Seckel Pear-Walnut Bread

Did you know the California Pear Advisory Board is the first California commodity board to sponsor Sacramento's Farm-to-Fork program? To celebrate, many area restaurants like Hawks, Broderick and Michelangelo's will be featuring an appetizer or a drink highlighting the pear during the months of September and October. For more info check out: Farm to Fork-Cal Pear

In my own household and at Mr.S's, we've been eating a lot of pears as well (like in that delicious Blue Heaven Pear Tart I posted about recently). Pears are quite nutritious- they're low in calories, high in fiber and contain no fat or sodium. Most recently, I purchased a bunch of Seckel pears grown by Stillwater Orchards in Courtland. Seckel pears are little itty-bitty pears that are so cute that you almost don't want to eat them. These petite, chubby pears are an olive green color with a maroonish blush. They don't change color when they become ripe, they just get soft around the stem. They also have a delicate sweetness which makes them perfect for pairing with cheese.

 

Currently, I've been enamored with Nancie McDermott's cookbook, "Southern Cakes," which I checked out from my local library. The book is filled with all kinds of irresistible sounding sweets and delectable treats. One recipe in particular caught my eye- Cornelia Walker Bailey's Pear Bread.

I used my Seckels in this recipe and it came out perfect. Since the recipe makes two loaves I shared with friends and I received several compliments on the end product. The pear bread is moist, sweet and nutty- the trinity of perfection for a quick bread. According to my buddy Dave, this bread also tastes quite good when you're drunk. ;-)

Cornelia Walker Bailey's Pear Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups AP flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups peeled and finely grated ripe but firm pears (Seckels, if you can find them)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

 

 

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease and flour two 9″x 5″loaf pans.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of this mixture and combine it with nuts to coat. Stir the coated nuts back into the flour mixture.
• In a separate bowl, combine butter, eggs, sugar, grated pears, and vanilla. Mix it well then add the this mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until the flour disappears and the batter is evenly moistened.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the bread is browned and firm on top. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove from pan and place top side up on a plate or wire rack to cool completely.

 

Real Pie Company Is Making a Comeback!

Received the email below today and for those of you who used to order Kira's pies and picked them up at Corti's back in the day, you know how delicious her pies, galettes and quiches are.


Dear Valued Customers and Friends:
 
It is with immense happiness that I announce the rebirth of the Real Pie Company.
On Friday, August 30th, I will begin offering a limited menu of Real Pies two afternoons a week to my customers. The pies will be available on the 30th at East Sac Mercantile (http://eastsacmercantile.com) from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. The pies will then (after the 30th) be available every Thursday and Friday afternoon from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. The Mercantile is located at 3257 Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento, and has ample street parking. I plan to expand my baking days in October to include Saturdays.
 
(*Note: I will NOT be baking Thurs/Fri, September 19/20).
 
(* Note: I cannot take credit cards until the first week of September! Cash or checks only on the 30th. Sorry about that).

As always, our menu will change weekly depending on the produce we are able to source from our region's wonderful small family farms. Each week, I will send out the menu of available pies to subscribers of my email list. (Important: If you would like to be removed from our email list, please unsubscribe below).
 
In addition to our ever-changing seasonal pies, tarts and galettes, “staple” items that will (usually) be on the menu include our Jumbleberry pie (packed with blackberries, blueberries, cherries and raspberries) and some version of our rustic apple galette (or pie), simply because there’s always such a high demand for these items.
 
Unfortunately, I cannot take pie reservations at this time due to my limited production. Sorry about that.
 
I look forward – with much joy – to be baking for you again. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at kira@realpiecompany.com.
 
Warmest regards,
Kira O’Donnell
Real Pie Company
East Sac Mercantile
3257 Folsom Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95816

www.realpiecompany.com (website under construction at the moment!)

Ingredient Spotlight: Sugar Plums (Sugar Plum Torte)

Ahhh, sugar plums. I always look forward to those tiny plums coming into season but at the same time lament that they signal the end of summer. You start spotting them around the end of July/beginning of August and their availability is short-lived (usually around 3 weeks). This year I decided to purchase some (I got mine at the Co-op, they're from Full Belly Farms I believe) and make Marian Burros' famous Plum Torte. Marian Burros is a cookbook author and a food columnist for The New York Times. Her plum torte recipe has been the most often requested and the most republished recipe in the NYT for twenty years. Crazy, huh? You know it's got to be a pretty good recipe with a track record like that. I think most of you will really like this torte- it's quick to prepare, requires few ingredients and it makes your house smell phenomenal. The cake portion is crusty and airy, the plums sweet and there's a whisper of cinnamon and sugar. You could make this recipe with any old plum; but trust me, if you want to bump up the flavor profile of the torte and truly make it shine, use sugar plums. These bite size plums have a wonderful honey taste that can't be beat. The whole shebang is absolutely delectable but it tastes even more fantastic served warm with a side of vanilla ice cream or topped with some sweetened whipped cream. Best of all (gasp!), this torte freezes well so you can enjoy these juicy, sweet plums in the dead of winter.

Sugar Plum Torte  (New York Times)

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
24 halves pitted sugar plums
Sugar and cinnamon for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream sugar and butter in a bowl. Add flour, baking powder, salt and eggs, and beat well.

3. Spoon the batter into a spring form of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter (I didn't, it doesn't really matter). Sprinkle lightly with sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, or to taste. (I mixed some sugar and cinnamon together and then sprinkled that across the cake.)

4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired (but first, double-wrap the tortes in foil, place in a plastic bag, and seal). Or cool to lukewarm, and serve.

5. To serve a torte that has been frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.

Yield: 8 servings.

Blue Heaven-Pear Tart

It's pear season! And what goes best with pears? Cheese, of course! Awhile back, the nice folks at Rogue Creamery in Oregon sent me a shaker of their new Blue Heaven powder to try. Blue Heaven is a project they have been working on for more than ten years and just recently unveiled for Rogue Creamery's 80th Anniversary. Rogue Creamery is most famous for producing award-winning, gourmet blue cheeses so it should be no surprise that Blue Heaven is a blend of their popular Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Crater Lake Blue and their special reserve blue cheeses. The cheeses are dried and then mixed with nonfat organic milk powder. Why should you try it? Because it tastes great! Blue Heaven is also convenient, shelf stable and made from certified sustainable raw cow's milk. It can be used in all kinds of delicious dishes- to add some zing to your mashed potatoes, to accent your soups or even as a savory seasoning sprinkled on your popcorn. There's all kinds of creative ways you can use Blue Heaven to transform your dishes. I decided to use my complimentary shaker of Blue Heaven in making a pear tart. I had picked up some fresh, juicy Bartlett pears during my excursion to Courtland this weekend and was just itching to make something with them. I used a basic tart shell recipe and made a filling of sliced pears, Blue Heaven and cream cheese. (I wanted the filling to be a bit creamy, hence the cream cheese.) Since pears tend to get tender when baked, I also tossed in some toasted almond slivers to give the tart some added texture and crunch. The Blue Heaven ended up lending a nice mellow blue cheese taste to the tart filling which I liked. It wasn't overwhelming at all.

The end result? My cottage was filled with intoxicating aromas all yesterday afternoon and the Blue Heaven-Pear Tart got an enthusiastic thumbs up all around from my taste testers and one, "Nom! Nom!" The Kidlet even liked it.

Blue Heaven powder can be ordered online via the company's website. It is also available at Laurent Dubois, one of France's finest cheese shops, and Simon Johnson's specialty food stores in Australia, for you international folks.

Website: Rogue Creamery
Facebook: Rogue Creamery
Phone: (866) 396-4704


Blue Heaven-Pear Tart

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup AP flour
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2 fresh Bartlett pears- sliced   (To peel or not to peel- it's your choice.)
3.5 to 4 tablespoons of Rogue Creamery's Blue Heaven powder
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons almond slivers, toasted
2 tablespoons honey, warmed    (optional)


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast your almond slivers. Flip and stir them often. Be sure to keep a close eye on them as they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly.

3. Beat butter and 1/3 cup sugar with mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add flour, continue to mix. Remove dough from mixer bowl and place in a 9-inch quiche pan (a springform pan will also work). I prefer the quiche pan because it gives the tart a more polished look with its crimped edges and the removable bottom makes for easy release and serving. Nordic Ware makes a good one that runs about $11 and comes in a variety of colors.

3. Press the dough onto the bottom of the pan and about 1/2 way up the sides of the pan. Make sure the dough is spread out evenly.

4. Slice your pears and arrange on top of your dough. Sprinkle with 2/3 cups toasted almond slivers.

5. In a mixer bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar. Make sure the two are completely blended- no lumps. Add your egg and Blue Heaven. Mix well. (If you prefer a more robust blue cheese flavor, you can adjust the intensity by adding more Blue Heaven. At 3.5 tablespoons, my tart had a nice subtle blue cheese taste.)

6. Pour filling over pears. Spread evenly. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons of toasted almond slivers.

7. Bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce to 375 F and bake for additional 20-25 minutes.

8. Allow tart to cool.

9. Slice. Drizzle with warm honey if you wish, before serving.



* I was not compensated for this post other than receiving one complimentary shaker of Blue Heaven powder. All opinions are completely my own and I was under no obligation to write about the product.

Supper Club

A few years ago, some awesome friends of mine and I started a Supper Club. It was a great way to try out new recipes and get together to eat, drink and chat. We had a Mediterranean night, a vegan night and a seafood night among other themes. A lot of fun times and laughter were had in the kitchen and the dining table. Well, life got a bit busy (as it always seems to) and the Supper Club got back burnered for awhile; however, recently we decided to resurrect it and I'm so glad we did! It was wonderful to get together again with the ladies and nosh and socialize. Last night's theme was "comfort food." It was not only comforting but incredibly delicious- we had cups of tangy tomato soup with mini-grilled cheese sandwiches, bowls of spicy chili with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, a classic Caesar salad with homemade dressing, a hearty veggie pot pie, creamy smashed potatoes,  and two tantalizing desserts--- banana bread pudding and cherry pie. The cherry pie made by Amanda was renamed Pie "Alamo" and you can see why here:

Pie "Alamo"

A Perfect Day For Banana Bread

Happy (belated) St. Paddy's Day everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the sunny weekend and indulged in some corned beef, tipped back some good Irish whiskey and perhaps found some luck of the Irish. I took advantage of the beautiful weather and hit up the Sunday's farmers' market for fresh spring fruits and veggies and then lounged around on the back patio of one of favorite coffee shops, soaking in some Vitamin D while completely absorbed in my latest read, Nancy Singleton Hachisu's, "Japanese Farm Food." If you haven't checked out this book yet, please do so. Hachisu is a California Bay Area native who moved to Japan, married an Japanese egg farmer and raised a family in a charming 85-year old farmhouse in Kamikawa in the rural Saitama Prefecture. Part cookbook, part memoir, her book is a wonderful example of true farm-to-table cooking and her traditional recipes are simple to follow. The photographs are stunning and the detailed narration makes you feel like you're right there- whether it be in the midst of her garden, scrubbing root vegetables at her kitchen sink or just talking with the quirky fishmonger at the local market. I can't wait to attempt one of her recipes! In the meantime...

Post-caffeination, I strolled back to my car and noticed this cool old wall mural. I must have passed by this building in Curtis Park a million times over the years but never took notice. I'm sure there's more of these charming bits of artwork squirreled away around town, which one's your favorite?

After I got home, I had the urge to open all the windows in the cottage, get some fresh air circulating and bake something...possibly some sweet, moist, spongy banana bread? Yup. Now I've always been loyal to the banana bread recipe I discovered in my well worn copy of "The Joy of Cooking," long ago; but earlier this month, I came across a tiny recipe at the bottom of a page in my issue of Bon Appetit. The recipe was called, "Julia's Best Banana Bread," and originated from a small roadside stand in Kahakuloa, Maui. Intrigued, I decided, "Why the heck not?" and clipped it. Well yesterday I decided to give it a whirl. I'm glad I did, the resulting product was delicious...a loaf of warm perfection. So perfect, in fact, that I'm making more today.

Julia's Best Banana Bread (Bon Appetit, March 2013)

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 3/4 cup AP flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup vegetable oil


Instructions


1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, bananas, and oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

3. Bake until a knife inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan to release the bread. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Need a kidlet-friendly treat that you can throw together while your little ghouls and goblins are working on their jack-o'-lanterns? Here's one that you can't go wrong with- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie treats. It's easy to make and you can keep one eye on the kidlets and pumpkin guts while you stir the ingredients. No oven time required!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

Ingredients

3 T unsalted butter

4 cups mini-marshmallows

1/2 cup + 2 T smooth peanut butter

6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal


Instructions

1. Take a 13x9x2 glass pan and lightly spray it with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a big pan, melt your butter. Do it on a low heat so that the butter doesn't brown or burn.

3. Once the butter's melted, add your marshmallows. Keep moving them around until they melt down into a nice marshmallow fluff.

4. Turn off your heat. Add in the peanut butter and combine well.

5. Add in your Rice Krispies a cup at a time, while stirring.

6. Once the cereal is coated, transfer it to the glass pan. Using your fingers or the back of a spatula, press it down so it's even.

7. Let it cool down. Then cut it into squares and serve.

Rice Krispies Cookies

All week I've felt like I've been waiting, waiting, waiting. Waiting for Mr.S. to come home, waiting for the UPS guy to deliver my package, waiting for the weekend to come and even waiting for autumn to arrive. I'm sick and tired of this weird summer weather and that nasty humidity we had earlier this week was the last straw. I've got my boots, scarfs  and cute cooler weather outfits ready to go, dammit! In the meantime, the cooler beach weather of Santa Cruz is going to have to suffice. In preparation for my girls' weekend getaway, I baked a couple of batches of cookies for us to enjoy while we gab. Two were my old tried-and-true standbys- thumbprint cookies with homemade jam and chewy flourless peanut butter cookies (which half ended up mysteriously at Mr.S.'s casa). I also decided to attempt a new recipe that I had bookmarked in a past issue of Food and Wine magazine called, "Tutu's Super-Crispy Sugar Cookies" (January 2012). The Snap! Crackle! Pop! comes from the addition of Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal to the batter. It's a pretty easy recipe to make, just don't knock over half the box onto the kitchen floor like I did!

Rice Krispies Cookies (adapted from Food & Wine, January 2012)

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups AP flour

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together.

3. Add the baking soda and vanilla. Beat until it's nice and smooth.

4. While the mixer's running add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Then add the Rice Krispies. Make sure it mixes well.

5. Place a Silpat on your baking sheet.  Take about two tablespoons of dough and fashion it into a ball. Place it on the baking sheet, make sure to space the cookie "balls" apart about 3 inches as these will be big cookies.

6. Bake for 15 minutes.

7. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using the back end of a spatula, flatten your cookies.

8. Return baking sheet to the oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes more. The cookies will have small cracks on top and the bottom will be golden brown when they're done cooking.

Girls' Night Vol au Vents

It's funny- when I was in high school and throughout my twenties, most of my friends were guys. I'd say a good 90%. I found males to be less drama, more logical than emotional and much more fun to hang out with than female friends. I despised the cattiness and sense of competition that seemed to go with female friendships. Guys just seemed more up front. But since hitting my thirties, I've found myself gravitating towards being friends with more and more females. I still have many guy buddies but now some of my closest friends are women and I look forward to our "Girls' Nights." The vibe is different now- it's more relaxed, less drama and there's a strong sense of community. I know I can call any one of my girlfriends if I'm in crisis mode and need someone to talk to, need a lift to the hospital or I just would like a hand with my project-of-the-month. I'm not sure if as women we evolve as we get older to be less judgemental and snippy of each other or I just happened to stumble into some friendships with some amazing ladies. Either way, I feel lucky. My life is definitely more enriched with the female friendships I've cultivated in the last few years.

Last week, my friend Sheri was visiting from Portland (she recently moved there from Sacramento) and another friend of ours Emily decided to host a girls' night get together for her. Of course, good eats are always necessary- so there was pasta salad, various cheeses, pickles and veggies, hummus and homemade lime sorbet. I didn't have time to prepare anything fancy since I was gone all day so I decided to throw together a quickie dessert. I had purchased some Vol au Vents awhile back, so I decided to take those, press some goat cheese into them and top it off with some preserves. I did half with homemade apricot preserves and the other half with homemade ginger-Asian pear preserves. If you're not familiar with Vol au Vents, they're miniature, hollow puff pastry shells that are very light and crispy. The ones I used are made by a company called Erica's Kitchen and are shaped like super cute little flowers. I think they must have came out pretty good since the dish was empty at the end of the night. Next time, I might go the more savory route and make some Wild Mushroom Vol au Vents or maybe stuff them with some brie and brown sugar. What do you think would make a good filling?

Girls' Night Vol au Vents

Ingredients

1 package Vol au Vents (12 mini puff pastry cases)
3 oz. goat cheese
your favorite homemade jam or preserves (I used apricot and ginger Asian pear)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat, and place Vol au Vents on mat, spaced evenly.

3. Press the middle circle of dough down, then place about teaspoon of goat cheese into each Vol au Vent. Gently push the goat cheese down into the opening.

4. Top with a teaspoon of your favorite homemade preserve.

5. Bake the Vol au Vents for approximately 10-15 minutes or until layers are golden.

6. Serve warm or at room temp.

Figs 'n Pigs : Roasted Figs Stuffed with Chevre & Wrapped in Prosciutto

I know I've probably said this before but man, I feel so lucky to live in California. Oftentimes, I look at magazines like Sunset and will think,"Wow! That place is so beautiful!" when browsing the glossy photos of fresh produce, lush greenery and spectacular flora--then I remember, "I live there, duh." I especially love how we have ready access to an abundance of seasonal produce. My current obsession has been figs. I haven't always been a huge fan in the past, besides the occasional fig newton; but that turned around for me last year, when I had some phenomenal homemade fig chutney at a friend's party. It was served on some artisan bread with some softened goat cheese and it seriously blew me away. So when I saw figs recently while wandering the market, I was delighted. Mr.S. isn't much into chutney so I decided to go with a simple, classic recipe of figs stuffed with chevre. At the last minute though I decided to pick up some prosciutto to wrap the lil suckers in. Hey, you can never go wrong with adding a bit of pork product to your dish, right? Well, these small bites turned out perfect...little savory bundles of warm, salty, creamy goodness. My god, they're so good you won't want to share!

Figs 'n Pigs: Roasted Figs Stuffed with Chevre & Wrapped in Prosciutto

Instructions

12 fresh figs
3-4 ounces chevre (depending on the size of your figs)
12 slices good quality, thinly sliced prosciutto
honey, warmed

Instructions

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

- Gently wipe figs clean with a damp paper towel or washcloth.

- Using a paring knife, slice off the very tip of the fig and then cut two slits (an X) into the top of each fig, going about two-thirds of the way down. Carefully separate the sides and form a small pocket. Press a spoonful of chevre into the pocket. (See below photo) Then softly pinch the sides around the chevre.

- Take a slice of prosciutto, fold it in half lengthwise then wrap it around the stuffed fig.

- Place figs upright (X-side up) on an oiled baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes. When the prosciutto is crisp and the chevre gets oozy, they're ready to be taken out.

- Place the figs on a serving tray, drizzle with warm honey and serve immediately.

* If you want to get extra fancy, you can sprinkle the figs with chopped toasted walnuts or Marcona almonds.

* Also, if you're thinking of making these for a party, you can prep a few hours ahead and refrigerate the stuffed figs. But don't roast them until just before you want to serve them because they will get soggy if left to sit.

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies with Maldon Salt

Sorry for the lack of posts as of late, I've been a bit under the weather. I did drag my sorry butt into the kitchen yesterday though to bake a few batch of cookies. Mr.S. is going out of town for a few days this week so I thought I'd send him off with some delicious treats- a batch of chewy peanut butter cookies as well as a batch of crispy oatmeal cookies. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit low that he's going to be away although it was my decision to skip this trip. Hopefully he'll think of me each time he bites into a tasty cookie while he's gone (and doesn't notice that I kept a few for myself). Lucky for me, Pepper's staying behind to keep me company during Mr.S.'s absence. I guess I'll just have to spoil Peppy rotten...well, more than I normally do.

This recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs Lottie + Doof. The oatmeal cookies come out pretty big so be sure to space them well on the baking sheet (I did 8 cookies per sheet). You can also jazz them up with chocolate chips, nuts or raisins if you wish; but quite frankly, I thought they were perfect with just a sprinkle of Maldon salt on the top.

Crispy Oatmal Cookies with Maldon Salt

Ingredients

1 cup AP flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

Maldon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine : AP flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix throughly.

3. In your mixer's bowl (w/ paddle attachment), cream the butter until fluffy. Then add the sugars and cream together until light and fluffy.

Source

4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Continue to mix on medium low. At this time add in your flour mixture and combine ingredients throughly.

5. With mixer running on low, slowly incorporate the oats into the mixture in the bowl. Mix for about 20-30 seconds on low.

6. Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and fashion it into a ball shape, then squelch them down to make a cookie about 3/4 inch in thickness.

7. Place cookies on a Silpat. Make sure they're not crowded because they will spread (about 8 to a sheet is good). Sprinkle the tops lightly with some Maldon salt.

8. Bake for 13-15 minutes (rotating 1/2 through), until cookies are a golden brown color with crispy edges.

9. Transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat steps with remaining batter.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake For One

I love, love, love this recipe. It's a fun and easy cooking project to do with little kidlets that want to help you in the kitchen but it's also fab for when you're crazy grumpy with PMS and need a sweets fix STAT. Best of all, it only makes one portion so you don't have to feel guilty about indulging. All you need is a few ingredients and a microwave.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake For One (adapted from No. 2 Pencil)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon of white sugar
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
a few drops of vanilla
pinch of Kosher salt
Scant 1/4 cup AP flour
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, white and brown sugars, a few drops of vanilla and a pinch of Kosher salt. Mix together well.

2. Add 1 egg yolk. Blend together.

3. Add scant 1/4 cup AP flour. Stir all ingredients together thoroughly.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips. Mix together.

5. Place mixture in a small microwave safe container (I used a medium-sized ramiken). Microwave for 40-60 seconds. (Take care to not overcook otherwise it'll get dry and hard.)

6. Eat while it's still warm. It goes great with a tall glass of milk.

Blackberry Yogurt Cake

As we get older doesn't life seem to get much more complicated? We tend to take a lot things for granted and forget the small joys in life. For example, the other day I was at the doctor's office and I had to go on the elevator. I stepped in and stood by the control panel and was shortly joined by a young boy and his father. I could see the little boy eyeing the elevator buttons and it was obviously taking every ounce of his self-control not to reach in front of me and push all the buttons. So I leaned over and asked, "Would you mind helping me? I'm headed to floor number 2." His eyes lit up with pure delight and he immediately pushed button #2 along with the floor that he and his dad were going to. It was such a small gesture, nothing really...but I could tell I had made his day. As I stepped off the elevator, I looked back to see him grinning from ear to ear. Seeing that mile wide smile on his face reminded me of the things we take for granted as adults. We tend to overlook the things in our day to day life that brought us so much joy as children- like playing in the sprinklers, staying up late or going to the park...and yes, pushing the buttons in an elevator. As kids, we would also look forward to the first fruits of a season- that initial bite of sweet summertime watermelon or sinking our teeth into a juicy ripe peach. Inspired by my interaction in the elevator, I decided to stop on the way home and buy some fresh blackberries. My first of the season. As I got out my ingredients to bake this cake, I popped a few berries in my mouth and savored the intense flavors of tart and sweet...and for a moment or two, life seemed simple.

Note: This cake is based on a recipe for Blueberry-yogurt cake from Sunset Magazine. If you don't like seeds in your cake, you may want to strain them out before adding the blackberries into your cake mix. If you're like me and they don't bother you, you can toss the berries into the mix whole.

 

Blackberry Yogurt Cake (adapted from Sunset Magazine, July 2006, Blueberry Yogurt Cake)

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 cup fresh blackberries

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In Bowl #1, cream your butter and sugar until it's nice and fluffy. Then add your vanilla and eggs. Beat well.

3. In Bowl #2, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add it to the ingredients of Bowl #1. Then add your yogurt. Stir thoroughly.

4. Add in your blackberries and mix gently.

5. In Bowl #3, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts.

6. Place 1/2 of the cake batter in a butter and floured pan (the recipe says to use an 8-inch square pan but I used a 10-inch baking dish since that's what I had on hand), then top with 1/2 of Bowl #3's contents.

7. Add the rest of the cake batter to the pan.

8. Mix the remaining brown sugar mixture in Bowl #3 with 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle this over the top of the batter.

9. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a knife slid in the center comes out goop-free.

10. Serve warm- sliced out of the pan or in individual serving dishes (I used ramekins).

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: SUPERMAN. Sept 1, 1946

Blueberry and Cherry Clafoutis

"Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table." ~William Powell

I know it's BBQ season when I look out my living room window and I see the squirrels in my yard throwing around the bark I laid down like it's New Year's Eve confetti. They get feistier the hotter the weather gets. Those bratty squirrels...they drive me crazy! As does BBQ season at times. I love BBQ season but with the invites comes the age-old question of, "What should I bring with me- an appetizer, some sort of summery drink or dessert?" After a winter filled with pies, tarts and cobblers I'm always ready for a change of pace. The nice thing about the warmer weather is that the farmers' market starts becoming flooded with luscious stone fruits and sweet, ripe berries...the perfect ingredients for making a clafoutis. A what? A clafoutis. It's a French dessert that consists of a firm egg custard (think like the texture of flan) and traditionally is made from cherries, but you could do it with any fruit really. Last night, I made mine from cherries and blueberries. Right now Brooks cherries are in season and quite cheap- they work perfectly for this recipe. Now, the "traditional" recipe says you should use unpitted cherries but I'm always worried about someone cracking a tooth so I play it safe and opt for pitted. As for the blueberries, they're still early in the season and kind of pricey at the farmers' market (4 dollars!) so I got mine at the store ($2.50) but later in the season I hope to go blueberry picking. Mmm, fresh berries! Did you know there's a ton of places to go blueberry picking near here? My friend Katy sent me a list and the blueberry farms should be opening up around early to mid June. I can't wait to go!

Here's a list in case you're interested in going too (just click on the name to get more info):

American River Cherry Company (they have cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
Patrick's Farm
Berry Heaven
Bolster's Hilltop Ranch
Sun Mountain Farm

Blueberry and Cherry Clafoutis (adapted from Food Blogga's Cherry & Blackberry Clafoutis recipe)

Ingredients

1 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons of slivered, toasted almonds

3 large eggs

2/3 cup granulated or baker's sugar

1/2 cup AP flour, sifted

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup cream

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

butter (for greasing the pan)

confectioner's sugar or whipped cream (optional)


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan with butter.

3. Place the cherries, blueberries and almonds in the pan and spread evenly.

4. In a bowl, mix your eggs, sugar, flour and salt until the batter's smooth.

5. Add your almond extract, vanilla extract and cream. Again, mix until smooth and then pour it into your pan over the fruit and almonds.

6. Bake for about 45 minutes. Slip a knife into the middle of clafoutis, if it comes out clean it's done. When you take the clafoutis out of the oven, you'll notice it still has some jiggle and will slightly deflate- that's ok, it's totally normal.

7. Allow clafoutis to cool.

8. If you wish you can dust the clafoutis with confectioner's sugar or top it with whipped cream.

9. Serve.

Candied Kumquats

I'm currently on Day 6 of this wretched summer cold and although it seems to be slowly dissipating, it's not taking a hike quick enough for the likes of me. Since these germs have become wily to the likes of my colds meds, last night I moved onto Plan B- dousing them with a few rounds of good ol' Kentucky bourbon (aka drinks with friends). I'm not quite sure how well my plan worked...I think my cold may have laughed at my attempt and thrown a party in response, but I did sleep well when I got home. C'est la vie! In the meantime, I haven't done any heavy duty cooking projects but I did get around to candying these lovely kumquats (that I got to pick straight from the tree this past weekend). I love kumquats, they're the cutest little fruits ever. Their name comes from the Cantonese word, "kam kwat," which means "golden orange," and in China they're used as a cold remedy. They look like teeny-tiny oranges but you can eat the whole thing, skin and all. The skin is sweet and the juicy flesh is super tart (it'll make you pucker and squinch up your face), which makes them perfect for candying, or making syrup or marmalade. Candied kumquats can be used for several purposes, my favorites being: as a topping on ice cream, mixed in with Greek yogurt, diced up and mixed in with salad vinaigrette or used  as a garnish for summer cocktails. They're also great as a topping on pound cakes, paired with cheeses or cooked with savory dishes like pork.

Candied Kumquats

Ingredients

2 cups of kumquats, halved & pips removed

2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 cup of water

1 vanilla bean

pinch of Kosher salt


Instructions

1. Place the sugar, honey, salt and water in a medium-sized pot. Split the vanilla bean length-wise and scrape out the seeds with a knife or spoon. Add the vanilla bean pod and seeds to the pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. (Stir the mixture to make sure it does not burn.) Reduce the heat to medium and add the kumquats.

2. Simmer the kumquats in the syrup, stirring occasionally, until the skins become tender and translucent.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove and place the candied kumquats in a glass jar. Discard the vanilla bean pod.

4. Continue to simmer the syrup over medium-low heat. It should reduce and takes on a syrup-like consistency. Remove from stove, pour over the kumquats. Allow to cool, then cover. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours, before consuming.

5. Can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.

Of Peanut Butter Bars, Comb Overs & Audrey Hepburn

A bit off topic but we watched the semi-finale episode of Top Chef Wednesday night...I'm trying hard to get excited about someone winning but I haven't really been feeling any of the contestants this season. Although Paul's overgrown shaggy comb over hairdo in the latter part of the season is driving Mr.S. ABSOLUTELY bonkers which has been cracking me up. I mean, it bothers him so much that he's actually been yelling at the TV about it. It's hilarious (usually I'm the one who yells at the TV during Top Chef). How about you guys---do you have a fav contestant this season?

Well these peanut butter bars probably won't land you on Top Chef but they are really good. I recently made them to take over to my friend Melanie's for our Audrey Hepburn movie watching day. I made way too many and took a few of the leftovers over to Mr.S.'s for the kidlets to share, the treats didn't last very long. Ever watch Battle Royale? Yeah, it looked like a scene from that.


Peanut Butter Bars (recipe from Ezra Pound Cake)

Ingredients

Bottom Layer:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Peanut Butter Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon milk

pinch of salt


Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsalted butter


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. For the Bottom Layer: Combine all of the ingredients for the bottom layer in a large bowl until a soft dough forms. Press dough evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour.

3. For the Peanut Butter Filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Alternate adding the confectioner’s sugar and milk. Spread mixture evenly over cooled bottom layer.

4. For the Chocolate Glaze: Measure the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter into a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. If the chocolate chips haven’t completely melted, microwave and stir in 10 second increments, just until the glaze is smooth. (Don’t burn the chocolate!) Spread the glaze over the peanut butter filling.

5. Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes, or until chocolate glaze is set.

A Turkish Feast - How to Make Baklava

Is everyone still recovering from the 3-day weekend? I know I am. I think I had too much raki. Oy! Yesterday, my friend Elif invited me and my friend Cate over for a full day of Mediterranean cooking. We made dolma (which she showed me how to make last year and are probably still the best dolma I've ever had), tarama, sigara borek and baklava. It was a lot of cooking but it was also a lot of fun. While cooking throughout the day, we of course took several breaks to fuel up on strong Turkish coffee in cute tiny cups (Elif even read our fortunes for us) and knock back a whole bottle of Turkish raki. We were feeling pretty jolly by the time we were done chopping, stirring, rolling and baking...and hungry! Dinnertime felt like a celebration with numerous candles, wonderful wine, Turkish music and various plates of delicious edibles. The baklava recipe we made is posted below and I'll post the sigara borek recipe this week. I'll admit I've always been kind of take-it-or-leave-it when it comes to baklava. There's just too much honey drenching it, but Turkish baklava doesn't use honey and it includes a wee bit of citrus, I really enjoyed it. Give it a go- invite some friends over and have a group cooking event, there's nothing better than laughing and feasting with friends!


Baklava

Ingredients

2 packages of yufka (Turkish pastry sheets)  (you will need 10 full sheet "rounds")*

1/2 lb. unsalted, shelled walnuts- lightly toasted

1/4 lb. unsalted, shelled pistachios-lightly toasted

2 cups granulated sugar

1 large lemon

1 tablespoon rosewater

1 tablespoon orange blossom water

2-3 sticks of unsalted butter, melted

* You can find yufka at most Mediterranean markets.


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Place walnuts and pistachios in food processor and pulse. You want them finely chopped, but not ground.

3. In a saucepan on med-high, mix: 2 cups of sugar, 2.5 cups of water, the juice of 1 large lemon, 1 T of rosewater and 1 T of orange blossom water. Stir frequently.

4. Place a sheet of yufka on your aluminum pan, use your fingers and sprinkle it heavily with melted butter. You want to make sure this sheet covers the entire bottom of the pan.

5. For the next 4 sheets, you can "rumple" them up a bit. Sprinkle these heavily with melted butter as well. You want the sheets to be very buttery.

6. Place the chopped nuts on top of the 5 buttered sheets.

7. Layer the next 4 sheets in the rumpled fashion like before. On the fifth and last sheet, make sure it covers the entire pan (like above).

8. Trim off any edges of dough that hang over the edge of the pan.

9. Place the baklava in the oven and bake for 15-20 or until golden brown.

10. Back to your saucepan- when the syrup takes on a slight yellow tinge and the consistency of simple syrup, it's done. (It'll thicken a bit and won't run off the spoon.) Remove from heat.

11. Pour the warm syrup over the baklava. Then cut the hot bakalava into even pieces. The syrup will soak into the pastry. Set it aside and let it cool, uncovered.

Tip: The longer it has time to soak, the better it'll be.

Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake

Although most of my posts are upbeat, I get just as crabby and moody from time to time as everyone else. I'll even admit, I'm the worst during PMS- I sob during those stupid Hallmark commercials and will go ballistic if some jerkoff cuts me off on the freeway. In fact as a joke, this year Mr. S. bought me these cute mood rings from Restoration Hardware as a Christmas stocking stuffer but secretly I think he was really hoping they'd warn him of my impending mood swings during PMS week.

(photo from restorationhardware.com)

Anyhow, nothing usually gets me out of a bad mood faster than chopping, grating and stirring in the kitchen. I just zone out, focus on the task at hand and it calms me down within minutes. So the next time you feel like screaming into a pillow or choke-holding someone...step back, take a deeeeeeep breath, grab your favorite apron, head into your kitchen and try making this gem of a recipe.

Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake (from LA Times, March 14, 2007)

Ingredients

4 small lemons (about 4 ounces each)

One-half cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, divided

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 vanilla bean, split ( or 1 tablespoon vanilla paste)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk


Instructions

1. Cut 3 of the lemons into one-eighth inch thick slices. Remove seeds and set aside. You will have about 30 lemon slices. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon peel from the remaining lemon. Set aside the grated peel; save the lemon for another use.

2. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an ovenproof 10-inch saute pan until melted. Brush the sides of skillet with a little of the melted butter. Add the brown sugar, stir until it is moistened with the butter and spread it into an even layer. Arrange the lemon slices, slightly overlapping, to cover the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

4. Cut the remaining 6 tablespoons butter into a mixing bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with the point of a knife onto the butter. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until creamy. Add the sugar and grated lemon peel and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

5. Add half the flour mixture and beat until blended. Add milk and beat until combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until blended.

6. Spread the batter over the lemons in the skillet to cover evenly. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and the center tests done. Let the cake stand 5 minutes, then invert the skillet onto a platter. To serve, slice into wedges with a sharp knife.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend...I know some of you lucky ones out there even got a 3-day weekend to boot! Mr.S. and I packed up and headed out of town for a few days to get some fresh air and meet up with some friends up in Tahoe for a couple of days for some R&R. Since I'm still swimming in all those Meyer lemons, I made a big batch of giant lemon sugar cookies. Oh my goodness ya'll, these babies are...as some of my friends would put it---"amazeballs!" Minimal ingredients, quick to make, lots of flavor, you've got to try some...get to it---scoot! (Btw, they're great on their own but even more magical paired up with some creamy ice cream.)

Lemon Sugar Cookies (recipe by Pinch My Salt)
Makes about 24 giant cookies

Ingredients

- 2 c sugar, divided

- zest of two lemons, divided (Meyers if you have them)

- 1 c butter, softened

- 2 eggs, room temperature

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh

- 2 3/4 c flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 tsp cream of tartar

- 1 tsp baking soda


Instructions

1. Prepare lemon sugar: In a mini food processor (I used my regular Cuisinart), blend 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Pulse several times until the lemon zest is incorporated into the sugar. Put sugar mixture in a shallow bowl and stir lightly with a fork to break up any clumps. Set aside.


2. Prepare cookie dough: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time; add vanilla, lemon juice, and remaining lemon zest. Add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition until all flour is incorporated.

3. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350. Shape cookies using a jumbo cookie scoop or your hands; shape two tablespoons of dough into a ball and roll in lemon sugar. Place ball of dough on prepared cookie sheet and press down lightly with the bottom of a glass until cookie is about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat. Six cookies will fit on one 18 x 13 baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

If You Like Pina Coladas...

"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart. " ~Erma Bombeck

I'll admit I've never been one to go all crazy over cupcakes. When all that hoopla was going on over Magnolia Bakery and "designer cupcake flavors" were the rage, I just didn't get it. Sure, from time to time I bake cupcakes for a party or for Mr. S.'s kidlets but cupcakes as MY dessert of choice? Nah, I tend to like savory. I'm pretty sure it's all that gacky frosting that's plopped on top that turns me off. So when I heard about these not-too-sweet cupcakes, I had to give this recipe a try. (Add to the fact, that I was craving something tropical after seeing my buddy Maxx's Turks and Caicos vaca pics on FB...can you say super jealous?) End result--the Coconut and Pineapple Cupcakes didn't exactly assuage my desires for an overseas getaway (c'mon now, let's be realistic! I still want to go) but they were quite good and not over-the-top sugary tasting. In fact, they kind of reminded me of a piña colada. Yum!

Coconut and Pineapple Cupcakes (from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)
makes 12

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purposes flour

a scant 3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 egg

9 canned pineapple rings, chopped into small pieces (*use less though or you'll have a soggy mess, I used 6 rings)

desiccated coconut, to decorate


Coconut Frosting

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp coconut milk


Instructions

-Line a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper cups. Preheat oven to 325F.

-Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

-Mix the coconut milk and vanilla in a separate bowl, then beat into the flour mixture on medium speed until well combined. Add the egg and beat well (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side o the bowl with a rubber spatula).

-Divide the chopped pineapple between the paper cases. Spoon the cupcake batter on top until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven or 20-25 minutes, or until light golden and the cake bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

-For the coconut frosting: Beat the confectioners’ sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the coconut milk. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is very white, light and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.

-When the cupcakes are cool, spoon the coconut frosting on top and finish with a sprinkling of desiccated coconut.