Delicious Things Which I Have Made Lately:
-Pumpkin pie with a shot of Hennessy. The cognac isn't distinguishable on it's own but adds an extra something to the normal pumpkin pie spice blend.
-Andy's favorite lamb burgers (spiced with mint and paprika, served with a sliced of feta), but with my new favorite side dish--chickpea fries! Use about half chickpea flour (I just ground dried chick peas) and water, plus some salt and pepper. Mix and spread into a cookie sheet, chill, slice, and shallow-fry in some olive oil.
-Pumpkin oatmeal. My usual apple oatmeal, but about 3 minutes in I put in a quarter cup of pumpkin puree. I let it boil an additional 3 minutes and then add brown sugar and cinnamon. It's like when I eat pumpkin pie for breakfast but better for me :D
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
breakfast every day
I firmly believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. On weekends, I like to get creative and spend a little more time creating something new and interesting, but during the week when I'm more crunched for time, I have one standard--Apple cinnamon oatmeal.
Really. Put down that quaker oats packet! That is not oatmeal! It's glue-y and oversweet and I'm pretty sure those things don't have any real oatmeal in them anyway.
The cast of characters:
Regular oatmeal (not the instant kind), an apple, and boiling water. (Brown sugar and cinnamon join the party later)
Peel and dice your apple and place it in the boiling water (1 cup water for a single serving). Add 1/2 cup oatmeal and wait 5 minutes. I promise, once you eat it this way, getting up 5 minutes earlier for real oatmeal won't seem like an issue at all.
Top with brown sugar and cinnamon! It'll be hard to wait until it's cool enough to eat.
This keeps you feeling full til lunch like fake packet oatmeal never could. While the brown sugar does provide a bit of energy right away, all the fiber in the oatmeal and apple cause the glucose to be released more slowly into your body so you don't crash and stay satisfied!
Really. Put down that quaker oats packet! That is not oatmeal! It's glue-y and oversweet and I'm pretty sure those things don't have any real oatmeal in them anyway.
The cast of characters:
Regular oatmeal (not the instant kind), an apple, and boiling water. (Brown sugar and cinnamon join the party later)
Peel and dice your apple and place it in the boiling water (1 cup water for a single serving). Add 1/2 cup oatmeal and wait 5 minutes. I promise, once you eat it this way, getting up 5 minutes earlier for real oatmeal won't seem like an issue at all.
Top with brown sugar and cinnamon! It'll be hard to wait until it's cool enough to eat.
This keeps you feeling full til lunch like fake packet oatmeal never could. While the brown sugar does provide a bit of energy right away, all the fiber in the oatmeal and apple cause the glucose to be released more slowly into your body so you don't crash and stay satisfied!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Silly
I made these AMAZING mint-lamb feta burgers for dinner the other day. Seriously, so good. Andy picked up sweet potato fries for us to have as a side because I was a bit rushed, and they paired nicely with a 2005 Chianti.
Anyway, I needed paprika for them. I asked my roommate Neha if she had any, and she thought she did, but she was rushing out the door and only knows the Indian names for her spices. I looked through her spices which were largely unlabeled, but after looking up on wikipedia what paprika is supposed to look like, I decided that I'd found it. But to make sure, for some reason that escapes me now, I decided to take a big ol' spoonful and eat it.
Such a bad idea. I tasted paprika the rest of the day. Moral of the story: don't eat mystery spices. Next time, I'm going to try the sniff test.
Anyway, I needed paprika for them. I asked my roommate Neha if she had any, and she thought she did, but she was rushing out the door and only knows the Indian names for her spices. I looked through her spices which were largely unlabeled, but after looking up on wikipedia what paprika is supposed to look like, I decided that I'd found it. But to make sure, for some reason that escapes me now, I decided to take a big ol' spoonful and eat it.
Such a bad idea. I tasted paprika the rest of the day. Moral of the story: don't eat mystery spices. Next time, I'm going to try the sniff test.
A little taste of fall
For the record: I just ate so much I had to change out of my jeans into sweatpants.
I've been baking lots (as usual) but with the cooler weather we've had this past week, turning the oven on seems like a necessity. And I crave pumpkin like no other. I love the flavors of fall--my breakfast lately has been old-fashioned oatmeal, cooked along with a crisp Michigan apple, with Michigan maple syrup, and fresh apple cider. The Dexter Cider Mill is Michigan's longest running cider mill, and their amazing fresh donuts and cider alongside the banks of the Huron is one of the best parts of fall.
Thinking about fall, I decided to bake a pumpkin pie.
mmmm.
But I thought, since I'm already making a pie crust, why not just triple the pie dough and use up those frozen blueberries?
That was how I somehow ended up with 2 pies. And the blueberry pie! Oh, it was beautiful!
It doesn't even look real!
Click on it. Gaze into the close-up. And note Mr. Bittman's bible in the backround!
So. Good. I made this Friday and promised to bring it to my mom's house for dinner on Saturday--somehow I "forgot" it. Oops.
My roommate Anita actually thought it was store-bought; clearly she doubts the magic of the all-butter crust. (news-flash! shortening and margarine are really bad for you! full of trans fats, aka the heart attack causing kind. and they are gross. switch to butter!)
Anyway, I had another problem. The pumpkin and the blueberry pies were not baked at the same temperature! I had the pumpkin pie in first, so afterwards I was going to have to have the oven on for another whole hour at 350. So I say to myself, self, it's a waste to have the oven on this long! And I had an open contained of pumpkin. I hurried along a bit an managed to get a batch of cheesecake pumpkin brownies in with the blueberry pie.
There are no good pictures of this, as it was gone very shortly after it came out of the oven. It was DELICIOUS. So creamy and moist and pumpkin-y... I kind of want to make another one right now! After all, I already have the oven on... ;)
My pies were standard Mark Bittman (How to Cook Everything), and the pumpkin cheesecake brownie delicious-ness can be found here.
I've been baking lots (as usual) but with the cooler weather we've had this past week, turning the oven on seems like a necessity. And I crave pumpkin like no other. I love the flavors of fall--my breakfast lately has been old-fashioned oatmeal, cooked along with a crisp Michigan apple, with Michigan maple syrup, and fresh apple cider. The Dexter Cider Mill is Michigan's longest running cider mill, and their amazing fresh donuts and cider alongside the banks of the Huron is one of the best parts of fall.
Thinking about fall, I decided to bake a pumpkin pie.
mmmm.
But I thought, since I'm already making a pie crust, why not just triple the pie dough and use up those frozen blueberries?
That was how I somehow ended up with 2 pies. And the blueberry pie! Oh, it was beautiful!
It doesn't even look real!
Click on it. Gaze into the close-up. And note Mr. Bittman's bible in the backround!
So. Good. I made this Friday and promised to bring it to my mom's house for dinner on Saturday--somehow I "forgot" it. Oops.
My roommate Anita actually thought it was store-bought; clearly she doubts the magic of the all-butter crust. (news-flash! shortening and margarine are really bad for you! full of trans fats, aka the heart attack causing kind. and they are gross. switch to butter!)
Anyway, I had another problem. The pumpkin and the blueberry pies were not baked at the same temperature! I had the pumpkin pie in first, so afterwards I was going to have to have the oven on for another whole hour at 350. So I say to myself, self, it's a waste to have the oven on this long! And I had an open contained of pumpkin. I hurried along a bit an managed to get a batch of cheesecake pumpkin brownies in with the blueberry pie.
There are no good pictures of this, as it was gone very shortly after it came out of the oven. It was DELICIOUS. So creamy and moist and pumpkin-y... I kind of want to make another one right now! After all, I already have the oven on... ;)
My pies were standard Mark Bittman (How to Cook Everything), and the pumpkin cheesecake brownie delicious-ness can be found here.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
lately
mostly I've been taking care of these dudes. One of my professors is on her way over to meet them, but as of right now they all need homes!
I made a key lime pie. Let's clear something up, shall we? Key lime pies are not supposed to be bright green. They may be a bit green, but mostly they are yellow. Green key lime pies are full of probably carcinogenic dyes and are, as a rule, less delicious.
Key lime pie is easy. Pretty much all recipes are the same, and they all rely on the magic of chemistry! After hand squeezing a bunch of key limes (aiming for about 1/2 cup juice), mix that with 4 egg yolks and a 12 oz can of sweetened condensed milk. The milk and the highly acidic juices react and start to thicken immediately.
An aside: I make my own graham cracker crust. It is so easy and so much better. Like pancake mixes, the success of commercially prepared graham cracker crusts shall always remain a mystery. Just smash some graham crackers, mix with a little melted butter and press in a pan.
I think people are needlessly afraid of eating raw eggs. In this case, however, baking the filling for 10 minutes at 350 helps it to set a little further. Beat the remaining egg white with some sugar until stiff peaks form, ice the pie and bake about 10 more minutes.
My camera ran out of batteries (?? I think, I took these a few weeks ago) so the final picture I have was with my cell phone.
I also made my brother an apple pie that evening. If I make a pie specifically for someone, I think it's important to put their initial on it. I also think that it is non-negotiable to make pie crust without butter.
sorry for the flash. it was pretty late at this point.
now, back to the kittens!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
I'm a pretty bad blogger
I've been cooking and baking lots. I haven't been taking any pictures or writing about it, however.
Last week, between Tuesday and Thursday, I made: rice crispie treats, custard (traditional, almond, and blackberry), key lime melting moments cookies, key lime pie, and apple pie. I had some good dinners, too, walnut burgers one night, more of my favorite gozlemes... and some more things that I don't even remember. But here are a few things that I had pictures of on my computer already.
That was an amazing cherry pie--picked the cherries myself from my backyard!
Here are some of the famous New York Time's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. I enjoyed reading about their search, and maybe it really is better to let the dough rest for 24 hours. But the recipe itself wasn't anything groundbreaking.
farm fresh eggs are better. and such fun colors!
Blackberry muffins. Mark Bittman's basic muffin recipe plus blackberries from my backyard.
mmm.
I'm getting up early before work tomorrow so I can have super fresh chocolate chip cookies.
Last week, between Tuesday and Thursday, I made: rice crispie treats, custard (traditional, almond, and blackberry), key lime melting moments cookies, key lime pie, and apple pie. I had some good dinners, too, walnut burgers one night, more of my favorite gozlemes... and some more things that I don't even remember. But here are a few things that I had pictures of on my computer already.
That was an amazing cherry pie--picked the cherries myself from my backyard!
Here are some of the famous New York Time's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. I enjoyed reading about their search, and maybe it really is better to let the dough rest for 24 hours. But the recipe itself wasn't anything groundbreaking.
farm fresh eggs are better. and such fun colors!
Blackberry muffins. Mark Bittman's basic muffin recipe plus blackberries from my backyard.
mmm.
I'm getting up early before work tomorrow so I can have super fresh chocolate chip cookies.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
another reason to make paneer!
Tofu everyday may increase the risk of developing dementia. Make your own cheese and swap it for your tofu recipes!
Tofu everyday may increase the risk of developing dementia. Make your own cheese and swap it for your tofu recipes!
Saag paneer
I told my friend Edgy that I was making my own cheese. Her first response was "What!? Do you have a cow???"
I don't. But I would love to see her mental picture for making cheese! (I'm picturing shaking a cow, maybe. She must have been thinking of milkshakes!)
I first had saag paneer at Shalimar here in Ann Arbor. It was so good and I really wanted to try it at home.
Paneer is a simple indian cheese, that rather reminds me of tofu.
You don't really need a recipe for this. Just take a half gallon of whole milk and heat it until it's just about to boil. It'll get kind of frothy on top.
Next, add something acidic. I use lemon juice (~4 tablespoons) but other citrus juices like lime juice or even vinegar should have the same effect. This causes the milk to form curds.
It should look kind of like this. If it doesn't work, add more lemon juice. I'm pretty sure this is impossible to ruin because the first time I made this I accidently left it on the heat multiple times.
Then pour this through a cheesecloth.
Squeeze it and let it trip for a bit. Chill for a few hours.
and cheese! Slice this into cubes and it's ready to be added to the saag part of the recipe.
Saag is also easy.
In a saucepan, heat some olive oil and add about a tablespoon of mustard seeds. (I think the seeds are used are mustard seeds. They are from an Indian friends spice collection and don't have labels. Maybe they are fennel seeds?) Heat over medium-high heat until the seeds start to make popping noises. Add minced garlic (I like a lot, probably 2-3 tablespoons) and other spices, like garam masala and ginger, cumin and coriander if you have them. I don't measure this, but it's somewhere between a 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons for each. It's more exciting to have it different every time. You could probably mince an onion and put it in there too.
Then, add a 1 pound bag of frozen spinach. I am all about fresh everything but frozen is definitely better here. Stir a bit, cover and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cubed cheese and keep on heat until it's all warm.
Serve with rice and naan.
This feeds me for about 4 lunches... so servings: 4.
While I love cooking and usually cook something everyday, a sad side effect of cooking just for myself means that I make something... and then eat it all week. I will be eating this for the next three days. It's real motivation to make it really delicious, though.
I don't. But I would love to see her mental picture for making cheese! (I'm picturing shaking a cow, maybe. She must have been thinking of milkshakes!)
I first had saag paneer at Shalimar here in Ann Arbor. It was so good and I really wanted to try it at home.
Paneer is a simple indian cheese, that rather reminds me of tofu.
You don't really need a recipe for this. Just take a half gallon of whole milk and heat it until it's just about to boil. It'll get kind of frothy on top.
Next, add something acidic. I use lemon juice (~4 tablespoons) but other citrus juices like lime juice or even vinegar should have the same effect. This causes the milk to form curds.
It should look kind of like this. If it doesn't work, add more lemon juice. I'm pretty sure this is impossible to ruin because the first time I made this I accidently left it on the heat multiple times.
Then pour this through a cheesecloth.
Squeeze it and let it trip for a bit. Chill for a few hours.
and cheese! Slice this into cubes and it's ready to be added to the saag part of the recipe.
Saag is also easy.
In a saucepan, heat some olive oil and add about a tablespoon of mustard seeds. (I think the seeds are used are mustard seeds. They are from an Indian friends spice collection and don't have labels. Maybe they are fennel seeds?) Heat over medium-high heat until the seeds start to make popping noises. Add minced garlic (I like a lot, probably 2-3 tablespoons) and other spices, like garam masala and ginger, cumin and coriander if you have them. I don't measure this, but it's somewhere between a 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons for each. It's more exciting to have it different every time. You could probably mince an onion and put it in there too.
Then, add a 1 pound bag of frozen spinach. I am all about fresh everything but frozen is definitely better here. Stir a bit, cover and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cubed cheese and keep on heat until it's all warm.
Serve with rice and naan.
This feeds me for about 4 lunches... so servings: 4.
While I love cooking and usually cook something everyday, a sad side effect of cooking just for myself means that I make something... and then eat it all week. I will be eating this for the next three days. It's real motivation to make it really delicious, though.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
THE cookies
I love Trader Joe's. I REALLY love Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups. not much bigger than a chocolate chip, they are great for snacking but just begged to be baked into something.
I knew I needed a chocolate cookie. And it had to be soft. The wafer I make for oreos are good, but I know that the frosting around which they are sandwiched is the real reason for there delicious softness. and they aren't quite sweet enough for what I imagined. Looking around on the internet and my trusy "How to Cook Everything" didn't find me the recipe I wanted.
So, I did some math and some hard thinking about what altering each ingredient in a cookie recipe would mean... and I took the plunge and baked my own creation.
And it was PERFECT. soft and almost with a cake-like texture, they are chocolate-ly and sweet and the perfect vehicle for my mini pb cups. These prictures are lousy (I was too busy eating them for pictures!) but they passed the finicky-boyfriend test.
my notes are scribbled-upon and chocolate-stained, but I'm SO glad I kept them.
Chocolate Cookies w/ Mini PB cups
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teas baking powder
1 stick plue 2 tablespoons softened butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teas. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup Saco cocoa (it's a blend of traditional and dutch-processed cocoa... and I order it by the case.)
1 1/2 cups pb cups
1. preheat the oven to 375.
2. beat together butter and sugar, add vanilla and egg.
3. stir in dry ingredients
4. mix in pb cups
5. put in rounded balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 9 minutes, turning once.
yield: 3 1/2 dozen.
enjoy!
I still need a recipe for THE chocolate chip cookie. The New York Times recently posted an article about that very quest and I'm looking forward to trying out their recipe.
Leaving the cocoa out of this recipe and swapping in some chocolate chips might do it for me, though.
I knew I needed a chocolate cookie. And it had to be soft. The wafer I make for oreos are good, but I know that the frosting around which they are sandwiched is the real reason for there delicious softness. and they aren't quite sweet enough for what I imagined. Looking around on the internet and my trusy "How to Cook Everything" didn't find me the recipe I wanted.
So, I did some math and some hard thinking about what altering each ingredient in a cookie recipe would mean... and I took the plunge and baked my own creation.
And it was PERFECT. soft and almost with a cake-like texture, they are chocolate-ly and sweet and the perfect vehicle for my mini pb cups. These prictures are lousy (I was too busy eating them for pictures!) but they passed the finicky-boyfriend test.
my notes are scribbled-upon and chocolate-stained, but I'm SO glad I kept them.
Chocolate Cookies w/ Mini PB cups
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teas baking powder
1 stick plue 2 tablespoons softened butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teas. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup Saco cocoa (it's a blend of traditional and dutch-processed cocoa... and I order it by the case.)
1 1/2 cups pb cups
1. preheat the oven to 375.
2. beat together butter and sugar, add vanilla and egg.
3. stir in dry ingredients
4. mix in pb cups
5. put in rounded balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 9 minutes, turning once.
yield: 3 1/2 dozen.
enjoy!
I still need a recipe for THE chocolate chip cookie. The New York Times recently posted an article about that very quest and I'm looking forward to trying out their recipe.
Leaving the cocoa out of this recipe and swapping in some chocolate chips might do it for me, though.
Coconuts 'n lime
Mark Bittman never fails me. For a recent dinner party, I provided the entree, Patti brought dessert, Katie brought veggies, and Raluca brought her famous romanian salad. and soup!
This is so easy and has a nice thai flair.
BROILED OR GRILLED CHICKEN WITH COCONUT AND LIME
Time: 20 minutes
2 limes
1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 4 pieces
1/2 cup canned or fresh coconut milk
Salt and ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon nam pla, fish sauce (optional)
4 minced scallions
1/4 cup minced cilantro.
1. Remove the zest from the limes, with either a zester or a vegetable peeler (if you use a peeler, scrape off the white inside of the zest with a paring knife). Mince the zest, and juice the limes. Marinate chicken in half the lime juice while heating broiler; adjust rack to about 4 inches from heat source. (Or grill the chicken if you prefer.)
2. Warm the coconut milk over low heat; season it with salt (hold off on this if you are using nam pla) and a pinch of cayenne. Add the lime zest.
3. Put chicken, smooth side up, on ungreased baking sheet lined with foil, and place the sheet in broiler. Add about half the remaining lime juice to coconut milk mixture.
4. When the chicken is nicely browned on top, in about 6 minutes more, it is done (if you want to be sure, make a small cut in the thickest part and peek inside). Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Add the nam pla, if you are using it, to the coconut milk; taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Spoon a little of the sauce over and around the breasts; then, garnish with the scallions and cilantro, and sprinkle with the remaining lime juice. Serve with white rice, passing the remaining sauce.
Yield: 4 servings.
The poor lighting in which I took these pictures is pretty obvious. and I'm pretty sure no one wants to see pictures of raw chicken! sigh.
This is so easy and has a nice thai flair.
BROILED OR GRILLED CHICKEN WITH COCONUT AND LIME
Time: 20 minutes
2 limes
1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 4 pieces
1/2 cup canned or fresh coconut milk
Salt and ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon nam pla, fish sauce (optional)
4 minced scallions
1/4 cup minced cilantro.
1. Remove the zest from the limes, with either a zester or a vegetable peeler (if you use a peeler, scrape off the white inside of the zest with a paring knife). Mince the zest, and juice the limes. Marinate chicken in half the lime juice while heating broiler; adjust rack to about 4 inches from heat source. (Or grill the chicken if you prefer.)
2. Warm the coconut milk over low heat; season it with salt (hold off on this if you are using nam pla) and a pinch of cayenne. Add the lime zest.
3. Put chicken, smooth side up, on ungreased baking sheet lined with foil, and place the sheet in broiler. Add about half the remaining lime juice to coconut milk mixture.
4. When the chicken is nicely browned on top, in about 6 minutes more, it is done (if you want to be sure, make a small cut in the thickest part and peek inside). Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Add the nam pla, if you are using it, to the coconut milk; taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Spoon a little of the sauce over and around the breasts; then, garnish with the scallions and cilantro, and sprinkle with the remaining lime juice. Serve with white rice, passing the remaining sauce.
Yield: 4 servings.
The poor lighting in which I took these pictures is pretty obvious. and I'm pretty sure no one wants to see pictures of raw chicken! sigh.
not rabbit food.
I am not very good at this food blogging thing. I usually cook or bake after dark (or cook non-exciting lunches during the day) and so I have trouble with photos. and during cooking, I'm always all covered in too much yummy goodness to touch my camera safely.
but! here is a cake I made for my mom. She is awesome. It was her 51st birthday.
You can tell I love her because I grated 3 cups of carrots by hand.
I am a delicate flower. My arm almost fell off. After this, I grated the zest off of 2 limes. Torture, pure torture.
I am not an artist. And I generally have the handwriting of a 3rd grader. But I know my mom will always give me an A for effort. Also it was sooo delicious, a not-too-sweet cake balanced nicely with the sweeter cream cheese frosting.
Carrot Cake (adapted from allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
all the leftover walnuts I had from making nut burgers that I smashed with a soup can.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch pans.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Split and frost.
For the frosting, I think I used a package of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar. and maybe some vanilla. I'm really not sure because I was putting things away after and I found more cream cheese on the counter. it turned out delish though.
but! here is a cake I made for my mom. She is awesome. It was her 51st birthday.
You can tell I love her because I grated 3 cups of carrots by hand.
I am a delicate flower. My arm almost fell off. After this, I grated the zest off of 2 limes. Torture, pure torture.
I am not an artist. And I generally have the handwriting of a 3rd grader. But I know my mom will always give me an A for effort. Also it was sooo delicious, a not-too-sweet cake balanced nicely with the sweeter cream cheese frosting.
Carrot Cake (adapted from allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
all the leftover walnuts I had from making nut burgers that I smashed with a soup can.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch pans.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Split and frost.
For the frosting, I think I used a package of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar. and maybe some vanilla. I'm really not sure because I was putting things away after and I found more cream cheese on the counter. it turned out delish though.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Simple pleasures
My friends Ali and Dan have had a standing invitation for tea at my house--I have this amazing loose leaf tea that my dad brought back with him from a business trip to China and I promised to share it with them. Ali calls to say they are on their way this afternoon... and I realized: I have no crumpets, no cookies, nothing but tea!
mmm tea.
But what could I make in 10 minutes???
Rice crispies of course! They can do no wrong.
But 10 minutes wasn't quite enough. I had to resort to desperate measures.
Rice crispie treats always save the day.
I don't have a consistent recipe--today I melted a bag of mini marshmallows and 3/4 of a stick of butter in the microwave with occasional stirring. Then I added 7 cups of rice cereal and pressed it into a 9x13 pan. The key to making the top even it pressing it down with greased wax paper. Really though, these are pretty impossible to ruin.
mmm tea.
But what could I make in 10 minutes???
Rice crispies of course! They can do no wrong.
But 10 minutes wasn't quite enough. I had to resort to desperate measures.
Rice crispie treats always save the day.
I don't have a consistent recipe--today I melted a bag of mini marshmallows and 3/4 of a stick of butter in the microwave with occasional stirring. Then I added 7 cups of rice cereal and pressed it into a 9x13 pan. The key to making the top even it pressing it down with greased wax paper. Really though, these are pretty impossible to ruin.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
These are so good, I'm taking them 2,300 miles with me
No really, I am. I am flying across the country to visit my boyfriend this weekend (awwww) and I knew there was only one thing to bring with me.
Only one thing for two reasons: these are AMAZING, and my boyfriend is boring and really only ever wants me to make three things. Tiramisu, chocolate chip cookies, and...
HOMEMADE OREOS!
I also made mini oreos! Everything is better in mini form. Like my housemates! They are fun-sized!
I first saw this recipe on SmittenKitchen. She got them from 'Retro Desserts' by Wayne Brachman
Homemade Oreo
Chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.
Only one thing for two reasons: these are AMAZING, and my boyfriend is boring and really only ever wants me to make three things. Tiramisu, chocolate chip cookies, and...
HOMEMADE OREOS!
I also made mini oreos! Everything is better in mini form. Like my housemates! They are fun-sized!
I first saw this recipe on SmittenKitchen. She got them from 'Retro Desserts' by Wayne Brachman
Homemade Oreo
Chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.
cuppies!
That's pronounced 'cup-pies'; sadly, they do not rhyme with 'puppies'.
Really, I just made an apple pie, but divided out into my cupcake pan.
I had enough pie dough and apples left over to make another pie in my mini pie pan. There's nothing to scale, so this looks a lot like a regular pie. I assure you, it is indeed mini.
Even after 6 cuppies and a mini pie, I had pie dough left over.
Enter the crust pie! My housemates had yet to be introduced to their joy: pie crust mixed with brown sugar, sprinkled with cinnamon... best eaten while piping hot.
I didn't take a picture of them after they were out of the oven--they didn't last long.
You do not need a recipe for apple pie.
My crust is 2 cups and a few tablespoons flour, into which I cut in 2 sticks of cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives until it's a nice crumbly thing, and then add 3-4 tablespoons of cold water. Knead until it comes together in a ball. Roll out half, refrigerate the other half til you need it.
The filling? I peel and slice apples until it looks like I have enough to fill a pie (I did 4 medium ones here), then I pour in brown sugar, cinnamon, some white sugar maybe, and a few handfuls of flour. Mix, taste, adjust. It really can't be ruined. Promise.
Really, I just made an apple pie, but divided out into my cupcake pan.
I had enough pie dough and apples left over to make another pie in my mini pie pan. There's nothing to scale, so this looks a lot like a regular pie. I assure you, it is indeed mini.
Even after 6 cuppies and a mini pie, I had pie dough left over.
Enter the crust pie! My housemates had yet to be introduced to their joy: pie crust mixed with brown sugar, sprinkled with cinnamon... best eaten while piping hot.
I didn't take a picture of them after they were out of the oven--they didn't last long.
You do not need a recipe for apple pie.
My crust is 2 cups and a few tablespoons flour, into which I cut in 2 sticks of cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives until it's a nice crumbly thing, and then add 3-4 tablespoons of cold water. Knead until it comes together in a ball. Roll out half, refrigerate the other half til you need it.
The filling? I peel and slice apples until it looks like I have enough to fill a pie (I did 4 medium ones here), then I pour in brown sugar, cinnamon, some white sugar maybe, and a few handfuls of flour. Mix, taste, adjust. It really can't be ruined. Promise.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
desperate times call for desperate dinners
Final exams are stressful. Sometimes, so stressful that I make raspberry pancakes for dinner.
These are half whole wheat; any more whole wheat and they have a decidedly un-pancake like texture.
These were of course a success--I think I aced that exam!
These are half whole wheat; any more whole wheat and they have a decidedly un-pancake like texture.
These were of course a success--I think I aced that exam!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Falafel burgers!
I rarely eat meat, and I probably should try to work on getting more protein in my diet. I don't have a grill, and summer in Ann Arbor does not lend itself to broiling. Even baking I try to do late at night.
Bean burgers should be tasty, but so often veggie burgers are overpriced and kinda sucky. I tried Mark Bittman's nut burgers a few weeks ago and they were fantastic. So filling and more satisfying than any other vegetarian burger I've eaten.
He also gave a recipe for a bean burger, and I knew I had to try it with chick peas. I love falafel and pretty much anything I've ever eaten made from chick peas.
The recipe is simple and very adaptable.
People with a real food processor, or even a real blender could probably just toss everything in together, and skip chopping the onions and mixing the ingrediates.
Sadly, I must get by with a smoothie maker.
mmm chick pea burger smoothie...
The recipe suggests that it makes 4 burgers, which I found accurate when making nut burgers. Chick peas, however, yielded six large burgers:
5 of these went right in the freezer. Cooking for one is frustrating sometimes.
3 minutes a side on a skillet with olive oil et voila!
They tasted quite a bit like falafel! I do prefer nut burgers, which are so good that I am NEVER buying commercial veggie burgers again. These are still great, and would probably be amazing with some tahini sauce and some lemon.
Bean Burgers
Time: 20 minutes, with cooked beans
2 cups well-cooked white, black or red beans, or chickpeas or lentils, or 1 14-ounce can, drained
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup rolled oats (preferably not instant)
1 tablespoon chili powder, or the spice mix of your choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
Bean-cooking liquid, stock or other liquid (wine, cream, milk, water or ketchup) if necessary
Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn.
1. Combine all ingredients except liquid and oil in food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed. If necessary, add a little liquid for a mixture that is moist but not wet. Let mixture rest for a few minutes.
2. With wet hands, shape into patties and let rest again for a few minutes. (Burger mixture or shaped burgers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to a day. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.) Film bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet with oil and turn heat to medium. When hot, add patties. Cook undisturbed until browned, about 5 minutes; turn carefully with spatula and cook 3 or 4 minutes until firm and browned.
3. Serve on buns with mustard, ketchup, chutney or other toppings.
Yield: 4 servings.
adapted from The Minimalist
Bean burgers should be tasty, but so often veggie burgers are overpriced and kinda sucky. I tried Mark Bittman's nut burgers a few weeks ago and they were fantastic. So filling and more satisfying than any other vegetarian burger I've eaten.
He also gave a recipe for a bean burger, and I knew I had to try it with chick peas. I love falafel and pretty much anything I've ever eaten made from chick peas.
The recipe is simple and very adaptable.
People with a real food processor, or even a real blender could probably just toss everything in together, and skip chopping the onions and mixing the ingrediates.
Sadly, I must get by with a smoothie maker.
mmm chick pea burger smoothie...
The recipe suggests that it makes 4 burgers, which I found accurate when making nut burgers. Chick peas, however, yielded six large burgers:
5 of these went right in the freezer. Cooking for one is frustrating sometimes.
3 minutes a side on a skillet with olive oil et voila!
They tasted quite a bit like falafel! I do prefer nut burgers, which are so good that I am NEVER buying commercial veggie burgers again. These are still great, and would probably be amazing with some tahini sauce and some lemon.
Bean Burgers
Time: 20 minutes, with cooked beans
2 cups well-cooked white, black or red beans, or chickpeas or lentils, or 1 14-ounce can, drained
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup rolled oats (preferably not instant)
1 tablespoon chili powder, or the spice mix of your choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
Bean-cooking liquid, stock or other liquid (wine, cream, milk, water or ketchup) if necessary
Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn.
1. Combine all ingredients except liquid and oil in food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed. If necessary, add a little liquid for a mixture that is moist but not wet. Let mixture rest for a few minutes.
2. With wet hands, shape into patties and let rest again for a few minutes. (Burger mixture or shaped burgers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to a day. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.) Film bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet with oil and turn heat to medium. When hot, add patties. Cook undisturbed until browned, about 5 minutes; turn carefully with spatula and cook 3 or 4 minutes until firm and browned.
3. Serve on buns with mustard, ketchup, chutney or other toppings.
Yield: 4 servings.
adapted from The Minimalist
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Godzillas! Raaaarrr!
Okay, these aren't actually called "godzillas". They are gozlemes, and they are a traditional turkish pastry-ish thing. I can eat them just fine, but I have no idea how to say them. Goze-lay-mays... gozz-lemms... gozz-laymas... godzillaz?
I actually first had them in Italy and thought they were some kind of folded pizza contraption. Instead of tomato sauce and mozarella, these are filled with spinach and feta and are simple but delicious.
The dough was sticky but these rolled out like a dream
I did not capture the step in which I covered half of that with spinach and feta. Or where I folded it in half and pinched the edges closes and brushed it with olive oil.
But they moved seamlessly into a skillet
It got to nearly 90 degrees today, we have no AC and I'll try any dinner that does not involve me turning on the stove. Yay skillets!
and with 3 minutes a side they are quick, and after a long day's shopping I was too hungry to wait!
(photo courtesy of Patti, who assisted in eating them, photography, and dessert)
(side note: I love my teakettle!)
Godzillas!
or gozleme, whatever.
3 cups flour
8g package instant dried yeast
pinch of salt
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 oz. spinach (I use baby spinach)
200g feta cheese, crumbled
In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
Add 300ml tepid water and olive oil and stir with a fork until the liquid has taken up all the flour. (note: I found this dough quite sticky and added quite a bit more flour.)
Knead the dough for 5 minutes until elastic and form into a ball.
Place back into the bowl and cover with plastic film.
Stand in a warm place and allow the dough to prove for 30 minutes to an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has proved, cut the ball into four portions. Keep the dough you aren’t using under cover.
Roll each piece of dough out into a circle the size of a large dinner plate.
Place a quarter of the spinach over half of the circle and then top with feta.
Fold the dough over and enclose the filling by pinching the edges together.
Preheat a flat hotplate, or a large frypan on medium-high heat.
Brush the bottom of the gozleme with olive oil and place on the hotplate.
Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the dough becomes crisp and golden brown.
Turn over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cut the gozleme into 6 pieces using a pizza cutter.
I found this recipe from the blog "Milk and Cookies"
I actually first had them in Italy and thought they were some kind of folded pizza contraption. Instead of tomato sauce and mozarella, these are filled with spinach and feta and are simple but delicious.
The dough was sticky but these rolled out like a dream
I did not capture the step in which I covered half of that with spinach and feta. Or where I folded it in half and pinched the edges closes and brushed it with olive oil.
But they moved seamlessly into a skillet
It got to nearly 90 degrees today, we have no AC and I'll try any dinner that does not involve me turning on the stove. Yay skillets!
and with 3 minutes a side they are quick, and after a long day's shopping I was too hungry to wait!
(photo courtesy of Patti, who assisted in eating them, photography, and dessert)
(side note: I love my teakettle!)
Godzillas!
or gozleme, whatever.
3 cups flour
8g package instant dried yeast
pinch of salt
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 oz. spinach (I use baby spinach)
200g feta cheese, crumbled
In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
Add 300ml tepid water and olive oil and stir with a fork until the liquid has taken up all the flour. (note: I found this dough quite sticky and added quite a bit more flour.)
Knead the dough for 5 minutes until elastic and form into a ball.
Place back into the bowl and cover with plastic film.
Stand in a warm place and allow the dough to prove for 30 minutes to an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has proved, cut the ball into four portions. Keep the dough you aren’t using under cover.
Roll each piece of dough out into a circle the size of a large dinner plate.
Place a quarter of the spinach over half of the circle and then top with feta.
Fold the dough over and enclose the filling by pinching the edges together.
Preheat a flat hotplate, or a large frypan on medium-high heat.
Brush the bottom of the gozleme with olive oil and place on the hotplate.
Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the dough becomes crisp and golden brown.
Turn over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cut the gozleme into 6 pieces using a pizza cutter.
I found this recipe from the blog "Milk and Cookies"
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