What a bounty!!

Last night, friends Abby and Courtney held a tremendous Columbus Day pot-roast-pot-luck.  We ate with much merriment, and outside the universe pelted hail on Brooklyn, as if to urge us to have one more glass of wine.  I brought some food I'd been dying to make... first, the cake. 

Seckel Pear Upside Down Cake

A lot of research went into this cake, and I am thrilled with the results.  

Cake mixture itself modeled after Food & Wine's Apple Cake. 

Step 1:

15-20 seckel pears (those tiny little guys)

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (either will do)

1/2 stick of butter

(If butter is unsalted, 1/8 tsp salt)

Cooking Oil Spray

Spring Form Pan

Step 2:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

1.  Halve the seckel pears, scraping out the core carefully.  Set aside.

2.  Combine the 1/2 stick of butter, softened, with the brown sugar and possibly salt to make a paste.  Spray the pan generously with oil, and spread paste on the base.  Arrange the pears in the paste in your chosen design.  If you still have pears, line the side of the pan with them. 

3.  Combine the dry ingredients of step two, and  in a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients.  Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Stir with a fork until most lumps have gone. 

4.  Bake at 350-375 for about an hour and a half.  This really depends on your oven and the fruit's moisture, so start low, monitor, and adjust as necessary. 

5. Enjoy as demonstrated: 

News

Dear all,

 Two major peices of news:

1. All hands on deck will be required... as I move kitchens from Cobble Hill to Park Slope.  Jack has been vigorously packing our kitchen, hence the lack of posting.  Stay tuned for next week when some true hands on action will commence.

2. Secondly, and hugely awesome, is the public launch of Dinevore, the brain child of my friend Jeremy.  You may have read the praise on Thrillist and Eater.  While an algorithm that weights professional reviews is the center of the site, take my word, the best part of it is tracking your own dining experiences and wishes.  It is sad to admit that I log on after every time I eat out, which, truth be told, is almost daily.  Something to chew on in my absence!

 Love,

    All hands on deck

TV dinner

   1 burrata (For those unfamiliar, mozzarella stuffed with cream, left to curdle. Yes, it is real.)
   3 heirloom tomatoes with basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
   2 oz spicy salami
   1/3 cup mixed olives
   1/3 cup peppadew pickled peppers
   1 loaf of salted whole grain bread
   1 bottle of wine (uh... or more?)
   1 episode of Breaking Bad
+  2 people
----------------------------------
=  a lovely, air conditioned evening in.

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Pops(icles)

I have a new toy... a pops(icle--- ugh why is everything a brand?) mold.  Please enjoy round one of my experiments, inspired by People's Pops.

PS: I'm going calling this photo a nod to Terry Richardson, but the truth is less fun.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pops
1 lb rhubarb
1 lb strawberries, trimmed
1/2 cup sugar, plus some for tweaking
cinnamon (optional)
water

1.  Chop rhubarb into 1 inch pieces, place in a saucepan and add enough water to just about cover.  Simmer until it disintegrates.
2.  Add sugar, taste, and add more sugar if puckeringly tart.  Not all rhubarb tastes the same.  Stir until dissolved.
3.  Blend strawberries and a ladle or two liquid, pour strawberry liquid into pan.  Season with cinnamon if desired.
4.  Pour into molds, freeze overnight, and ta-da!

Rigatoni with Wilted Radicchio and Sausage

I love my CSA and I love radicchio.  But one head of radicchio goes a long way.  Faced with a fridge slowly filling with radicchio, I was challenged to find a good use.  I  prepared this meal, and served it to Jack without explanation.  Bitter, sweet and savory, it's a surprising dish.

Rigatoni with Wilted Radicchio and Sausage
2/3 lb whole wheat rigatoni
1 lb sweet Italian chicken or pork sausage, casing removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cubanelle pepper, finely chopped
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped,
1/2 large head of radicchio, sliced into rings and separated (think of cabbage)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt (careful: it may not need any more)
pepper
chopped parsley (for garnish)

1.  Prepare the rigatoni, drain and set aside.
2.  In the meantime, pour olive oil into a large skillet.  Heat on medium to high heat, add the sausage, and stir until cooked thoroughly.  Break up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks.
3.  Add chicken broth and peppers, let simmer for two minutes.
4.  Add radicchio and red pepper flakes. Cover the skillet so that the radicchio wilts.  This should take a couple of minutes.
5.  Season sausage mixture with salt and pepper to taste.  Add rigatoni, combine, and separate into bowls.  Garnish with parsley (cheese may be too salty) and enjoy.

Basil Blueberry Muffins

Yesterday I had the pleasure of stopping in to Crop-to-Cup/the Co-Op on Atlantic Avenue where I tried a Bread Meat Bread blueberry muffin with basil.  It changed my life.  These should be a staple.  Here is my own version, a simple recipe with no cinnamon, citrus or vanilla so that the basil shines.

Basil Blueberry Muffins
2/3 cup buttermilk 
3/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 pint of blueberries (add an extra handful if you have it)
3-4 tbsp chopped basil (fine but not invisible)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Liberally butter muffin tins (18) and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, beat the egg.  Add the oil and buttermilk, combine and set aside.
3.  In another large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Make sure everything is evenly distributed.
4.  Rinse the blueberries, shaking off excess moisture.  While still damp, toss them into the dry mixture.  Add basil.  Fold gently until blueberries are coated.
5.  Fold wet mixture into dry until just combined, careful not to overwork it.
6.  Using an ice cream scoop (trust me, this is the way to go) or a large spoon, distribute the batter into tins.
7.  Place tins in oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

What I did on my summer vacation...

My apologies for being so delinquent.  I must start the blogging catch-up somewhere.  For a glimpse of "what I did on my summer vacation," please admire MJ Mojer's beautiful container garden in Nantucket.  The woman can do no wrong.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I've had the time to post.  I worked my (not so little anymore) butt off, and then spent the last few days relaxing and finally enjoying the pleasure of good company.

Oh, and of course, there was a little cooking involved in my law school rebound.  On Sunday a few friends came by and we feasted.  I made smoked salmon tea sandwiches, popovers, baked eggs, roasted tomatoes and asparagus, bacon, and a whopping great tray of macaroni and cheese.  This spread turned full out bounty with the gorgeous creations of friends: cinnamon rolls, potatoes, fruit salad, and some very necessary cocktails.

1

Many people mentioned the eggs.  While they may have been humoring me, the crazy eyed be-aproned shut-in, I thought I would share the recipe because it's so quick and easy that by the end I was sending people home with the fixins.

Baked Eggs for a Crowd
1 dozen eggs
1 cup shredded good, sharp cheddar
chives
cream
butter 
s & p 
Equipment: muffin tins (you need twelve muffin cups total)

1. Generously butter muffin tins.
2. Crack an egg in each, top with a splash (a teaspoon or so) of cream per egg, salt, pepper, a teaspoon or so of chives, and a little cheese.
3. Bake for 10 minutes or until whites are set at 400.
I told you it was easy.  It gives you time to enjoy the other goodies...

Orzo Hellas

Some of you may be aware of my... uh... soft spot (read: fetish) for Chef Michael Psilakis' restaurants. His places give justice to all food, whether fine or hearty. My wallet loves him for that.

My favorite thing at Kefi is the orzo dish, which inspired Orzo Hellas. Not quite as decadent as Psilakis (deliberately so), but it certainly satisfied my craving.

 
 Orzo Hellas
8 oz of orzo
1/2 eggplant, cubed into 1/4 - 1/2 inch peices
1 zucchini, same size as eggplant
1 cup sweet red, yellow, or orange peppers, diced
6 oz baby spinach
1/2 cup water
1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes
6 scallions, thickly sliced
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, minced (if you have time, poach these whole in olive oil with a bay leaf and puree, then skip the saute step and add in with scallions... bumps it up a notch) 
8 oz real parmesan or kaseri cheese, grated
parsley and dill
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Coat a large pot with olive oil, and warm on low to mid heat. Add the zucchini and eggplant, add a pinch of salt, and cook for ten minutes or until eggplant is tender. Remove and reserve.
2. In the same pot, coat again (generously) with olive oil, add garlic and cook on low heat for two minutes. Add shallots, cook until translucent. Add scallions and peppers, cook for one minute. Add eggplant and zucchini.
3. Cook orzo according to package, drain and reserve.
4. Pour can of tomatoes and water into veggie mixture, season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
5. Add orzo and baby spinach, combine and let spinach wilt. Serve with a heap of kaseri or parmesan, cracked black pepper, and chopped herbs on top.

Silky, slightly sweet, light... yet warm and seemingly bottomless. Great for a rainy spring day.

Alternate serving recommendation: Forget the cheese, double the herbs and drizzle with a really fruity extra virgin olive oil. That would make a lovely vegan dish.

Think twice about that Gardenburger

Although I don't eat perfectly, I do have an extreme wariness of processed food, and soy in particular.  But say it ain't so: most veggie burgers are tainted with neurotoxins.  Frightening, I know.  It's a chemical made from crude oil (which is almost a euphemism: you can also think of it as a petroleum by-product) that's also present in rubber cement and gasoline.  (Awesome.)  It is used to extract oil from soybeans.

What's worse is that hexane (the chemical at issue) is used to extract cooking oils that aren't expeller or cold pressed. I just checked my cooking oils, which are purchased solely from health food stores: one cold pressed, one expeller pressed, and one mystery product.  I wonder my local take out place is using.

Mother Jones answers your questions.  Think before you eat, because no processed product is going to be as good for you as organic whole foods.

Quick meal: Tangy Fruit Compote and Greek Yogurt

I am super busy with school work, but I still need to eat. Here's a really quick recipe.


Tangy Fruit Compote with Greek Yogurt (or The Suspiciously Swarthy Scandinavian)
1 pear, chopped into small pieces
1 cup of strawberries, sliced
1 cup of rhubarb, chopped into  1/4 inch slices
2 tbsps sugar (more to taste)
1/3 cup water
vanilla
cinnamon
2-3 green cardamom pods
1/2 - 1 tsp cracked black pepper

plain Greek yogurt

1. Combine pear, rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, water, and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.  Stir occasionally, adding a dash of vanilla and cinnamon.
2. Once fruit has softened and reduced some, add a little black pepper, taste, repeat until satisfied. You may wish to add more sugar as well.  Keep lid off until desired consistency. Remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator.
3. Serve cold with Greek yogurt. I like a 1:1 ratio, but that's just me!

Also delicious with something crunchy... granola or:
1/8 cup pepitas, raw
1/3 cup rolled oats
honey or agave nectar
cinnamon
pinch of salt

Layout pepitas and oats on a nonstick baking sheet. Generously drizzle with agave or honey, add a dash of cinnamon (not too much or it will be bitter), and toss in a tiny pinch of salt. Mix everything together until evenly coated, and redistribute onto the baking sheet. Toast in the oven at 400 for 5 minutes, keeping a watchful eye. Do NOT burn the pepitas, or everything will be too bitter.

The compote would also be delicious simply on top of plain oatmeal. Mmm. I'm not sure I made enough!

Sirens and Muses: Renee's enticing watercolors

Renee's Garden Seeds initially seems like a small, run-of-the-mill online seed catalog... but don't be fooled.  Each seed variety has a beautiful watercolor illustration to pique your imagination. Not only that, but she has great information and suggestions for container gardening, including the ability to filter shopping searches for seeds well suited for containers.

(a sampling of Renee's gorgeous illustrations)

Cilantro and bedbugs?

While we are on the topic of cilantro....

Sirens and Muses: Red, White and Blue

It has been so hard to study lately....

(the view from my book... or red, white and blue)

Argentina in Appalachia: Ramp Chimichurri Steak over Salad

This weekend at the farmers market, it was officially spring.  They were selling green things!!!! Officially trumpeting in the season were ramps.  It was pandemonium at the farmer's table, at 10 am I was three people deep trying to get some of these Appalachian "spring leeks." I wanted to make something not on the farmers suggestion board, and came up with a delicious and quick weeknight dinner.

Chimichurri Sauce with Ramps
1 bunch ramps
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil 
2 tbsps red wine vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp sea salt
a generous pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Cold wash ramps. Slice off bottoms, chop and inch or so off the top.  Remove any slimy outer skins.  Cold wash again. (Obviously, wash your parsley and cilantro.)
2. Combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender.  If using an immersion blender, chop up ingredients and start with the wet ingredients and just a handful of the herbs.  Keep adding until herbs are gone.

Chimichurri Steak Salad
Steak, 1/2 lb - 1 lb of your choosing (Hint: a thin, chewy cut of meat will do just fine)
8 campari tomatoes, 20 cherry, or  25 grape tomatoes
1/4 vidalia onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
mixed greens
olive oil
red wine or unseasoned rice vinegar
salt
Chimichurri sauce (recipe above)

1. Set aside 1/2 - 1 cup of chimichurri sauce. Marinade the steak for six hours (or while you are at work) in the remaining sauce.
2. When ready to cook, take out reserved chimichurri and bring to room temperature. 
3. Brush tomatoes with olive oil and salt. Put under broiler until skin blisters.
4. Meanwhile, grill or cook steak in a skillet with a splash of olive oil.
5.  In a bowl, combine mixed greens, avocado, vidalia, and tomatoes.  Top with the steak, sliced.
6. Thin remaining chimichurri with a tablespoon or two of vinegar.  Pour atop steak and serve. Break the tomatoes to combine with chimichurri/steak juices to make a killer dressing for the greens while you eat!

A Succulent Re-Do

 future inspiration

My friend Annie had some ladies over for some terrarium making a couple of months ago.  It was delightful, we got our hands dirty and everyone walked away with a little green to brighten our dark Brooklyn apartments.

Unfortunately, I put a lid on my succulent terrarium. It just looked prettier that way, okay?  My little desert plants rotted away, one by one, with just a hint of moisture.  I recently opened the lid to see yellow round mold spores clumped on the soil.  YUCK.  So, I created a succulent arrangement to replace my terrarium, one I cannot put a lid on. I think I like it better.

 

How to make a succulent arrangements

(or, what I have learned along the way)

• Put a layer of small stones at the bottom of your container, about one inch.
• Line with a layer of charcoal, about a half inch.
• Combine cactus soil and perlite, at a ratio of about 50/50.  You may elect to use sand. Even  the store bought cactus soil can be too moist.
• Place your succulents as you'd like the arranged, bring soil over to bury the roots, keeping the roots fairly shallow. Press lightly.
• Spritz with water when completed.
• Let the soil dry out completely before watering.  Do not water often or the plants will rot.
• Place near a nice, bright window.
• Remove any rot immediately, as it will spread to the other plants.
• Resist the urge to cover it, no matter how cute.

The trouble with cilantro

My mother said to me yesterday, "Where did you learn to garden? I can't keep anything alive." I answered my mother that I didn't. I just keep trying, and every year I've gotten better.  Part of my success is due to my hideous self watering, well draining container.  It babys my herbs when I don't have time to do so myself.

This year I added cilantro to my miracle container. Then came the wind, and somehow the roots came to the surface. I reburied them.  It happened again.  I reburied them again.  Then I noticed the stems were tangled. So after some fruitless internet research, I untangled them. Now they are limply strewn about, leaning on my dill and slowly bringing it down.  (I still have no clue why the roots keep coming to the surface, but I'm just going to let that slide.)


 So, things to know before you grow cilantro:

• Cilantro is a cool weather plant, believe it or not. It bolts (flowers) really quickly when the weather warms up to 75, and you can no longer enjoy it's deliciousness. 
• Cut off the flower heads to extend the plant's life. This is not guaranteed to work, but I hear the flowers are edible and rather yummy.
• Alternatively, let the flower heads drop and pray for a second crop of the season.
• It prefers morning and late afternoon sun, even though it is technically a "full sun plant" because it is so sensitive to heat.
•  Cilantro does not transplant well.  (Oops.)  You are better off seeding directly in the container.
• It grows in clumps because its stems are weak. (Ah, whoops.)

Good Morning! Morning Glory Muffins

A week doesn't go by without me wishing two things: (1) It is summer, and I am on an ocean beach (2) I have in my possession a beautiful Morning Glory Muffin ready for snacking.  This recipe is a slight modification from the original Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket as featured in Gourmet.

Morning Glory Muffins
1 apple, peeled and grated (trick: grate the apple as a whole, using the core as a handle)
2 cups carrots, coarsely grated (use a food processor or you will be grating all day)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup sugar (use only 1 cup if using sweetened apple sauce)
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened, adjust sugar if sweetened)
1 tsp vanilla



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tins well.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Add the first five ingredients, and stir.
3.  Whisk remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, and then add to dry mixture.
4. Spoon into muffin tray and bake for thirty minutes or until the muffins are firm and spring back to touch. Take out of the oven and cool on wire racks. For best results, let sit several hours (24 ideally) before eating.

Sirens and Muses: Springtime

 

A pilfered spring sprig

Don't you sometimes need a little inspiration?

After graduating from college, life was great. I lived in my favorite neighborhood, frequently saw my friends and boyfriend, and was walking distance to everything I enjoyed.  I had a healthy lifestyle and my spirit was adventurous and inspired.  But... it wasn't going anywhere, and let's face it, I am an ambitious lass.  Twenty-five hit me with a loud smack in the face.

Now I'm in law school, and while I am almost 1/3 of the way to going somewhere in life, my "life" as I knew it was gone.  I often tell people I feel like Rapunzel, sitting in my turreted apartment building on the very edge of Brooklyn, waiting for my rescue.  (Reading ridiculous amounts of six point print and typing furiously as I wait.)  Delayed gratification can be a struggle.

Today I lunched with a friend who is pursuing the romantic entrepreneurial lifestyle I envy.  His stories reminded me that being inspired is a key element to enjoying life.  So, I now introduce Sirens and Muses, a series of posts: temptations and inspirations to prod us into creating, into getting all hands on deck.  Even when we don't have time to create, we can dream.

Spring Peas

I am ignoring the fact that I have not even touched my Contracts reading for later today in order to share a little bit of goodness with you.

Pea salad. I know what you are thinking, but hear me out. Sweet peas, herbs, feta... it can't get much better. I have not yet seen any peas at the farmers market, so I used frozen peas. However, the texture of fresh peas would be delightful. I paired this dish with lamb and potatoes on Easter, and it stole the show.

Amy's Pea Salad

Ingredients:
1 1 lb bag frozen, petite peas defrosted (Whole Food's own organic ones are excellent)
1/3 lb good feta Not cow's feta. Not salty American feta. Good feta. (I used Valbreso.) If you can't find good feta, use goat cheese. If you want something more subtle, I think this would be great with ricotta salata also.
1/2 cup of mint leaves, roughly chopped
2-4 scallions, sliced into rounds
1 bunch of radishes, sliced into rounds or cubed
1/2 long cucumber, or one whole short one, sliced into rounds or cubed
2 tbps extra virgin olive oil
2 tbps red wine vinegar

Directions: Get ready for it... combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss thoroughly and serve immediately at room temperature.  Voila! Low calorie, extremely healthy, and oh-so-springtime.

A tropical spring break (Pt. 2)

Continued from below...

Sesame Green Beans and Asparagus
1 package (roughly 2 cups) of green beans, trimmed
1 bunch of asparagus
1/8 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp minced ginger
Juice of 1/2 a tangerine or small orange
2 tsp sesame oil

1. Peel asparagus on about 2/3 of the sides (it is easiest if it is flat on the board). Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.
2. Chop green beans in half. Add to asparagus.
3. Mix all marinade ingredients and toss it with the veggies. Let sit for an hour or two.
4. Cook everything (including juice) in a skillet on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.  At the end, add the sesame seeds.  When well combined, serve.

Soy-Citrus Marinated Cod

Cod * I used 3/4 lb of cod to serve 2 people
Basil, scallions and cilantro  (just a handful)
Brown rice
 
Marinade: 

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
Juice of 1/2 a tangerine or small orange
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tsp honey
1 tsp sesame oil


1. Line a baking dish with tin foil. Place fish onto the foil.
2. Mix marinade and pour atop fish, reserving about two tablespoons.  Let sit for up to one hour on the counter, covered, warming it up to room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Pop fish into the oven for about 4 minutes, until top is lightly browning.
4. Lower temperature to about 350 and cook for 10 minutes or until fish is no longer translucent.
5. Top rice with chiffonade of basil, scallions and cilantro.  Place cod atop rice. Spoon the remaining juices over the rice.

Jack and I just about licked our plates clean.  This was a three course meal initially, but after a disastrous try at special macaroons, I think I'll just leave it at that.

A tropical spring break (Pt. 1)

There is the Marae,  Philadelphia Museum of Art, image courtesy of Artchive.com

This week is my spring break, so I'm imagining myself to be far away from my Brooklyn apartment, in a French controlled island in the Pacific.  It's the kind of place that Gauguin painted: almost neon colors and, like Gauguin, I am convincing myself that the flora and fauna are untouched by man. 

So, for dinner tonight, I've prepared something exotic and non-specifically Pacific.

For the first installment...

Mango Salad
1 medium cucumber, peeled
1 large mango, peeled (Make sure the mango is not too ripe, as you want it to be fairly firm)
1 carrot, shredded
3 scallions
1 handful cilantro and basil


Dressing:
1 tsp sriracha
2 tbsps fresh lime juice
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar

1. Slice cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice into three inch long sections (you should have 5-6). Slice these sections lengthwise, and then slice the pieces again into somewhere between batons and matchsticks.

2. Do the same with the mango, remembering to use the flat pit to your advantage. (I eat the extras right off the pit. Yes, every time. Does that really surprise you?)

3. Slice scallions into rounds.

4. Toss cukes, scallions and mango into a bowl with the shredded carrot.

5. Chiffonade basil and pull whole cilantro leaves off the stem. Add to the top of the mixture. 

6. Mix dressing ingredients, dress salad lightly, and eat! 

 Clearly, that is what happened here.  I only got a shot of the second to last bite...

Winter Blue(berry) Bars

I have to admit, I've been a little down in the dumps lately.  I blame being overworked and under-sunned.  However, when I stepped outside today and it was brisk, not frigid, I realized winter was on its way out and clung to the hopes of a couple more weeks of hibernation.  I felt the sudden need for a treat, and the simultaneous fear of bathing suits.  I decided to use the already wrinkled 1.5 lb box of blueberries (from Trader Joe's!) I impulse bought the other day to make a breakfast treat I wouldn't feel too bad about.

What I'm trying to say is, I completely made this up and it's delicious.  Success!

For Blueberry Compote:
24 oz blueberries
1/8 cup water 
1/8 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp minute tapioca (optional)

For Oatmeal Base:
1 whole egg
4 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup light brown sugar, unpacked
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup flax seeds
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

For Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Combine blueberries, water, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil.  Keep boiling, stirring often, until greatly reduced.  If using tapioca, add about 5 minutes in.  When it has reached the consistency of a runnier pie filling, take off the heat and let sit.

While the pot is on the stove, mix wet ingredients of oat base (including the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.  In another mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and then fold into the wet mixture.  Everything will barely combine.

In a small bowl, mix crumb topping ingredients together.  If you're not a confident crumb topping mixer (and who would be other than some of us weirdos), I'll give you a hint: use your (clean) fingers, so you feel it combine.

Mold the oat mixture into the pan, top with the blueberry compote, and then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.

In case you were wondering... if 12 per batch (calculations approximate): 270 calories each, 10g of fat, 38g carbs (6 grams of fiber) and 9 grams of protein.  That's a lot better than that coffee cake you love.

Thank you for holding

Thanks for waiting through this pause. We're in the clear now!
Sometimes life/law school makes you eat frozen Trade Joes food for two weeks. Not that life hasn't been without any excitement.

My friend Erin came by, after months of not seeing each other, to cook a homemade meal.  With the help of Smitten Kitchen, we churned out some beautiful chana masala and scented basmati rice.  The best part of the evening was the Banana/Caramel/Walnut upside down cake that we modified with maple syrup.  (Although, my shallow pan meant that most of the topping dribbled into the bowels of my oven, which billowed black and no doubt carcinogenic black smoke for the duration of the day.) The top, while not totally as gooey as hoped, had the kind of crumble that a good maple fudge has.  I saved some for Jack, but ate most of his share myself. (This is just to say.... I saved some of the cake that we made tonight for you. It was so delicious I just knew you had to have some. I ate it when you hesitated. It's your fault you missed out. See previous post.) 

There was also a tea-and-terrariums party hosted by my dear friend Annie, for which I made tea sandwiches (recipes to follow soon).

However, mostly, there was butter.  Somehow, two pounds of butter came into my kitchen and disappeared.  I hope to churn out some healthier recipes, light on the butter, this week to compensate. Stay tuned!

(Butter Mt. Rushmore and Pig, Boy and Whip images courtesy of Serious Eats)

This is just to say

I know it's everywhere

but every few months this pops into my head... 

This is just to say... 

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox 

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

 - William Carlos Williams 

From NPR's This American Life's special segment on this poem

From Shalom Auslander, two of my favorites: 

I’m sorry you’re overweight
And drinking
And feeling like everything
In your life
Is doomed to failure
But this is probably why
Mom said
I was her favorite

---------------------------

He was a troublemaker, okay
And didn’t know when
To shut up

Still
We never would have killed him
If we’d known he was the Lord

What would you say?

Maple Bourbon Banana Bread

I was hoping that last night's snow storm would hit with some force... and in anticipation, I planned a banana bread recipe to warm up with. Alas, we have just a dusting, but I still think there is sufficient reason to eat half a loaf of ooey, gooey, tangy banana bread.

 

(Oops, I couldn't wait to take a bite...)

I like my banana bread to be beyond moist- wet chunks of banana wrapped in a crumbly bread. Feel free to adjust the flour or take out the yogurt if you prefer a more traditional bread.

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas (I like to use three completely brown ones and a yellow one for texture)
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled (room temp will also do)
1/4 yogurt, non-fat plain
1/3 cup of sugar (I used 1/2 cup and found it too sweet initially)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1+ tbsp bourbon (to taste)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (I like to use a whole tbsp with the bourbon, but if you don't like vanilla, cut it in half)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour (I used mostly whole wheat pastry flour, but all purpose will do nicely)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2+ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease one loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas and butter.  Add the sugar and maple syrup and keep mixing.  Stir in yogurt,  vanilla and bourbon and taste (adjust if necessary).  Add the egg.

In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until evenly distributed.  Add to wet mixture until just incorporated.**  Pour into greased pan and bake for one hour.

** If your batter looks too wet, add 1/4 cup more flour.

Roasted Eggplant Soup

On this gray day, I couldn't imagine anything cozier than a big bowl of roasted eggplant soup, with tomatoes and woody herbs.

I'm serving mine with Olive Rosemary bread made from the One-Day Bread Recipe (below). I just added 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary,  1/3 cup chopped, pitted, salt cured olives and used cornmeal on the towel. I am totally smitten.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1 vidalia onion
2 large smashed cloves of garlic
1 16 oz can peeled plum tomatoes (not to be silly.. but good ones with no additives or sugar)
1 small handful fresh rosemary and thyme, on stem
chicken stock
olive oil
salt and pepper (red and black)
parmesan cheese for grating

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coarsely chop the eggplant and vidalia onion. Place on cookie sheet (add tin foil for easy clean up), drizzle one generous tablespoon of olive oil on the top, and distribute evenly by tossing the vegetables with your hands. Salt liberally, and roast for 35 minutes or until a little more than the corners are brown and eggplant is soft (onion should still be a little crunchy--- we want texture, people!) Resist the urge to pick, especially the browned bits. You'll want those in the soup.

When veggies are out and and a manageable temperature, put them into a large saucepan with the garlic and herbs, and pour in chicken broth until veggies are barely covered. Bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes, simmer for 5 more minutes. Take off the heat, fish out the herbs, remove stems, add leaves back in, and blend (the easiest way is with an immersion blender.) Season with salt, red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper. Serve with grated parm and some yummy bread.