright Mexican. Naturally, I had to satisfy my craving, so one of the first things I baked was this tres leches cake.

The original recipe is from Martha Stewart. Of course traditional tres leches is chocolate-free, but I find it hard to make a dessert that doesn't have chocolate (I'm trying to change, really), so I added some chocolate chips to the batter. To compensate, I also reduced the sugar.

There are literally millions of recipes for tres leches, and I chose this one because the cake part was a sponge cake as opposed to a yellow cake. I remember reading that sponge cakes are better for absorbing liquids. And I say the more creamy, milky, the better! I also cut the cake into hearts since I was feeling girly.

Chocolate Chip Tres Leches Cake (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for baking dish
6 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can(12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into yolks until almost combined. Gently fold in flour first, then chocolate chips (do not overmix).
Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of dish, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cake for at least 20 minutes. Once cool, use a fork to poke several holes all over the cake.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the three milks; pour evenly over cake. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
To serve, prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with sugar to soft peaks. Chill cake and cut into squares; serve topped with whipped cream.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Filling

2009-10-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Yes the title is correct and no there is not an extra 'Chocolate' in there. That's what these are: Chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate filling that has chocolate chips in it. Can you tell I was craving something when I made these?

These cupcake are a delicious conglomeration of two fantastic chocolate recipes: Beatty's Chocolate Cake (from Ina Garten) and Scharffenberger's Chocolate Pudding. My additions are a vanilla (just to keep things interesting) buttercream frosting and mini chocolate chips in the pudding. Simply bake the cupcakes, cook the pudding, add the chips, core the cupcakes, fill with pudding, and frost. Ok, so maybe a few more steps than your average cupcake, but I promise these are totally worth the effort. Being super rich and chocolatey, they are sure to satisfy even the fiercest of chocolate cravings.

(Please forgive this picture, I realize the filling doesn't look very creamy at all. But it was about 90 degrees when I decided to take these pictures and I couldn't get the frosting to drip off without throwing these guys in the fridge for a few minutes, hence the funky looking filling. But not refrigerated, this filling is super creamy.)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Filling (makes about 28 cupcakes)

For the chocolate cupcakes:
I don't make any changes to the chocolate cake recipe, so the recipe is here.

Chocolate Chip Filling (adapted from John Scharffenberger via Wednesday Chef)

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups 2% milk
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperatue
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make the Filling:
1. Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler.
2. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form.
3. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
5. Let cool to room temperature, and add the chocolate chips.

To make the Frosting:
1. Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.
2. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add 2 more tablespoons of the confections sugar, one at a time. Drizzle in the milk, and mix it until combined. Add one more tablespoon of the sugar, then drizzle in the vanilla and mix until combined.

To prepare the cupcakes:
1. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature. Insert a paring knife into each cupcake at a slight angle, halfway between the center and the outside edge of the cupcake. Cut a circular cone out of the cake, being careful not to cut all the way to the bottom.
3. Chop the pointy ends of the cones off, and set the circular bases aside. These will be used to cover the cupcake holes once they are filled.
4. Using a small teaspoon or a piping bag, fill each cupcake with the filling. Cover each cupcake with a circular base, and frost.

Fig Jelly

2009-10-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Last time on CCT, I talked about a fig balsamic glaze made with fig jelly. If you've never had fig jelly, you are missing out. The BF makes an amazing fig jelly and he agreed to do a guest post! So here it is...

This is a little late but sometimes good things come to those who wait, or so they say. I decided to make some fig jelly finally. I guess it is really preserves, but I call all these types of things jelly. I had all these figs in the freezer from slowly hoarding them over the summer. There's this really big fig tree that nobody takes advantage of and if it wasn't for me they would all go to the birds...and rats.

It was only a couple of years ago that I had tried fresh figs for the first time. I'm not really into a lot of fruits like some people, but I really enjoyed the figs, especially right off the tree. This new found discovery for me, and the fact that I have a tendency to squirrel things away, prompted me to try putting some of these figs away in the form of a jelly. It turned out to be a fairly straightforward process, but I did manage to make a few sticky messes out of it along the way. The word on the street is that one should not double a recipe for jellies, but I did not heed this and I think it turned out well. The guidelines came from "The Joy of Cooking." I really only used this recipe to figure out what proportions of figs, lemon juice, and sugar to use, and for processing time. Apparently, figs are low in acid, so the lemon juice is necessary for preservation. I also processed much longer than what is called for in "Joy."

Fig Jelly (adapted from Joy of Cooking)

4 pounds fresh figs washed, stemmed and quartered
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (This turned out to be 3 lemons)
Enough jars (pint or 1/2 pint) to contain ~ 4 pints of jelly

Mix the figs and sugar in a big pot and simmer on the stove for about 30 minutes. I cooked them longer because I wanted to break apart the chunks a little bit more. While this was happening I got the jars ready and my boiling water started so that I could get the jars boiling as soon as I packed them. After simmering, I added the lemon juice and turned up the heat until it was rapidly boiling - constantly stirring. This is when it should reach the jelling point. I tested this by pulling out a sample and watching it gel as it cooled. I removed the pot from the burner and spooned the jelly into the jars leaving 1/4 inch head space, screwed the lids on, and processed for one hour. I then removed the jars to cool.

Daring Bakers Vols-au-Vent

2009-09-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

My goodness this was a challenge. Roll, fold, chill, and repeat, about 900 times and somehow you end up with puff pastry. Form the pastry into pretty shapes and fill them and you get Vols-au-Vent (little puff pastry cases designed to hold filling).

The BF helped out big time with this challenge because for once he was as excited as I was about making it. No surprise since it was the first non-dessert challenge I've had with the Daring Bakers. So the BF and I each picked our signature filling and had a vols-au-vent throwdown.

Meanie: Goat cheese and roasted red pepper with basil pesto.
(Yes, it's lopsided, but just tilt your head to the right and I promise it'll be ok).

BF: Smoked pork with fig balsamic glaze.
Unfortunately, I didn't try his (don't eat meat), but he assures me that he's the winner ( I just nod and smile).

Recipes:
Puff Pastry/vols-au-vent : here on Steph's amazing drool-inducing blog.
Basil Pesto: From Ina Garten

Fig Balsamic Glaze
1/4 cup fig jelly
2 Tb water
1 tsp salt
2 Tb balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chilli powder

Stir the jelly and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in salt and chilli powder. Cook for 5 min. Lower the heat. Stir in vinegar. Cook over low heat for 5 min.

Carrot Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-09-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

I remember growing up in New York, winter was always my favorite season. Snow -- I LOVED snow. Couldn't get enough of it, actually. I would spend literally hours outside running around in it, without even noticing that it was uhm, cold. What is it about kids and snow? Do they not feel how cold it is?
As I got older, either snow got colder, or I got weaker, because winter is no longer my favorite season. Don't get me wrong, I still love the snow (and totally miss it), and LOVE winter, but my favorite season has shifted to Fall.
Something about the crispness in the air and the colors in the trees is so comforting yet exhilarating at the same time. Wow, for a second there I almost forgot that here in California, on the 2nd day of Fall it is - ready for this ? 94 degrees!!?? 94 degrees??!!? Any other Californians out there longing for Fall to actually start?

This carrot cake has Fall written all over it. It's spicy and sweet, and comforting and exhilarating. Ok, maybe not exhilarating, but it is all of those other things and super delicious. Plus, it is good for you. I took one of Dorie Greenspan's fantastic recipes (I love her but does every recipe REALLY need 2 cups of butter?) and added some healthy tweaks (surprise) and extra spice. I also ditched the usual cream cheese topping, and swapped it for a super rich and decadent dulce de leche cream cheese frosting. The dulce de leche adds an awesome butterscotchy flavor that just...works. I can't explain but try it and you'll see.

Spicy Carrot Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from Dorie Greenspan)

Cake:

1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 5 carrots),
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
2 large eggs

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted (more or less to taste)
2 Tb dulce de leche (homemade or store-bought)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 8 in square pan.
2. Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots and chopped nut.
3. Beat the sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix in the nuts ingredients. Pour in pan.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean.
5. For frosting, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the vanilla and dulce de leche. Allow cake to cool completely before spreading frosting.

Guess Where I've Been

2009-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry y'all. I know I've been away for a while. Things are busy here in CCT land. I've been traveling a bit lately. Where to? Here's a hint...
Not sure? Ok, here's another one...
Still no? Ok, one more, and hopefully this will do it:
Yes! This month I traveled to the magical, mystical, breathtakingly beautiful Peru. It was one of the most awe-inspiring places I've ever been, and the trip was fabulous.
Unfortunately, it pretty much drained me out of free time when I got back, so I've been slacking on the cooking and posting. But not for long. See you soon!

Daring Bakers Dobos Torte

2009-08-30T16:32:00.001-07:00

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

The Dobos Torte is a five-layer sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream and topped with wedges of crunchy caramel. The orginal recipe called for a buttercream made with eggs and many of the other Daring Bakers had complained that it melted easily. Since I knew I'd be taking this cake to work, which is a 1 1/2 hr drive, I opted for a more resilient chocolate buttercream (recipe below). I added a bit of coffee to the buttercream and brushed on a simple syrup of kahlua and water to the cake layers. I finished off by covering the cake in toasted hazelnuts.

The most challenging part of the recipe was preparing the separate cake layers. I followed the recipe exactly but somehow ended up with 5 layers. They were still 5 layers of sponge cake and chocolate buttercream goodness. If I were to make this again I think I would skip the caramel topping. They were a bit too chewy and sweet for my taste.

Here are some comments from co-workers:

CW1: Fancy!
CW2: Wow! You made this from scratch? And the frosting is not from a can?!
CW3: Very yummy and not too sweet.

There you have it folks. Dobos definitely knew what he was doing when he came up with this cake. Check out the recipe here. Below is my favorite recipe for melt-free chocolate mocha buttercream (tried and tested after many many not-so-good recipes).

Chocolate Mocha Buttercream Frosting

2 3/4 cup - 2 Tb confectioners sugar
8 Tb cocoa powder
6 Tb butter, NOT melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tb milk
2 Tb strong coffee

1. In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
2. In another large bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add in one quarter of the sugar mixture, 2 Tb at a time. Add in all of the vanilla, then another quarter of the sugar mixture, two tablespoons at a time. The mixture should be firm. At this point, gradually add the milk and coffee, alternating with 2 tablespoons at a time of the rest of the sugar mixture.

Indian Chickpea Curry (Chole)

2009-08-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here is Part III of my Indian Menu: Indian Chickpea Curry aka Chole.
Chole is a very simple, tasty, and healthy Indian dish made from chickpeas and tomatoes and flavored with all sorts of traditional Indian spices. It is very good served with some Indian bread (rotis or naan) or simply rice. The flavors in this dish are so delicious that you won't miss all the cream and butter found in many other Indian dishes. Plus it takes about 30 minutes to make! No joke. This stuff is the bomb.

Indian Chickpea Curry(Chole)

4 medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 small green chilies
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chili powder
3 cups (2 15 oz cans) of cooked chickpeas/Garbanzo beans
1 2/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Blend the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and chiles to make a puree.
2. Heat the oil and lightly fry the cumin seeds and bay leaves for
about 1 minute over medium heat. Add the flour and stir fry until lightly browned.
3. Add the tomato puree, coriander, tumeric, and chili powder, and let cook over for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas and water, and let cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Indian Eggplant and Okra Curry

2009-08-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

Note to self: I do not have the photography skills to make eggplant curry look good. And actually, that is really sad, because this stuff was sooo good. Out of all the Indian dishes I cooked up last weekend, this was probably my favorite. I bought the eggplant and the okra for 5 bucks (yes $5 TOTAL at the farmers market) and the tomatos were from my own garden. Now how's that for eating local?
I've made an eggplant and tomato curry a few times in the past since I really like that combo, but this time I decided to add in fresh okra. I'm so glad I did too. It really adds a nice flavor and more so an awesome texture to this curry. And guess what? My okra wasn't slimy! For reals!! I really thought it would be, and I was almost expecting it, preparing myself, being ready for it. But I read some tips online and somehow I was able to achieve the deliciousness of okra without the slime. Woot! Don't believe me? Try this recipe. And make it look pretty, and take a picture, and send it to me!

I think the tricks to cooking okra slime-free are (1) use fresh okra, when possible (I've made this recipe with frozen okra in the past and noticed it was definitely slimier) (2) be as gentle as possible when cooking it. Stirring it around like crazy will only bring out more slime, and (3) add an acidic ingredient (eg. tomatoes) to the recipe if possible -- something in the acid helps cut down the slime (don't you just love my very scientific explanations for things).

Indian Eggplant and Okra Curry

2 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 large eggplant, chopped into 1 inch cubes
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1 1/2 lb okra, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 handfuls of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot, fry the cumin seeds in the olive oil over low heat.
2. Increase the heat, add the eggplant, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes just until it begins to soften.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the tumeric, cumin, red pepper, and coriander, and stir the mixture.
5. Add the okra and stir gently so as not to break the pieces. Let cook for 8 minutes.
6. Stir in the cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Indian-Style Zucchini Patties with Tamarind Chutney

2009-08-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Finally! Things have been pretty hectic this summer since I'm commuting home every weekend from my internship. The little time I've had on the weekends does not want to be spent cooking. So although I neglected my kitchen (and my blog) for a few weeks, last weekend, a sudden cooking urge came over me. So I threw on the old apron (yes, I wear one-I spill A LOT) and got to work. First, I noticed that the majority of the recipes on this site are desserts. Anyone else notice that? Although desserts do make a hefty portion of my diet (chocolate IS a food group, no?), I felt the need to prove to the world or at least all my readers ( all 11 of you) that yes, I do eat other things -- actual non-desserts. Since I've been missing my mom's cooking, I planned a big fat Indian menu and gave myself the whole weekend to make them. Of course I was fooling myself because 2 days is definitely not enough time to prepare all the dishes I had in mind (or at least not enough time for someone as inefficient as I sometimes am in the kitchen). I literally finished cooking at 10pm on Sunday night, right before I took a nap on the kitchen counter.
So here is Part I of my Indian menu: Indian Style Zucchini Patties with Tamarind Chutney. In Bengali, these are called 'chops' (pronounced chawps) and they are usually deep fried in oil. Sorry to mess with tradition, but something was calling me to try baking these. So I made up a batch of the patties, baked half of them (the ones in the photo are baked), and fried the rest. Both were very tasty. Of course the fried ones were a bit more indulgent, but the baked ones were just as satisfying.

Indian-Style Zucchini Patties (makes about 10 patties)

3 medium zucchini, grated and drain (drain by wrapping grated zucchini in paper towels and squeezing out the excess water)
1/2 tsp red pepper (add less if you can't handle the heat)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
salt and pepper to taste
1 + 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup water
2 Tb cornstarch
oil for frying or baking (I used canola for frying, olive for baking)

1. Mix the grated zucchini, red pepper, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs in one bowl.
2. Mix the 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a separate bowl.
3. Form the zucchini mixture into small patties (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Dip each pattie into the cornstarch mixture, then into the remaining 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
4. If baking: Generously (really generously -- I didn't put enough oil, and got some major pan stuckage) grease a large baking sheet. Gently brush both sides of each pattie with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the tops are browned. Then, flip each pattie over, and bake again for an additional 10 minutes.
5. If frying: Fry in oil about 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

Tamarind Chutney (makes about 1 cup)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tb tamarind paste (available in International Markets)
3 1/2 cup water
2 Tb tomato paste
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp red pepper

Fry the cumin seeds in a bit of oil. Add water and tamarind paste, and cook for about 45 min, until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup. Add the tomato paste, sugar, cumin, and red pepper. Mix well until all is dissolved.

I am submitting this recipe for Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Prof. Kitty at The Cabinet of Prof. Kitty. Checkout the lovely photos of her garden!

Daring Bakers: Mallomars

2009-07-26T22:51:00.001-07:00

The July 2009 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

For this month's challenge, I chose the Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies. I really wanted to try both, but I've been super busy with my internship and only had enough time to try one. The marshmallow cookies were intriguing because I've never made marshmallows before and definitely wanted to give it a try.

I wanted to make the marshmallows vegetarian (no gelatin), so I followed one of the recipes on the Daring Bakers Alternative Bakers forum. The recipe uses Xanthan Gum instead of gelatin to achieve the gelatin-like consistency, and it is fantastic! I read some reviews and was worried that the marshmallows would be too runny. But I followed all the steps and holy moly!
It was true...I had marshmallows. And they weren't runny piles of goop, they were just soft and fluffy, like little pillows...little pillows that were a magnet to uhm, everything. Literally. By the time I was done dipping the last cookie, my kitchen had become a marshmallow. Fortunately, it was worth it because this recipe makes some mighty good cookies, and a ton of them! I
only made a third of the recipe and still ended up with about 20 big cookies!

I made two variations of the cookie: for the first type, I added a layer of homemade dulce de leche (think: marshmallows, chocolate, and caramel...oh mama). The other variation was inside out Mallomars: I used a chocolate cookie base and dipped the cookies in white chocolate.

This recipe was definitely a challenge for me - although the individual parts were simple, putting them together was trickier. Also, trying to get the world's stickiest stuff to do what you want is not particularly easy. Still, these cookies were very very tasty and I would definitely recommend this recipe -- just be prepared, you might end up with marshmallow on your ceiling (I did).

The recipe for the cookies is here. Below is the recipe I used for vegetarian marshmallows. I followed the recipe exactly except piped the marshmallows onto the cookies instead of spreading it on a baking pan.

Vegetarian Marshmallows (by Elizabeth Falkner of Demolition Desserts)

Ingredients:
• 60 mL water
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 255 g sugar, granulated
• 255 g light corn syrup
• ½ vanilla bean
• 85 g egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
• 5 g xanthan (0.76%)

1. Ground xanthan with a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.
2. Heat water, cream of tartar, remaining sugar, corn syrup and vanilla to 120ºC. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk egg whites for about 2 min until still soft. Continue whipping egg whites at slow speed while adding syrup slowly. Sprinkle xanthan mix while still whipping. Turn speed up and continue mixing for 2-3 min or until meringue pulls away from sides.
3. Sprinkle a pan or baking sheet generously with cornstarch and spread out the meringue. Sprinkle top with cornstarch, cover with plastic and leave to set for 4 hours in a refrigerator. Cut marshmallows into desired shapes and dip cut surfaces in cornstarch.

Dulce De Leche

2009-07-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

After making a half recipe of Magic Cookie Bars, I had some leftover condensed milk. I'd recently seen some dulce de leche recipes which use condensed milk, and although I've always wanted to make it, I was a bit intimidated. The possibility of exploding cans and spurting liquids combined with my luck in the kitchen was not a good combination. So I did some research and found a fool-proof, no explosions recipe for sweet delicious dulce de leche. Woot!

The recipe was really simple, and the ducle de leche came out great. My only advice with this recipe is to ditch the whisk and just use a spoon to stir it up. Although a whisk would still work, I found that much of the dulce de leche just ended up stuck in the wires of my whisk. Plus, licking the stuff off a spoon is so much easier than trying to lick a whisk clean.

Explosion Free Dulce de Leche (by David Lebovitz)

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).
2. Pour one can (400 gr/14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt.
3. Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate.
4. Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary).
5. Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, stir with spoon until smooth.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Warm gently in a warm water bath or microwave oven before using.

Magic Cookie Bars

2009-07-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is it folks -- the mother of all desserts: Magic Bars. These little babies combine my three favorite dessert ingredients: chocolate (of course!), caramel, and nuts.

There are many different names for these bars: Magic Cookie Bars, Hello Dolly Bars, Seven-Layer Bars, and (the very creative) Chocolate Coconut Bars. But they all equal the same thing: a dessert so rich that you only need about one piece to satisfy your sweet tooth. Unless you have my sweet tooth, which means you'll eat until your stomach hurts.

I combined a few of the recipes I found to make a more wholesome version of this recipe. Notice I didn't say "lighter" version, just "wholesome". So even though they're still loaded with calories, they'll make you fuller, which means you'll eat less of them. Unless, of course, you're like me. I think I may have a problem.

Magic Cookie Bars

1 cup whole wheat graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 Tb brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325°F . Line a 8x8-inch baking pan.
2. In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, oatmeal, brown sugar, and butter; mix well.
Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of baking pan.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut and pecans on top. Pour the condensed milk evenly.

4. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until slightly golden on top.

5. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

2009-07-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was almost starting to believe it wasn't possible: 100% whole wheat bread made at home that doesn't taste like a stale crouton. I tried so many whole wheat bread recipes and either (1) they didn't make a 100% whole wheat bread (ie. they called for some all-purpose or bread flour) or (2) the bread had the texture and feel of something I want to throw at idiot drivers who cut me off when I'm riding my bike. And just as I was starting to lose hope that it was actually possible to make tasty, soft, 100% whole wheat bread at home, I found it -- THE perfect recipe.

The original recipe is from King Arthur Flour, but I found it at Cooking for Seven, which by the way has some great recipes which are tweaked to please us healthy-type folks.

100% Whole Wheat Bread (adapted from King Arthur Flour via Cooking for Seven)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) lukewarm water
3 tablespoons melted butter, coconut oil, or olive oil
2 tablespoons honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons flax meal, 10 grain cereal, wheat germ, etc. (optional and very good)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

To prepare the dough:

(Hand Method) Combine all of the ingredients, and mix them till you have a shaggy dough. The dough will seem wet, but remember: wetter is better. Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes, then knead till smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, or until it’s puffy and nearly doubled in bulk.

(Mixer Method) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients and mix them till you have a shaggy dough. The dough will seem wet, but remember: wetter is better. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then knead by machine until fairly smooth, about 10 minutes. Allow dough to rise, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, or until it’s puffy and nearly doubled in bulk.

(Bread Machine Method) Place all ingredients in bread machine pan and set to dough cycle.

To Shape the Loaves

After the dough has risen, gently deflate the dough, shape it into a log, and place it in a lightly greased large (9×5 inch) bread pan or two small bread pans. Cover the pan with a towel*(see note below) or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes-1 hour, till it’s crowned about 2 inches over the rim of the pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F about halfway through the rising time.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes or until it turns a deep brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Yield: 1 large or 2 small loaves.

* I've found that if I place the towel directly on the dough, it sometimes causes the loaf to deflate when I take the towel off. I think a better approach (the BF discovered this) is to prop the towel over the bread (using 4 small jars on each corner of the bread pan) to make sure there is no direct contact between the towel and the dough.

Daring Bakers Bakewell Tart

2009-06-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

The June Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart/pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800’s in England.

This was my first Daring Bakers challenge, and I am dedicating it to the BF. Without a doubt, if it weren't for him, there is no way I would have completed this recipe. There were so many factors which tempted me to be a no-show for my very first challenge: (1) I was leaving to go out of town, and then out of the country, for 2 weeks, so would not be around to enjoy the results of the challenge (2) I really wanted to do something creative and I had the hardest time coming up with ideas (3) I had never heard of a Bakewell Tart, or even used almond flour, and (4) the recipe required a scale for measuring the ingredients, and my broke self does not own one.

With some much needed moral support from the BF, I finally decided to tough it out and complete the challenge, and I am so glad I did! Since I was not going to be around to enjoy it, I decided the next best thing would be to give it away. I wanted to give half the tart to a friend I was visiting who just finished business school, and since she is a major chocoholic I knew that I would have to incorporate chocolate into the recipe. So instead of the traditional fruit spread which the recipe calls for, I decided to go with a chocolate spread. They're almost the same, right? Cocoa is a fruit, right? Oh, it's not? Ok, well it grows on trees, right? Oh, not really? Ok, well it's sweet like fruit, right? No?! Ok, they're not similar, but they both make good spreads, so there.

The most popular chocolate-based spread I know of is nutella, which is made with chocolate and hazelnuts. But since this dessert uses almond flour, I decided to make my own version of nutella, with almonds instead of hazelnuts. The homemade almond "nutella" came out great, and was perfect for this dessert.

The Bakewell tart traditionally consists of a shortcrust pastry (like a pie crust), a layer of jam, and a frangipane (or almond cake) topping. I was a bit wary of this dessert, because I expected the frangipane to taste like marzipan, which I am not a fan of. Surprisingly, it tasted nothing like marzipan -- instead it was like a very rich, almost creamy, cake -- totally delicious. This was my first experience using almond flour and I loved it. It's a bit pricey compared to regular flour, but I will definitely be using it when I'm in the mood to splurge. Also, since I was short on time, I used my trusty pie crust recipe instead of the one given in the challenge. I really enjoyed this recipe. The butter, almond, and chocolate flavors came together really well to make a very rich and satisfying dessert.

As for measuring the ingredients -- the BF took them all to his lab and measured them for me using his lab scale! Ah, it's great to know a scientist, and even better when he's your boyfriend. :) As much as I appreciated his help, this challenge has definitely convinced me to invest in a kitchen scale, so this little baby will be sitting on my counter in 5 to 7 business days. Woot!

Bakewell Tart with Chocolate Almond Spread

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.

When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Sweet shortcrust pastry
225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Frangipane
125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Chocolate Almond Spread (Nutella)

2009-06-25T16:58:00.001-07:00

Some people say that Nutella is the peanut butter of Europe. I'd have to agree. When I backpacked through Europe in 2005, I too often found myself in the 'exotic foods' section of the grocery store desperately searching the shelves for a jar of peanut butter. Usually there were just one or two jars of creamy unsalted for about twice as much as I would pay in the U.S. But price was not an issue, because denying oneself of a peanut butter craving for an entire month is not healthy, at least not for me.

My German friend has told me she's had a similar experience with buying Nutella in California. The stuff is way more expensive here than it is in Europe, and usually there is just that one brand - Nutella, whereas European groceries offer far more options.
Since I just got back from a week long European excursion through Germany and Prague, I am dedicating this post to Europe and it's delicious culinary invention of Nutella, or more generally, chocolate hazelnut spread.

I was curious about making my own chocolate hazelnut spread, but I wanted to try it with almonds instead of hazelnuts (I'll explain why in the next post). I found this recipe on Baking Bites and made a few adjustments.

Ok, I'm not going to lie -- this was not easy. Well, the original recipe is easy, but since I was looking for a smooth spread, I had to strain it all through a sieve to get rid of the chunkiness from the ground almond. But the taste? It was amazing and totally worth the effort. This spread had a strong almond flavor which was very nicely balanced with a sweet chocolatey flavor. All in all, this was chocolate almond heaven.

Chocolate Almond Spread (adapted from Baking Bites)

1/3 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/2 cup dry nonfat milk powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp almond extract

1. In a medium saucepan, combine almond meal, dry milk powder, brown sugar, white sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch. Add in milk and vegetable oil and whisk until smooth.

2. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture begins to thicken and just starts to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.

3. To get a smooth spread, strain the mixture by placing small portions of it, one at a time, in a strainer. Use a spoon and the strainer to separate the mixture and the almond meal.

4. Transfer the spread to a heatproof container, preferably one with an airtight lid. Cool to room temperature and, if not eating right away, store in the fridge with an airtight lid on the container.

Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms

2009-06-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've realized that I cannot go to Trader Joe's without buying at least 2 pounds of cheese. Before I made this risotto, our fridge was stocked with 14 kinds of cheeses, that's right FOURTEEN: mozarella, white cheddar, orange cheddar, Swiss, Gruyère, goat, Comtè, Fontina, Parmesiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, Monterey jack, feta, parmesan, and Harvati. So as much as I love risotto, this recipe was more about clearing up some fridge room than satisfying a craving.

I know that Arborio rice is typically used for risotto, but I wanted to try making it a bit healthier by using brown rice. I wasn't sure how it would work out, or if it would at all, since brown rice is definitely not as starchy as Arborio, and the starchiness of the rice is what gives risotto its creaminess. I used a simple recipe for asparagus and shitake risotto and used brown rice instead of Arborio.

Using the brown rice required much more time since brown rice takes longer to cook, but the end result was totally worth it. This risotto was just as creamy as other risottos I've had with Arborio rice. I used Gruyère and Fontina, which added a ton of flavor.

Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms (adapted from Gourmèt, May 2003)

5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 pound thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, leaving tips 1 1/2 inches long
4 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Brown rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Gruyere
1/2 cup Fontina

1. Bring broth and water to a boil in a large pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over moderately high heat, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Cook shallots in 2 tablespoons of oil in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.
3. Ladle in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, for about 1 hour.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in asparagus and mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Truffles

2009-06-02T17:17:00.001-07:00

mmm...who would have thought that wanna-be fungus could taste this good?

Last weekend the bf and I made chocolate truffles and they were scrumptiously good.

I read so many mixed opinions about truffle-making that I was a bit intimidated to make these. Some recipes boast about truffles being one of the easiest fancy desserts, while others go on and on about all the trillions of ways your truffles can fail, miserably.
Here's my conclusion: the basic truffle is very easy to make and even easier to eat. These are the kinds that are soft and creamy all over. The shell covered truffles, however, are a bit trickier.

We made both, and I have to say, I prefer the shelled truffles -- the contrast in texture just does it for me -- but the creamy ones are so easy, but the shelled ones are so fancy, but the creamy ones are so creamy, but the shelled ones...never mind.

For the shelled truffles, the chocolate coating must be tempered, and cannot reach a temperature higher than 94 degrees F (but this number varies depending on the recipe). This was definitely challenging, and it did not really work for me. The chocolate temperature fluctuated about a bajillion times and even went over (gasp...94 degrees F!!), but somehow magically it still worked, sort of. The truffles still got that "snap" that everyone talks about, although I'm guessing if I actually did it correctly, they would have been more...snappy.

There are several ways to temper chocolate -- our method was to consistently add and remove new pieces of chocolate chunks to the warm chocolate to make sure it doesn't get too hot. A good thermometer is vital, and the ability (which apparently I don't have) to make sure the thermometer does not touch anything but the chocolate (ie. the sides of the bowl). So to summarize: I need more practice. But any sort of practice that involves chocolate is always good!

Chocolate Truffles (adapted from Robert Linxe via Smitten Kitchen and Joy of Cooking)

8 ounces good quality chocolate (at least 56% cacao), chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 ounces good quality chocolate, plus a bit more for tempering (for chocolate shell), chopped

Truffle Coatings

Good quality cocoa powder for dusting
Bourbon Candied Nuts (Recipe Below)

1. Boil 2/3 cup heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
2. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, mashing any big pieces with a spoon.
3. Stir with this mixture together in concentric circles starting in the center and working your way to the edge with a whisk, being careful not to beat air into it and create bubbles.
4. Chill mixture for 1 hour.
5. Using a small spoon, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of mixture at a time, shape into balls, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
6. Chill the balls for at least 2o minutes.
7. If you don't want to mess with the chocolate shell, then you are done! Enjoy. Otherwise...

For coating:
1. Temper 3 ounces of chocolate (here are some tips on tempering chocolate).
2. Using 2 spoons, or your hands, roll each chilled truffle in the melted chocolate.
3. While the coating is still wet, dunk the truffle in the chocolate powder or candied nuts.
4. Place each truffle back on the parchment paper. Chill for an additional 10 minutes (I didn't do this part, just ate them right after they were done. That's just me, I guess.)

Bourbon Candied Nuts (adapted loosely from Smitten Kitchen)

1/2 cup well-chopped mixed nuts (I used walnuts, pecans, and almonds)
1 egg white
1 Tb bourbon
2 Tb brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Mix bourbon and egg white in a separate bowl. Stir in the nuts, coating evenly.
3. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts, and stir again, coating evenly.
4. Spread mixture onto parchment lined sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Let the mixture cool completely. Break into small pieces.

Zucchini Boats with Purée of Parsnip

2009-05-28T12:24:00.001-07:00

Can I just say that I love Julia Child? Ok, I know that must sound really cliché coming from a food blogger, but I am seriously in awe of the woman. I found some video clips of 'Baking with Julia', where in each episode she bakes with a featured guest chef. I have been watching these clips during my lunch breaks because I pretty much have to be eating while I'm watching them, otherwise it's just painful -- the cakes, breads, and cookies are totally stomach-grumbles and drool worthy. Anyway, it is so much fun to watch Julia on these shows. She is always asking questions, nibbling on the ingredients, and saying things about how cooking is great because you can eat your mistakes. I can attest to that -- many mistakes have been eaten in my kitchen.

Since zucchinis are now available at the farmers market here, I decided to try this recipe from Julia Child's Menu Cookbook. I modified it slightly to cut down the calories (I know, I know, Julia probably would not approve), but the result was still delicious. I guess I don't expect anything less from a Julia Child recipe.

Zucchini Boats with Purée of Parsnip (adapted from Julia Child)

For the Zucchinis:

5 medium sized zucchinis, halved lengthwise
olive oil for brushing
salt, pepper

Remove the pulp from the zucchini(I resereved the pulp and added it to the purée). Place the zucchini in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove and wipe down excess water with a paper towel. Brush all over with a bit of olive oil.

For the Purée:

1 1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 Tb cream
1 Tb butter
pulp from zucchini (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the parsnips in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook about 15 minutes, until tender.
2. Purée parsnips (and zucchini pulp) in a blender or food processor until very smooth.
3. Place the purée in a double boiler. Add cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook on double boiler, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.

To assemble:
Fill each zucchini piece with a generous amount of purée. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Carrot Halwa

2009-05-27T13:10:00.001-07:00

Every time I make an Indian dessert, I realize how different they are than most American desserts. For one thing, I don't know of any traditional Indian desserts that are baked -- most likely since back in the day, the typical Indian household didn't have an oven. This means almost all Indian desserts must be cooked on the stove, under a watchful eye, with a good deal of care and patience. Arrghh patience!! Patience -- or I guess impatience -- is the bane of my cooking life. But I will overcome. I will learn to be patient. Otherwise, I can say goodbye to homemade Indian desserts, and plenty of other culinary treats.

Carrot halwa is a sweet Indian dessert and a good recipe to test my patience. Although it does require a bit of stove top watching, it is a really easy recipe with only 6 ingredients.

I've only made it a few times and always following a recipe I found online. But I never achieved the tasty halwa I was wanting, UNTIL...last night -- when I decided to experiment with the recipe and try a few new things. The result was exactly what I was looking for -- a rich and creamy halwa that is not too sweet but very flavorful.

Carrot Halwa (serves 4)

2 cups shredded carrot (about 5 medim-large carrots)
2 cups 2% milk
2 Tb ghee or butter (I made my own ghee: recipe here )
1/2 tsp finely ground cardamom
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tb paneer or ricotta (I used ricotta, but I think paneer would be even better)
handful of chopped, roasted cashews (optional, but so good)

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, cook the carrots, milk, ghee (or butter), and cardamom, stirring occasionally, until the carrots have soaked up all the milk. This will take at least 30 minutes. Be very careful not to let the milk burn, stirring the mixture will help.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, paneer (or ricotta), and cashews.
3. Serve warm or when cooled.

Jasmines are very popular in India and fortunately they also grow in California. I picked these flowers from the jasmine bush in my garden.

Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

2009-05-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally tried Alton Brown's the Chewy (Chocolate Chip Cookie) recipe, and let me tell you -- it is GOOD. So good.

The recipe is not unlike this one but uses all bread flour. What I really liked about these cookies, is that they were still chewy and delicious days later.

I made the cookies a bit smaller than what AB suggests and baked for about 10 min and at 350 instead of 375 (I have to be extra careful with my oven since it is crazy and likes to lie). They were insanely gooey and rich out of the oven, and still rich and chewy the next day.

My only complaint is that they might have been a tad too greasy. I think next time I will cut down on the butter by about 1/4 cup. Aside from that, I think this might be my new favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. If you are looking for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie, I highly recommend this one!

Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F (I baked at 350).

2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

3. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Chill the dough (I chilled it for about 1 hour), then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet (mine were smaller so I fit about 8 per sheet). Bake for 14 minutes (I baked for about 10 mins) or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Zim Zim and Kung Pao

2009-05-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

This will probably the strangest title I will ever give a post. But it makes perfect sense -- I promise. I realized that I have been slacking on posting about trips (which was really supposed to be what half this blog is about), so I decided to do a joint post: trips and chips. Well just one trip, and actually the following recipe doesn't have any chocolate chips -- so I guess it's a trip and non-chip post. Still with me?? <...crickets chirping...>

Let's start with the trip. A few weeks ago I went for a day hike near the coastal range mountains, here in Northern California. The weather was great and sights were beautiful.

Here is a shot of Zim Zim Creek.

Ok, now for the food. I found this great recipe for Kung Pao chicken on Rasa Malaysia, but made a few changes. I used tofu instead of chicken , and made some substitutions for some of the ingredients I didn't have. The recipe calls for peanuts, and I guess this is a staple ingredient of the dish, but guess what? I didn't have any -- so I substituted cashews, and I am so glad I did. I also added some fresh snow peas and zucchini. The end result was really delish and I think the cashews were a nice touch.
Kung Pao(ish) Tofu (adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

1 1/2 lbs of tofu, drained, and cubed (see my tofu draining notes below)

3 tablespoons roasted cashews

8-12 dried red chilies

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 slices peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup snow peas

2-3 zucchinis, diced

1 stalk scallion (chopped)

1 recipe marinade (see below)

1 recipe sauce(see below)

Marinade:

1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon peanut oil

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon corn starch

Marinate tofu with the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat up a skillet wok with one tablespoon olive oil and stir-fry the marinated tofu until browned. Dish out and set aside.
Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot.
Add the ginger and garlic slices and quickly stir fry. Add the dried red chilies and stir fry with ginger and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add in the snow peas, and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
Add in the tofu and stir.
Add the roasted cashews and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add the sauce and stir continuously until all ingredients are coated with the sauce.
Add in the scallions and stir evenly.

*Tofu prep: Since I'm not a fan of mushy tofu, I like to drain as much water out as possible. To do this, I first freeze the tofu for a few hours (or overnight), then thaw it on the day I'm ready to use it. Something about the freezing and defrosting allows the water to drain out more easily. Finally, after it's done thawing, I put it on a plate with a towel over it and set an iron skillet on top. I usually add more weight by placing some large cans on in the skillet. The result is a firmer tofu with a heartier texture. Me likey. Try it!
Also, for all the tofu haters: the bf had the chicken version of this dish and also enjoyed it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies

2009-05-05T15:35:00.001-07:00

The New York Times recently posted an article on whoopie pies. I hadn't even heard of whoopie pies until a few months ago, but after drooling over some pictures, I decided to have a go at some whoopie action. I had some frozen homemade pumpkin puree which I wanted to use up, and since I can eat chocolate chips with pretty much anything, I decided on pumpkin chocolate chip whoopie pies.

I started with a pretty simple recipe for pumpkin cookies and tweaked it a bit to make it healthier. Then I added chocolate chips and a cream cheese filling (so much for healthy).

These cookies were really good. The subtle pumpkin flavor and spiciness of the cookies were a nice contrast to the tartness of the cream cheese filling. And the chocolate chips added a nice texture, as always.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies (makes 15 pies)

Pumpkin cookies (makes 30 cookies, adapted from George Duran):

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 oz Cream Cheese (I used Neufatchel)
3/4 confectioners sugar
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks

For Cookies:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
4. Slowly stir in the flour mixture into the batter. Mix just until all the flour mixture is incorporated. Stir in the chips and pecans.
5. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.
For Filling:
Using a mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Stir in chocolate chips/pieces.

Cheddar and Green Onion Cornbread

2009-05-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Cornbread is really simple, yet healthy and so so good. Classic comfort food. What is really great about it is the endless possibilities of additions that work deliciously with the simple corn flavor. This time, I tried cheddar cheese, green onions, and crushed red pepper. I shredded some cheddar cheese, which made the cheese flavor very subtle. I think next time I will chop it up instead of shredding it to really bring out the flavor. The green onion and crushed pepper were a great touch. I like to make this bread in an iron skillet because it gives it a great crispy crust while keeping the center moist.

Cheddar and Green Onion Cornbread (adapted from Joy of Cooking)
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tb sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 Tb butter, melted
1 cup milk (I've used 2% and skim, both would good results)
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (next time I'll use coarsely chopped)
1 Tb crushed red pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If making this in an iron skillet, place the skillet in the oven while it preheats.
2. Stir together the first 4 ingredients (dry). Stir in the next 3 ingredients (wet). Gently stir in the green onions, crushed red pepper, and cheddar cheese.
3. Pour batter into heated skillet. Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta

2009-04-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I saw a Good Eats episode on homemade pasta, and I was inspired. Alton Brown made ravioli, but since this was my first attempt at pasta from scratch and I don't own a pasta maker, I decided to keep it simple and go with a pasta noodle. I wanted to up the nutritional content, so I chose a whole wheat pasta recipe from my lovely Joy of Cooking. For this recipe, I followed both Alton's tips and the tips from Joy of Cooking. Here's how it went down.

AB and JoC both suggested mounding the flour and creating a well in the center for the wet ingredients to be poured into. The benefit of doing it this way is you never use more flour than you need -- you just use as much flour as necessary to soak up the wet ingredients and form the dough. That's brilliant! And so simple! So I tried it.
First I mounded my dough. Then I made a well...
Then I added the wet ingredients...
Waahh!! My well! My beautiful well. Actually it was a stupid sissy well that couldn't even hold some eggs and water in place...arrghh. At this point I almost gave up, but the bf offered some moral support, so I continued...
Ahh..eventually, I got a dough! And it didn't suck. Yay! I actually didn't use up all the flour that the recipe called for, so I think it is a good idea to incorporate the dough and the wet ingredients slowly instead of all at once.

After the dough rested in the fridge for about an hour, we rolled it out into thin sheets...And if you're wondering, no those are not my hands -- I put the bf to work for this recipe. Sometimes moral support just isn't enough.

The next step was to cut the sheets into strips. Using a pizza cutter made it really easy.
The final step was to use a handy dandy pasta dryer and allow the pasta to dry for at least 2 hours...
This is what happens when you're living on a grad student stipend and therefore don't have a handy dandy pasta dryer. You make one! We scrubbed down a yard stick until it was nice and clean, propped it up with two chairs, and hung the pasta strips off of it. Drying the pasta this way was so simple, I don't think I even need a pasta dryer.

Once the pasta dries, it is ready to be boiled. The boiling time is much less than for store bought pasta. We boiled ours for about 6 minutes.

I made a simple tomato sauce with fresh mushrooms and onions, topped it with some Parmigiano Reggiano (yes, I splurged and bought the real stuff) and...Tah Dah!
This pasta was SOOO good and the taste/texture was just so much better than the store bought stuff. Now I'm not saying that I'll never use store-bought pasta, because, well, it's still really good and so quick to prepare, but whenever I have the time, I will definitely be making this again. It does take some effort and patience, but the end result is sooo worth it.

Whole Wheat Pasta (adapted from Joy of Cooking and Alton Brown)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 large eggs, beaten
1 Tb water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine the flours and mound the mixture on a clean counter.
2. Combine the eggs, water, salt, and oil.
3. Make a large well* (see note below) in the center of the mound and slowly pour in the egg mixture a little bit at a time. Mix the flour with the wet ingredients until all of the wet ingredients are absorbed. Do not force the dough to use all the flour, just take as much as needed to incorporate all the wet ingredients.
4. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes.
5. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
6. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin sheet, one at a time. The dough should be about 1/8 inch thick, thin enough to detect the outline of your hand.
7. Cut the dough into strips of desired thickness.
8. Let the strips dry on a pasta dryer (or a homemade pasta dryer!) for at least 2 hours.
9. Note: Fresh pasta takes much less time to cook. Check the pasta as soon as 4 minutes of boiling.

*I think the reason my well didn't work out so well (hah!) is that I poured too much of the the wet ingredients in too quickly. The wet ingredients should be poured into the well in small batches, one at a time. Also, the well should be deep enough to hold a good amount of liquid (mine was not).

After making this, I decided to submit it to Presto Pasta Nights, a great group of food bloggers who challenge themselves by making interesting pasta dishes. This week's host is Ruth from Once Upon a Feast -- her blog has some great recipe ideas!

My Legume Love Affair: Chana Dal Burfi

2009-04-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've finally decided to quit being a food blogging hermit and branch out to the rest of the food blogosphere. Here I am! This week I decided to participate in a food challenge presented by My Legume Love Affair. This month is hosted by Glamah from Coco Cooks (who btw has some amazing recipes on her blog, like Pumpkin and Coconut Samosas...I drooled a little bit just typing that) and the challenge is appetizers and desserts. Naturally, being Indian and all, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to highlight the use of legumes in Indian desserts. Of course I forgot the fact that my mother's and grandmother's skills in preparing Indian desserts have apparently skipped a generation.

This recipe is for a a sweet, fudge-like dessert called burfi or barfi (I know the name doesn't sound appetizing, but trust me, it is so good!) I got the recipe from my mom, but being the pro that I am, I screwed it up. The results were still very good, of course not as good as mama's, but I'm not sure if they'll ever be.

Burfi is made with chana dal (the bf pronounces it 'china doll', which is wrong but kind of funny), a relative of the chickpea. I will post my mom's original recipe with notes on my screw-ups and desperate attempts to remedy them.

Indian Chana Dal Burfi

1/2 c chana dal
1/2 c water mixed with 1 Tb oil (I forgot the oil)
1/2 cup milk
1 Tb oil (I used peanut)
2 Tb butter
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup white, 1/4 cup brown)
about 2 Tb non fat dry milk powder
1/2 cup roasted pistachios (my addition)

1. Soak chana dal in 1/2 cup of water overnight.
2. After dal has soaked, boil the dal in the same water. When the water starts to boil, lower heat to a simmer. Cook the dal until it is soft enough to mash with your fingers. Once ready, use the bottom of an empty jar (or your hands) to mash the dal. (This is where I messed up -- I drained the water out and mashed the dal without the water. I had to compensate much later on by adding more water).
3. In a separate pan, heat 1 Tb of oil and 1 Tb of butter. Add the dal, milk, and cardamom. Cook over medium low heat, being careful not to burn the milk, for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the sugar, non-fat dry milk powder, and pistachios, and stir. The mixture should be thick. Add more non fat dry milk if necessary to thicken to a paste-like consistency.
5. Pour the mixture into a dish or pan and allow to cool for at least 2 hours.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2009-04-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know it's spring and all, but when the BF brought home a bunch of these oh so pretty butternut squashes I knew I had to make something delish. He got these from the Plant Sciences department of our unversity -- apparently they were just giving them away. Since this department grows tons and tons of produce all year long, I'm guessing these were some leftovers from this winter.

I decided to make roasted butternut squash soup, because it's so good, easy, and healthy.

Butter Nut Squash Soup (very loosely adapted from Gourmet Feb 2009):

4 small or 2 large butter nut squash, peeled and cut in half lenth-wise
2 Tb olive oil + extra for brushing
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups of vegetable broth (I only had one cup so I used it and 1 cup of water)
5 - 6 fresh sprigs of thyme
8 bay leaves
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Brush the cut side of the squash with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle each half with about 1 tablespoon of water. Bake, cut side down, in large glass dish for 35min or until softened. Check half way through baking and add additional water if necessary to keep squash from scorching.
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Once hot, add chopped onion. Cook until browned. Add garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add squash and vegetable broth. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat. Using a hand blender or regular blender, puree the mixture. Stir in butter, sour cream, and yogurt. Add thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 15 minutes over low to medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.

Pizza Two Ways

2009-04-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

I've noticed something about myself: I ALWAYS crave desserts. It doesn't matter where I am or when it is, but I think I can always happily picture myself eating a brownie, or cookie, or cupcake. Of course some cravings are more uh, defiant, than others, and maybe these happen to occur around the same time every month...sorry, too much info?

I have to admit, though, if there is one non-dessert food item that I find myself craving -- dare I say -- as much as I crave brownies, it would have to be pizza.

I know there are a TON of great trendy and atypical pizza recipes out there: pizza bianca, pizza margherita, and even this new-fangled black and gold pizza, but I really prefer the typical (some might say boring) tomato sauce and mozarella cheese pizza.

See, this meanie was raised in New York City and grew up eating and loving New York City pizza. And although I had the occasional encounter with the non red-and-white pizzas, something always left me wishing I had a cup of tomato sauce for dipping and a sprinkle of mozarella cheese.

I never understood why pizza got such a bad rap as being unhealthy. Bread, tomatoes, and cheese...what's not healthy? For my version, I use a homemade whole wheat crust, part-skim mozarella, and tons of veggies. This pizza defies being labeled as junk food. The crust is crispy, wholesome, and sturdy -- which makes nice for holding up all those veggies. It is not like the typical chewy, floppy NYC pizza crust, but considering how frequently I make this recipe, I think this is a great healthy alternative.

I usually make my pizza the same way: dough, tomato paste/sauce, mozarella cheese - and then experiment with different toppings. And I ALWAYS make two pizzas, because you can never have too much.
This week I went with Pizza#1 - Greek style: fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, olives, and feta, and Pizza#2: roasted red pepper, roasted fennel, mushrooms, and fontina.

Pizza-making is an art, and I am far from mastering it, but with every pizza I make, I think I'm getting closer and closer to my idea of the perfect homemade pizza.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (makes enough for two pizzas; adapted from allrecipes):

1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon + 1 tsp olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a damp towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll each ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan.
Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is slightly crisp and golden at the edges.
Remove from oven. Increase oven to 500 degrees F. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings, and bake for 10 minutes.

Indian Sandesh

2009-03-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

Spring is here.
These cherry blossoms were blooming right outside of the building where my lab is.

And in another part of town (aka my kitchen) something else was blooming (sort of).

Ok, so they may not be as pretty as those cherry blossoms but they sure taste better.
These little blossoms are called sandesh, a really simple Indian dessert made from paneer. Paneer is an Indian cheese that's made by boiling milk, adding lemon juice, and then straining the curds that are produced. I made these desserts with homemade paneer, which is actually really simple to make. No paneer tutorial this time, but I promise there will be one here soon.

I sprinkled a bit of sugar on them and took this picture -- oh, and I also ate two of them.

You can usually buy blocks of paneer from Indian grocery stores. If you use this kind, just use your hands to crumble it up first.

Sandesh

1 cup paneer, crumbled
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
1 Tb almond pieces

Using a potato masher or your hands, mash the paneer and sugar together. Shape into rounds. Sprinkle with cardamom, almond, and extra sugar. Chill for 1 hour.

NYT CCC

2009-03-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

Since the title of this blog is Chocolate Chip Trips, I think it's only fitting to have a Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. So, here it is.

This is the chocolate chip cookie recipe published in the New York Times last July (2008). I have been meaning to try it for the longest time, but something else always got in the way -- that something else being brownies, blondies, muffins, and the like.

The recipe is not particularly difficult to make (actually the BF made this batch, so that means it can't be hard, don't tell him I said that), but it does require some ingredients that I don't normally have off hand. Cake flour, bread flour, and chocolate disks.

Before I say more about these cookies, here's my disclaimer: the BF did not follow this recipe exactly. Unfortunately, we couldn't. Let me explain. The recipe asks you to use "a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment" to cream the butter and sugar. When I read this, I was mad! Why must a recipe just assume that you have a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment? How come recipes don't think of us poor (literally -- broke graduate student here) folks who haven't yet found the courage to spend $300 on a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment? Oh, don't get me wrong. I will love the day I have a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, but unfortunately, living on my university stipend won't get me there too soon. But no fretting -- that's what marriage is for, right? So your family and friends can buy you Kitchen Aid mixers and Le Creuset pots and all those other kitchen gadgets you've been drooling over for your whole broke graduate student life? I can't wait for that special day.

Anyway, we didn't have a KA, so we just used our standard hand held mixer to cream the butter and sugar. And we didn't have chocolate disks, so we used high quality bittersweet chocolate chips. And no, I'm not going to list a bunch of other changes I made and then complain about the recipe. Apart from the two I mentioned, we followed this recipe exactly. The verdict? Oh, they were definitely good, rich and flavorful, but still not the perfect cookie I was hoping for. They were a bit too crunchy for my taste.

I'm sorry NYT!! This has to be probably the ONLY semi-negative review of this recipe anywhere. I searched the internet to see if any other poor souls had the same fate as we did, but it seemed that it worked out perfectly for everyone else. I so envy all the KA owners.

Here is a link to the recipe, but I think I prefer this one.

If anyone else had a similar experience with this recipe, I would love to hear! Let's start a club and exclude all the cool kids (aka KA owners)! :P

Not-So-Far Away Travels

2009-03-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

The last blog was about chips (chocolate that is), so this one will be about trips. aahh..things are making sense now, no? See...I didn't just choose this blog title because it rhymes and sounds good, unlike many of my actions, this one actually had a point. So, here goes a trip. It wasn't very far -- just a few blocks from my place.

Actually, I've ran past many of these parts on countless morning runs, and never really thought twice about taking a picture. I'm glad I did though. Maybe it was the cloudiness, or the rain from the night before that left things a bit greener than usual, or maybe because I finally stopped sucking at taking pictures with my new camera...but something about the colors in these photos makes me long for more rainy days.

Doesn't this bench just say "sit here"? Well, it did to me. So I sat down, and noticed someone else must have too. Someone else also ate breakfast on it, and this someone else dropped some Cheerios (click on photo to confirm), woops. Oh well, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who liked it. :)

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Muffins

2009-03-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

I like to make these muffins when I am craving a wholesome dessert, as opposed to the brownies, cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies, which, although very satisfying taste-wise, often leave my belly grumbling for some more. These muffins are pretty wholesome and filling -- made with bananas, a bit of applesauce, whole wheat (pastry) flour, and walnuts. Of course, I add chocolate chips (did you see the title of this blog?) to make sure no cravings are left unsatisfied.

The original recipe is actually the most popular recipe on allrecipes. Here is my wholesome, chocolate-craving satisfying rendition:

UPDATE: I initially forgot to list one of the most important ingredients: the Chocolate Chips (duh)!! Forgive me, this is my first posting. Clearly, I need practice.

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Muffins (adapted from allrecipes)
(Makes 12 muffins)

3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/6 cup canola oil
1/6 cup applesauce
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ginger
1 tablespoon cold butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together 3/4 cups all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, oil, and applesauce. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.